The Six Line Wrasse is both beautiful and active. With its
six distinct, horizontal blue lines overlaid against an
orange body, this member of the Labridae family brings a
zip of color to any marine reef aquarium. This is
especially true when a courting male Six Line Wrasse
displays an increased color intensity. However, it is the
active darting amongst rock outcroppings and corals that
most attracts the Six Line Wrasse to any onlooker.
Also known as the Sixline or Sixstripe
Wrasse, Pseudocheilinus hexataenia is
native to reefs of the Indo-Pacific and the coast of
Fiji. Here, the Six Line Wrasse forages amongst corals
and rocks for foods, mainly keeping to itself. In the
home aquarium, the Six Line Wrasse requires a peaceful
environment with a generous supply of hiding places and
live rock on which they can forage for food. Here, the
Six Line Wrasse will search for live foods in the form of
small crustaceans such as pyramidellid snails (clam
parasites), urchins, and commensal flatworms. The Six
Line Wrasse is also known to feed on unwanted pests on
live rock, such as bristleworms.
Though generally peaceful, the Six Line Wrasse may act
aggressively towards peaceful Wrasses and other
easily-intimidated fish, especially if inadequately fed
or if its habitat is void of places in which it can hide.
The Six Line Wrasse diet should include vitamin enriched
frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched frozen brine
shrimp, and other meaty foods along with a high quality
marine flake and marine pellet food.
