Comb wrasse

Lore & Background

The combfish has a long, white body with a prominent, wide, black stripe running from its mouth across the eye and along the body to the end of the tail. The lower margin of this stripe is wavy and comb-like, which gives the fish its common name. During the breeding season, the portion of the stripe on the tail fin turns yellow. A thin, red stripe runs along the top of the body from the mouth, along the base of the dorsal fin, for the fin's full length.

Comb wrasses often act as cleaners, and some obtain most of their food in this way. Their contrasting color pattern, with its cleaning signal stripe, strongly attracts many other reef fish, and they are frequently surrounded by groups of fishes waiting to be cleaned. The remainder of their diet consists of small crustaceans.

Reader's Guide

The comb wrasse holds significance as a cleaner fish in reef ecosystems, using its bold black-and-white pattern with a comb-like lower margin as a visual signal to attract other fish seeking cleaning services. This cleaning behavior is a primary means of feeding for some individuals, highlighting its ecological role in maintaining the health of reef fish by removing parasites and dead tissue. The species' presence in the aquarium trade further underscores its appeal to marine enthusiasts, who value its striking appearance and interesting behavior. Its distribution across eastern Australia and offshore islands near north eastern New Zealand places it in temperate and subtropical waters, where it occupies sandy areas around rock reefs. The comb wrasse's biology, including its seasonal color change on the tail fin during breeding, adds to its distinctiveness among wrasses. Overall, it is a notable example of a fish that combines visual signaling with mutualistic interactions, contributing to the biodiversity and dynamics of its reef habitat.

Did You Know?

• The comb wrasse's black stripe has a wavy, comb-like lower margin that gives it the common name combfish.
• During the breeding season, the portion of the black stripe on the tail fin turns yellow.
• Comb wrasses often act as cleaners and are frequently surrounded by groups of fish waiting to be cleaned.
• This species can reach 25 cm in total length.