Squires Fairy Wrasse

Squire’s Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus squirei) is a reef-safe fairy wrasse from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea region that’s known for its lyre-shaped tail and warm red-to-orange body tones with contrasting yellow fin highlights. In an established reef, it spends most of the day cruising open water above the rockwork and weaving through caves and ledges.

What You’ll Observe:

• Steady, on-the-move swimming in the middle and upper water column
• Short “display” moments where fins flare and colors intensify, often near dusk
• Quick, confident feeding in the water column once it recognizes your routine
• Regular laps around a preferred section of the aquascape, especially when settled in

To help this wrasse thrive, provide plenty of rockwork with multiple retreat spots plus open swim room, and keep a tight-fitting lid or mesh top in place. Offer a variety of small meaty foods several times per day so it can graze naturally throughout the light cycle. In mixed-wrasse setups, it typically does best when introduced with a clear plan for spacing and territories.

Does this wrasse sleep in the sand like some other wrasses?
Most hobbyists report fairy wrasses choose a protected nook in the rockwork at night rather than burying in sand.

Why does it “flash” and flare its fins at certain times of day?
Keepers commonly see brief fin-flares around lights-out, during feeding, or when the fish notices its reflection or other wrasses.

Can it jump even with a lid or hood on the aquarium?
Many wrasse owners find that tiny gaps (especially around feeding doors, cords, or overflow areas) are enough for a determined jumper, so full coverage matters.

Will it change color over time, and can a “female-looking” fish become male?
In Cirrhilabrus wrasses, long-term keepers often observe increased male-pattern coloration as the fish matures, especially when there isn’t a dominant male present.

How do people safely introduce a fairy wrasse into a tank that already has wrasses?
A common approach is using an acclimation box so tankmates can see each other before full release, which helps establish boundaries more smoothly.

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