Dragon Wrasse Juvenile
Planted tank legends iaplc grand prize winner dave chow 360 view workshop duration.
Dragon wrasse juvenile. If a predator does approach the dragon wrasse exhibits another interesting behavioral trait. Green aqua 2127103 views. Juveniles bodies are flat and burgundy colored with long pelvic fins and dorsal fin filaments. As juveniles they have a high metabolism and need to be fed up to 6 times a day.
It can be very entertaining to watch the dragon wrasse flip rocks around the tank as it searches for prey. Dragon wrasses as juveniles have interesting appendages and a swimming pattern that catches the eye which will disappear as they reach adulthood. The juvenile of dragon wrasse has a burgundy body with white markings. Dragon wrasse fish are unusual in that juveniles look completely different from adults.
It will dive head first into the soft sand. It has an oblong laterally compressed body and a wedge shaped head. It is thought that by resembling botanical flotsam the juvenile dragon wrasse is less likely to attract the attention of roving piscivores. Dragon wrasse juvenile sub adult novaculichthys taeniourus the dragon wrasse is also referred to as the rockmover wrasse masked wrasse indian wrasse olive scribbled wrasse obi tensumodoki in japan.
Its head is scaleless except for two scales on the upper part of the gill coverings and an almost vertical row of small scales behind each eye. The dragon wrasse is very aggressive as an adult. It needs several inches of sand to sleep under. Juvenile in kona the rockmover wrasse is a colorful fish 2730 cm 1112 in in length.
On the whole adult dragon wrasses can be more aggressive than juveniles. The fins are also notable in their appearance especially the first two dorsal spines that form a cow lick. Young dragon wrasse is sometimes nicknamed reindeer wrasse because of their unique appendages that look something like horns. According to this aquarist her juvenile dragon wrasse turns in at the same time every night.
As juveniles or adults they can often re aquascape the aquarium looking for crustaceans including snails serpent stars bristleworms and mantis shrimps. The dragon wrasse is also referred to as the rockmover wrasse. Juvenile specimens are docile but they get more aggressive as they grow older. The sand must be free of sharp objects and no crushed coral or they can be lacerated and get an infection.