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Mystery wrasse, photographed on a transparent background

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Mystery wrasse

Pseudocheilinus ocellatus

A secretive hunter creeping through the rock, rarely seen in the open.

The Mystery wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus) is a tropical marine fish of the family Labridae. It lives on and around reefs, between 20 and 100 m deep. Adults grow to about 10 cm; the largest on record measured 10.3 cm (standard length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 120 cm long and water at 23–27 °C.

Size
10 cm
Smallest tank
120 cm
Temperature
23–27 °C
Care
Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–27 °C
pH7.8–8.5
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Moderate
Water layer
Bottom
Group
Lives on its own
Coral
Reef safe
Drawn to scale in a 120 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litres25 of them
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres54 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres100 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres120 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Marine
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Coral and rocky reefs
Largest on record
10.3 cmstandard length, tail fin excluded

Depth

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderLabriformes
  2. FamilyLabridae
  3. GenusPseudocheilinus
  4. SpeciesPseudocheilinus ocellatus
  5. Described byRandall, 1999

In other languages

French
Labre lavande
Japanese
ヨコシマニセモチノウオ
Chinese
眼斑擬唇魚

Quick answers

Mystery wrasse size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 10 cm. The largest on record measured 10.3 cm (standard length). Record sizes among the 4 Pseudocheilinus species on LumaReef: 9 cm (Disappearing Wrasse) to 14 cm (Eightline Wrasse).
Mystery wrasse tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 120 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Wide tank or larger.
Mystery wrasse water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–27 °C, pH 7.8–8.5. Close to what most Labridae on LumaReef need (23–27 °C).
Mystery wrasse tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 56 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Domino damselfish, Radiant wrasse, and Cleaner wrasse.
Mystery wrasse: alone or in a group?
It can be kept on its own.
Mystery wrasse and corals: is it reef safe?
Yes, it leaves corals alone.
Mystery wrasse depth: how deep does it live?
In the wild, 20 to 100 m down. Deeper than most Pseudocheilinus on LumaReef (0–50 m).

All Labridae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Mystery wrasse: compiled from these references.