WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Blackspot Tuskfish

Choerodon schoenleinii

Also known as: Blue Tuskfish, Green Wrasse, Purple Grouper, Rainbowfish, Tuskfish, Yellow-bellied Tuskfish

NTNear ThreatenedIUCN Red List, 2004
Adult
@fishx6 · Navy Pier, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia · March 20141 / 16
01

Overview

Found singly over sand and weedy reef flats in shallow coastal waters of lagoons and seaward reefs.

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day, are grazers, they cruise around, just above the surface of the coral, or snoop into crevices, foraging for food.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth, which they use to graze the bottom, taking in a variety of algae, crustaceans, such as crabs, eggs, shrimps, snails and worms. Any hard coats or thick shells, are then ground down by their pharyngeal jaws, and the delicacies inside digested.
From juvenile to adult, wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise.
Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep, and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevices.

02

How to identify

Behaviour
solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Exact location · 9
  • Country only · 7
LIVES IN

Found singly over sand and weedy reef flats in shallow coastal waters of lagoons and seaward reefs.

04

Adult photos 16

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyLabridae
    6. genusChoerodon
    7. speciesChoerodon schoenleinii (Valenciennes, 1839)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)