Rockmover

About

The dragon wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is one of those fish that genuinely surprises people when they learn the wild-looking juvenile and the comparatively plain adult are the same species. Juveniles are deep reddish-brown with long, flowing fin extensions and a habit of drifting and tilting near the substrate in a convincing imitation of tumbling algae or debris. It's a remarkable bit of natural camouflage that makes them almost hypnotic to watch. Adults are considerably more subdued in appearance, growing into sturdy, thick-bodied fish that patrol reef sections, often in loose pairs. The behavior that earns them the "rockmover" name is worth seeing: adults grab rubble pieces with their mouth or bulldoze them with their snout to expose the invertebrates hiding underneath, including urchins, brittle stars, crabs, and polychaetes. In the wild they range across an enormous stretch of the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea down to South Africa and across to Hawaii, typically in rubble zones and reef flats with some water movement. In the aquarium this species needs serious space and a deep sandbed to dive into when startled or settling in for the night. They are highly territorial toward other wrasses and will rearrange your aquascape as a matter of routine. A rewarding fish for intermediate keepers who plan accordingly.