Wrasse ID?

[bradleyj]

I know. I should know, but I bought this guy about 2 yrs ago on a whim from D/D.
Now I cant remember what species he is.
About a year ago, Scott Micheals and Jake Adams were by my house and they even argued which type he was.
He has doubled in size and I'm sure he is eating my snails, (always buying them)
but seems to be very good with my others. He is about 8 inches in length now and is a true hog when it comes to eating. Hoping he doesn't get much larger or will have to find him a new home.
Here is a pic when I bought him and now.

I thought he was a gold bar.

 

[SDguy]

That mouth looks like a Thalassoma species to me.

 

[tcmfish]

That mouth looks like a Thalassoma species to me.

+1, but don't know the species off hand.

 

[kinlayan]

To me it looks like juvenile wrasse of the surge wrasse -thalassoma purpureum

IT does get pretty big here is pic of the adult if it is this one http://www.marinelifephotography.com/fishes/wrasses/thalassoma-purpureum.htm

 

[curlykid]

+1 to surge wrasse

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Tail and mouth don't look right for Thalassoma to me. Maybe a Halichoeres?

 

[ssavader]

My thought is Thalassoma genivittatum- Pink Cheek Wrasse

 

[bradleyj]

Here are a couple of closer pics I just took.

 

[aquaph8]

whatever it is, its a beautiful fish. How long have you had it?

 

[bradleyj]

Thanks, about a year and a half now,maybe 2yrs.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Halichoeres ornatissimus maybe?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Looks like a Thalassoma to me. Has his coloration changed much since you've had him?

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Maybe Halichoeres hartzfeldii? Thanks to Simon Garratt for the help...

 

[Matt_Wandell]

 

[extreme5450]

Could be it

 

[tcmfish]

Looks pretty spot on to me. Even has the black by the pectoral, and the pattern is similar. Matt, the pics you posted seem like they are of more mature fish.

 

[anbosu]

Halichoeres ornatissimus maybe?

No, I have one of those and the colors are very different.

 

[bradleyj]

Boy Matt, that is very, very close. He had those brilliant colors when I first got him and now they are more like the pictures I posted.
I'll bet that is him. Halichoeres hartzfeldii.

 

[SDguy]

The patterning on the head is virtually identical. That has to be it. Wow, that head! I would never think to call that a halichoeres.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Yeah the head patterning definitely screams Thalassoma but the tail does NOT. The tail in Thalassoma is almost always strongly lunate in adults and even in subadults or juveniles it has the strong lines on the top and bottom of the tail that form a crescent shape.