Exquisite Fairy Wrasse

The Exquisite Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus) is a reef-safe fairy wrasse from the Indo–West Pacific, with coloration that can vary by region and by mood. It spends most of its time in the water column, weaving in and out of rockwork and showing stronger color during social displays.

What You’ll Observe:

• Active midwater cruising with frequent short turns around rock ledges
• Quick color up moments during feeding and when interacting with other wrasses
• Confident water-column feeding on small frozen foods and pellets once settled in
• Nighttime routine of tucking into the rockwork to rest, then reappearing with the lights

How to Succeed: Provide open swimming room plus live rock with multiple ledges and shaded pockets so it can move between bright and dim areas. Offer small meaty foods (like mysis and other fine frozen blends) 2–3 times daily for steady weight and consistent activity. A tight-fitting mesh top helps keep normal burst-swimming from turning into an exit attempt—especially during feeding and first-week settling-in.

Can I keep an Exquisite Fairy Wrasse in a tank without a lid?
Most keepers treat a lid as standard for fairy wrasses, since jump attempts often happen during feeding or sudden movement around the tank.

Is it normal for it to disappear right after lights go out?
Yes—many will settle into a crevice or shaded pocket in the rockwork to rest, then resume normal swimming after the lights come back on.

Why does it look different day to day (or even minute to minute)?
Color intensity can shift with mood, social displays, and courtship; it is common to see it color up during interactions and feeding.

If I buy multiple, do I need to worry about male vs female?
Many Cirrhilabrus are protogynous (female-to-male), so groups often sort out a single dominant male over time; hobbyists typically plan stocking with that in mind.

Should I use an acclimation box when adding it to a tank with other wrasses?
A short acclimation-box period is commonly used to let existing fish adjust visually first, which often makes the first few days calmer once it is released.

Each fish is checked for strong appetite and activity before we approve it for your tank.