Wrasse fish

Wrasses are members of the widespread family Labridae, whose individuals, in most species, change color as they grow, and also turn from females to males, thus inducing large deviations from the ‘normal’ sex ration of 1:1.

Wrasses are coast fishes mostly of carnivorous habits, which attain their maximum development in the tropical and temperature seas.

Cleaning service by wrasse

Although their palates are unarmed their jaws are provided with a number of powerful teeth admirably suited for crushing the shell-fish on which these fishes chiefly subsist.

The cleaner wrasse is a small fish that swims onto the mouth of a larger fish to remove food scrapes and parasites from it jaws.

They remove parasites from fish that stop at so-called cleaning stations and cleanse injuries, promoting the healing process.

The wrasses work inside their gills and even around the teeth of bigger fish, which never harm them - even if they normally feed on smaller fish.
Wrasse fish