Red Coris Wrasse

Red Coris Wrasse: The Colorful, Sand-Burrowing Carnivore

The Red Coris Wrasse (Coris gaimard), also known as the Clown Wrasse, Yellowtail Coris, or African Coris, is a large, highly active, and brilliantly colored species that undergoes one of the most dramatic color changes in the marine hobby. While captivating, this fish is only suitable for very large, mature, fish-only-with-live-rock (FOWLR) systems due to its size and predatory, burrowing nature.

The Juvenile phase is stunningly attractive: a brilliant orange to red body with three to five black-edged white saddle markings along the back. This coloration is often why hobbyists purchase the fish, unaware of its immense adult size. As the fish matures into an Adult (Terminal Male), the appearance changes completely to a mottled blue-green body covered in small, bright blue spots, a greenish-orange head with intricate green stripes, and a contrasting bright yellow caudal fin (tail). They are capable of reaching a maximum size of up to 16 inches (40 cm) in the wild, though typically closer to 12 inches (30 cm) in a home aquarium.

The Red Coris Wrasse is a tireless bottom-dweller, constantly sifting and turning over substrate and small pieces of rock in its quest for food. This digging behavior makes a fine, deep sand bed (4+ inches) an absolute requirement, both for hunting and to provide a safe place to bury itself completely when frightened or at night for sleeping.

Diet & Compatibility:

• Diet: This is a dedicated Carnivore. Its natural diet consists almost entirely of hard-shelled benthic invertebrates, including mollusks (snails, clams), crabs, hermit crabs, and sea urchins. In the aquarium, it must be fed a variety of high-quality, vitamin-enriched, meaty frozen foods, such as Mysis shrimp, frozen silversides, krill, and chopped marine seafood. Juveniles should be fed several times daily due to their high metabolism.
• Reef Compatibility: Not Reef Safe. While they generally ignore corals, their natural foraging behavior involves flipping and moving rocks and stirring the sand, which will dislodge unmounted corals and perpetually dust them with substrate. Crucially, they will systematically hunt and consume nearly all ornamental invertebrates, including all snails, hermit crabs, shrimp, and even clam mantles.
• Temperament: Semi-Aggressive / Boisterous. They are active swimmers and generally non-aggressive toward large, robust tankmates, but they can be aggressive toward smaller, more passive fish. They are best housed with other large, aggressive fish like Tangs, Triggerfish, Groupers, and large Angelfish. They should be kept singly, or occasionally as a pair/harem if added simultaneously to a very large system.
• Tank Requirements: Due to their large adult size and high activity level, a 125-150 gallon tank is the minimum size. A secure, tight-fitting lid is mandatory as this species is a known jumper. The sand bed should be fine to medium grain (not crushed coral) and at least 4 inches deep to prevent injury when burrowing.

Quick Facts

• Scientific Name: Coris gaimard
• Primary Common Name: Red Coris Wrasse
• Other Common Names: Clown Wrasse, Yellowtail Coris, African Coris, Gaimard Rainbow-Wrasse
• Origin: Indo-Pacific (Widespread, including Hawaii)
• Max Size: Up to 16 inches (40 cm)
• Temperament: Semi-Aggressive / Boisterous (Highly Predatory)
• Diet: Carnivore (Crustaceans, Mollusks, Inverts)
• Minimum Tank Size: 125-150+ Gallons
• Reef Compatibility: Not Reef Safe (Predatory toward inverts; highly destructive digging behavior)