Orange Back Fairy Wrasse

Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantiodorsalis): 1. Appearance & Coloration Coloration: They feature a stunning, vibrant body with a deep purple or navy-blue background contrasting sharply against a brilliant golden-orange or yellow stripe that runs along their upper back and dorsal fin. Morphology: Like other fairy wrasses, they have a sleek, streamlined body and elongated pelvic fins. Males display particularly intense, iridescent breeding colors. Size: They grow to an adult size of about 3.5 to 4 inches (9 to 10 cm). 2. Native Origin & Habitat Geography: They are native to the western Pacific Ocean, specifically found around Indonesia, the Philippines, and the surrounding waters of the Coral Triangle. Environment: They inhabit outer reef slopes and rubble zones at moderate depths, typically schooling above the reef framework where currents bring passing zooplankton. 3. Tank Requirements Minimum Tank Size: Requires an aquarium of at least 50 to 75 gallons with plenty of open swimming space and rockwork to weave through. Water Parameters: Temperature: 72°F – 78°F (22°C – 26°C) Salinity (Specific Gravity): 1.020 – 1.025 pH: 8.1 – 8.4 Tank Cover: Crucial. Fairy wrasses are notorious jumpers when startled or during nighttime flight responses. A tight-fitting lid or robust mesh screen is mandatory. Sand Bed: A sandy substrate (1 to 2 inches) is recommended, as many fairy wrasses dive into the sand to sleep or hide at night. 4. Diet & Feeding Natural Diet: Zooplankton, fish eggs, and small benthic crustaceans drifting in the water column. Captive Diet: Readily accepts a wide variety of aquarium foods. Feed a nutritious mix of enriched frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, cyclops, high-quality marine flakes, and small pellets. Feeding them multiple times a day helps maintain their high energy and bright colors. 5. Reef Compatibility Status: Reef Safe Behavior: Completely safe with corals, anemones, clams, and decorative invertebrates. They will not nip at sessile invertebrates or disrupt the aquascape. 6. Temperament & Tank Mates Temperament: Active, peaceful, and generally docile, though males can occasionally display mild posturing or territoriality toward other newly introduced wrasses. Compatibility: Excellent community fish that fits well into mixed reef setups. They mix harmoniously with peaceful tank mates like gobies, dartfish, clowns, and other peaceful fairy or flasher wrasses (ideally introduced simultaneously or with the most docile species first). Avoid keeping them with overly aggressive or hyper-predatory fish.