Bluehead Banana Wrasse

The Bluehead Banana Wrasse is a beautiful, multicoloured wrasse. Similar to many wrasse species, the Bluehead Banana Wrasse demonstrates dramatic colour variation within individuals based on gender and age. The Bluehead Banana Wrasse experiences distinct yet fluid colour phases. The juvenile Bluehead Banana Wrasse is generally yellow with black markings along their sides and sometimes on their fins. As an adult, the male Bluehead Banana Wrasse has a bold stripe pattern (black, white, black) that divides a vibrant blue-green and yellow anterior from the namesake blue head. The female Bluehead Banana Wrasse is completely turquoise except for two black stripes.

The Bluehead Banana Wrasse should be housed in a 75 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of live rocks for hiding and a sandy substrate to burrow into at night. Larger, gregarious tankmates are recommended since the Bluehead Banana Wrasse will demonstrate territorial behavior and harass new additions to the aquarium. If possible, the Bluehead Banana Wrasse should be the last fish added to the aquarium. The Bluehead Banana Wrasse is a carnivore whose natural diet consists of fish, crustaceans, motile invertebrates, and worms. As such, the Bluehead Banana Wrasse may eat unwanted mantis shrimp or bristleworms in the aquarium. The Bluehead Banana Wrasse does not eat corals or macroalgae.

The Bluehead Banana Wrasse diet should include vitamin enriched frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched frozen brine shrimp, and other meaty foods along with a high quality marine flake and marine pellet food.