Cheilinus oxycephalus
| Latin name | Cheilinus oxycephalus - Bleeker, 1853 |
|---|---|
| Local name | Snooty wrasse |
| Family | Labridae - Cheilinus |
| Origin | East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, Australia, Indonesia, East Pacific, Central/West Pacific |
| Max length | 17 cm (6.7") |
| Minimum volume |
700 l (185 gal) 
|
|---|---|
| Hardiness |
Average
|
| Suitable for aquarium |
Suitable with care
|
| Reef safe |
Not reef safe
|
| Aggressiveness | Docile but might be global_aggtemp_might_more_docile |
| Recommended |
Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...) Other invertebrates Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...) Zooplankton (Cyclops, pods...) |
|---|
This species likes eating snails whenever possible.
This species poses a threat towards shrimps and crabs etc., which are relatively small.
This species must be fed with an appropriately varied diet.
These fish flourish better without other members of the same species in the aquarium.
There is a greater chance of success with this species if one can supply a living feed to allow it to adapt to the tank.
This species has a habit of rearranging rocks and sand.
Make sure rocks are placed securely on the substrate, so they cannot toppled over.
These fish may well hide themselves for a while, whilst getting acclimatized.
Do not disturb the fish while acclimating because it will prolong the process.
This species needs good hiding places, for example, between live rocks.
This species revels in swimming and requires an aquarium with ample space.
This species is very shy and docile, so one should be careful when keeping it with more aggressive fish.
This species can change gender from female to male.
When a male is needed, a female changes sex and takes on the role.
Fish in the genus Cheilinus are larger than most Wrasses, even up to 6.5 foot (2 metres).
These fish are a threat to most invertebrates -but not corals- and small fish. It is probably necessary to feed with living foods at first and after some time with large pieces of seafood every, or every other day.
It must be noted that even though they can be aggressive themselves when first introduced. They can easily be stressed by other fish, or indeed aquarists, before they are properly acclimatized.
Wrasses are nearly always seen in reef aquaria, since many of the species are both attractive and useful in battling a range of unwanted invertebrates like i.e. flatworms, pyramide snails.
These fish live of everything from zooplankton to large crustaceans, sea urchins and the like.
The needs and behaviour of Wrasses vary greatly, so it is vital to familiarize oneself with the specific species before buying one.
| Distribution | Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Marquesan and Society islands, north to Taiwan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and the Austral Islands. |
|---|---|
| English common names |
Snooty wrasse Red maori wrasse Pointed-head wrasse |
Scott Michael. 2004. Aquarium Fish: The Cheeklined Maori Wrasse, Cheilinus diagrammus - Advanced Aquarist - (English)
Bob Fenner. Maori/Splendour Wrasses, the Genera Cheilinus & (to): Oxycheilinus - Wet Web Media - (English)
Scott W. Michael. 2009. Wrasses and Parrotfishes (Reef Fishes Series Book 5) - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)