Coris Gaimard Africana (Red Coris)

The Red Coris, also known as the Clown Wrasse, Red Labrid, or Yellowtail Coris, can be found on almost every reef in the Indo-Pacific and Hawaiian Region, and extends all the way into the Red Sea. Adult specimens in the wild can easily grow to a foot, but in an aquarium, they rarely exceed 6-8 inches. The juvenile and adult appearances vary greatly. As a youth, the body color is orange with white tiger stripes or spots across the back. The stripes and fins are outlined in black. In adulthood, the body takes on a speckled blue coloration, the fins are decorated with yellows, reds, and blues, and the face is orange with green stripes. The male has a light green stripe on the body, just above the anal fin.

The Red Coris requires a 100 gallon or larger aquarium with a sandy bottom into which it will burrow to sleep, or if it is threatened. Do not attempt to keep the Red Coris on crushed coral or similar substrate as they have a poor survival rate on such substrates. When very small, Red Coris are safe with almost any fish that will not eat them, but as they grow, they can become destructive. They should not be kept with invertebrates.

The Red Coris feeds mostly on shelled mollusks in the wild including hermit crabs, urchins, crabs, and occasionally tunicates. Aquarium specimens should have meaty items, vitamin-enriched shrimp, and brine shrimp three times daily.