Diamond Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Diamond Wrasse is a colourful tropical wrasse found in northern Australia, recorded from Western Australia’s Kimberley coast and offshore reefs, across the Northern Territory, and down the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.
• Globally, it ranges across the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa and the Red Sea through Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to southern Japan, New Caledonia, and the islands of the central Pacific.
• Males are striking, with a greenish to reddish-brown body covered in brilliant blue spots, giving them a “diamond-dusted” look that inspired the common name.
• Females are more subdued, reddish-brown to orange, with smaller blue spots or speckles; juveniles are orange to red with two black spots on the dorsal fin that act as false eyes to confuse predators.
• Like many wrasses, they are protogynous hermaphrodites—individuals start life as females, with some later changing into males as they mature.
• They are reef-associated fish that live among coral rubble, sandy patches, and seagrass beds on sheltered reef flats and lagoons.
• Diamond Wrasse are active foragers, feeding on small crustaceans, worms, and molluscs, which they pick from sand and rubble using their pointed snouts.
• They spend much of their time close to the substrate, darting quickly into cover when threatened.
• At night, they bury themselves in sand to avoid predators, leaving no trace of their hiding spot.
• Spawning takes place in small groups, with eggs released into the water column and drifting with plankton until hatching.
• They are generally seen alone or in pairs, though small loose groups may form in feeding areas.
• Predators include larger reef fish such as groupers, snappers, and trevallies, as well as reef sharks.
• They are collected occasionally for the aquarium trade due to their striking colours, but require large tanks and expert care.