Red-Head Wrasse - Male (Halichoeres rubricephalus)
- Thread starter vamaro
- Start date
skibum9884
Active member
I just recently purchased one. It seems to be doing very well. Active and eats well. From what I hear they're pretty hardy once acclimated and established. Transport is where most perish.
patrick28
New member
I also just recently got one. He came via UPS on Tuesday. He arrived very alert once acclimated he went right into the display. He was out the rest of the day then didnt come out till wednesday around 5:00pm. It took him a couple of days to eat now he pounds PE mysis from my hand. It seems to be a very curious fish always wants to check out what I'm doing.
I would like to find a female but I cant find any info on them whats so ever. None of the books I have show pics of females and no luck on the internet. I'm not sure if they can change sex where if I was to put another male in my tank one would change or if they would scrap it out.
I would like to find a female but I cant find any info on them whats so ever. None of the books I have show pics of females and no luck on the internet. I'm not sure if they can change sex where if I was to put another male in my tank one would change or if they would scrap it out.
skibum9884
Active member
So, my understanding is that females aren't available in the trade very often because they're not so attractive. As for where to buy them, there was one on LA, and Reef Hot Spot has had some as well. Not sure if any of the online retailers have any currently.
I agree with Patrick, mine seems to like PE Mysis and has even taken a liking to Spectrum Pellet.
I agree with Patrick, mine seems to like PE Mysis and has even taken a liking to Spectrum Pellet.
skibum9884
Active member
I have no idea if that is or not....however, I wonder if a different halichoeres female would help it to retain its colors.
Worth looking into, I might do that.
Worth looking into, I might do that.
38bill
Member
I have one that I have had for about 1 year. It was fussy about eating at first but it eats whatever I throw at it now. Very friendly, nice bold fish. Always looking and begging for food. I think they need to be fed often so I feed up to three times a day.
A friend just got a 5" long RH just last Wed. His fish came in covered in flukes and flatworms. He did a fresh water dip and said it looked like it was snowing with all the parasites falling off. His fish is already eating frozen now and seems to be adjusting well. Both of ours came from Reef Hot Spot.
A friend just got a 5" long RH just last Wed. His fish came in covered in flukes and flatworms. He did a fresh water dip and said it looked like it was snowing with all the parasites falling off. His fish is already eating frozen now and seems to be adjusting well. Both of ours came from Reef Hot Spot.
Matt_Wandell
New member
Does anybody know for sure if this is a female Red Head Wrasse? If it is, your right skibum, not the most attractive fish, but it would definitly bring the colors out in the male so imo it would be worth it. I got my eye out for one of these.
That is definitely NOT a female H. rubricephalus. They have green and red stripes very much like H. melanurus or H. ornatissimus.
Here is a photo that AgentSPS took of one:
Everyone I know who's owned a male H. rubricephalus has not had it live longer than a year. Touchy fish for whatever reason.
Jacob D
New member
Does anybody know for sure if this is a female Red Head Wrasse? If it is, your right skibum, not the most attractive fish, but it would definitly bring the colors out in the male so imo it would be worth it. I got my eye out for one of these.
That looks like it might be H. brasiliensis. Check out this photo by Luiz Rocha to compare to... or it could be one of the numerous other species.
Hey Matt... are you saying the one you posted a pic of is female? Are the red stripes the indicator?
Jacob D
New member
I've had one since last January myself. I had to relocate it from one tank to another and it hid for 35 days straight and I thought he was a goner. Very beautiful and active fish! Here's a pic my friend shot of him.
That's a beauty! Please share some pics on the halichoeres thread!
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1931755
skibum9884
Active member
Interesting, so I guess the red lines seen on that picture of the female fade when it becomes a male.
I had one for 9 months that did great and pretty much ate well right away. It developed a swim bladder and bouyancy problem and then died within a few days. I suspect it was related to improper decompression during collection that eventually took its toll. I want to try one again. The redhead wrasse is one of my favorite Halichoeres wrasses but they are hard to find and only rarely available.
Matt_Wandell
New member
Yes, the picture I posted is a female, or at least very very similar to a female H. rubricephalus. I don't have Kuiter's book in front of me, but there is a photo there.
The red stripes are not a very good indicator. There are a ton of Halichoeres spp. with patterns like that. Apparently there is an ocellus (false eyespot) near the tail in a unique location on female H. rubricephalus that distinguishes it from other similar Halichoeres spp. I don't have the book in front of me, otherwise I'd tell you exactly where it is.
Here is a photo of a female H. rubricephalus changing into male in sedgro's tank.
joetbs
Zanza Zanza Zanzibar
i would eliminate H. brasiliensis from the field as the pic is filled with Sarcophyton which is not in their natural habitat
I'd say its H. trimaculata based on the black spot at the tail.
