Wrasse

Brightening up our oceans, wrasse fish are a delight for all those who come across them. Wrasse take diversity to another level with the amount of variation in their appearance across the many species within this fish family, so let’s get more familiar with one of our favourites here at Tynemouth Aquarium.

All about wrasse fish

Wrasse is a large fish family with 600 species identified worldwide. And with so many known species, marine biologists have divided these into nine subgroups to make it easier to classify each one, including Cheilines, Hypsigenyines, Julidines, Labrichthyines, Labrines, Novaculines, Pseudocheilines, Pseudolabrines and Scarines.

The scientific name for wrasse is Labridae, which originates from the Latin for ‘lip’ or ‘edge’. This is because wrasse fish species are usually identified based on their lips!

Wrasse appearance

Their most recognisable feature is their puckered lips. Not only do their lips point outwards, but they can also make their teeth do the same. Wrasse have ‘protractile’ teeth, which means they can be extended outwards to help them catch passing prey easily.

But aside from their unique mouths, they’re well-known for their brightly coloured appearance. This will differ depending on the species, but many have brightly coloured markings which can vary from blue and green to orange and red. And while they might vary in size, they usually have a slender body and continuous dorsal fins.

Wrasse habitat

Wrasse fish can be found all over the world, although most species prefer living in tropical waters. Many of those that can withstand cooler temperatures can even be found on the UK’s shores, which is the case for several of the species in our exhibits!

Behaviours and characteristics

As a territorial group of fish, they tend to live solitary lives and can be aggressive towards other wrasses. However, some do live in schools, such as the cuckoo wrasse. This is usually for mating purposes, as wrasse can change their gender when needed for reproduction.

See wrasse fish at Tynemouth Aquarium

While we definitely don’t have space for anywhere near 600 species, we still have a huge collection of wrasse fish here at Tynemouth Aquarium, each with its own quirks and diverse looks.

Goldsinny wrasse

Goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) might be small at just 12cm, but they’re mighty! With the ability to remove parasites from other species, they’re sometimes used as a natural alternative to pesticides, alongside having a diet of crustaceans and molluscs.

Found in rockpools and among algae, the goldsinny wrasse species is a UK local with populations commonly spotted along the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Trying to spot ours at Tynemouth Aquarium? Look out for their brown, green or orange-red markings, a dark spot on the dorsal fin and their small, pointed heads with large mouths!

Cleaner wrasse

Another of the smallest wrasse species, the cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) only grows to around 8cm. But as with the goldsinny, this species has the special job of keeping the surrounding marine life ‘clean’ from parasites. Living in tropical coral reefs around the Red Sea, Indo-Pacific Ocean, and East Africa, this species plays an essential role in the health of the reef systems they inhabit, alongside the other marine species they live amongst. Identified by their striking markings, this is an interesting species to get to know on your next visit to Tynemouth Aquarium!

Cuckoo wrasse

Although the cuckoo wrasse (Labrus mixtus) has bright colours similar to species of tropical fish, it’s in fact native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Senegal, including the Azores and Madeira. Along with other wrasse species found around the UK, the Cuckoo Wrasse prefers to live in rocky coastal areas where there are plenty of hiding spots.

Cuckoo wrasse can grow quite large, with some reaching around 35cm, and have slender bodies, which helps them easily manoeuvre around rocks. Their colourful markings make them easy for visitors to identify in our St Mary’s Island exhibit.Telling the difference between males and females is relatively easy – just look at the colours. Females are orange-pink with black and white spots on their backs, while males have electric blue markings on their heads and backs. All Cuckoo Wrasse are born female, with only a single wrasse in each group becoming male. If the sole male of the group is to die, then the most dominant female in turn changes in colouration and in gender to become male.

Birdmouth wrasse

Native to the Indian Ocean, particularly from East to South Africa, birdmouth wrasse (Gomphosus caeruleus) spend most of their time in coral reefs.

As with other wrasse fish, they have a continuous dorsal fin made up of 8 smaller spines. But their most striking feature is their long beak, which is where they get their name. The elongated beak is designed to help this species become experts at snatching their prey, consisting mostly of small invertebrates.

Rock cook wrasse

The rock cook wrasse (Centrolabrus exoletus) is one of our most brightly coloured wrasse fish at Tynemouth Aquarium. Sometimes called the small-mouthed wrasse, their markings are usually hues of purple, pink, blue, yellow and brown with a darker band on the caudal fin.

This species is native to the UK, although it tends to hide among seaweeds and rocks, making it harder to spot in the wild!

Ballan wrasse

Most often spotted in the Atlantic Ocean off the shores of the UK and Ireland, the ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) is a larger fish that’s difficult to miss, growing up to 60cm in length.

Starting life with a beautiful emerald green shade across their slender bodies before developing mottled green, brown, or orange markings into adulthood, they stand out in the rocky reefs they tend to inhabit.

Book your tickets today to Tynemouth Aquarium, where you can get up close and personal with our exciting marine creatures, including our wrasse species.