Rectangular fish with bold red and white markings and two long fin spines projecting out over their head.

Dragon wrasse

Novaculichthys taeniourus
Where at Shedd?
Wild Reef
Diet Mollusks, crabs, sea urchins, sea stars and worms
Size Length: Up to 11.80 inches (30.0 cm)
Type Fishes
Range Lagoons, reefs and reef flats over sand and rubble in the Indian and Central Pacific Oceans
Habitat Indian and central Pacific Oceans over lagoons and reefs with mixed sand and rubble

Did you know?

  1. To search for food, these wrasses will turn over rubble and debris to find what might be hiding underneath.
  2. Young dragon wrasse imitate drifting algae while swimming to hide from predators.

IUCN Red List Conservation Status