Twelve Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia) Care
Overview
The Twelve Line Wrasse, Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia, comes from the Indo-Pacific to central pacific region. They have an reddish orange body with four horizontal dark blue lines across the body and a reddish orange tail.
Twelve Line Wrasses can reach up to 3″ and require an aquarium of at least 50 gallons with plenty of live rock, hiding places, and a fine sandbed. They are good jumpers and should be kept in a tank with a cover. A deep sand bed is not needed for this wrasse to bury itself in at night. Instead they may form a mucus cocoon or wedge themselves into rock crevices. Should they form a cocoon to sleep in there is no need to remove it from the tank.
They are considered reef safe but will eat the parasitic snails that infest Tridacna clams and commensal flatworms.
Only put one in an aquarium, unless it is 250 gallons or more and all are introduced at the same time and have different body lengths.
Feeding
The Twelve Line Wrasse is carnivores and require a diet rich in meaty foods, such as brine and mysis shrimp, high-quality frozen foods, pieces of fresh seafood, and flake and pellet foods.
Approximate Purchase Size
Up to 2″