weird black or blue wrasse identification please

[Still_human]

can anyone identify this for me, please?

[Still_human]

it looks black in most light, but sometimes it looks very dark blue, like in the picture. that very faint blue stripe down its length is actually present, it’s not just from the lighting.

it appears to be some sort of lyretail wrasse, but i can’t even find anything CLOSE, lyretail or not.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Still_human

[Still_human]

it’s supposed to be a red sea cleaner wrasse, and today it does have the same blue stripes, although they’re extremely dim compared to real red sea cleaners, but despite the same stripes, and even same mouth, there significant differences that i don’t think can be reconciled. it seems to have a noticeably different shape, the fins are shaped a bit different, it doesn’t have the 2 dark black dots on the back of the anal and dorsal fins, it DOES have that unusual blue pattern under the eyes, which i can’t find any pictures of the cleaners with anything like that, but the biggest tell to me, is that the tail is EXTREMELY different, both in color, and complete shape. this appears to be some weird lyretail wrasse with a cleaner wrasse mouth.

[DaJMasta]

It's a tough one, I wonder if coloration and even tail growth are an artifact of handling or age.  While most pictures of cleaner wrasses really don't look a ton like this one, this image seems to at least be fairly close: https://www.whatsthatfish.com/fish/fourline-wrasse/2713

[Still_human]

18 hours ago, DaJMasta said:

It's a tough one, I wonder if coloration and even tail growth are an artifact of handling or age.  While most pictures of cleaner wrasses really don't look a ton like this one, this image seems to at least be fairly close: https://www.whatsthatfish.com/fish/fourline-wrasse/2713

even though this “mystery” wrasse is the same size as the other red sea cleaners i’ve come across, i did originally considered the potential age/growth issue too, as well as possible regional variations, but from all i’ve found, juveniles and adults of these red sea cleaners have the same shape and patterns, and all, and since all pictures i’ve found anywhere look the same, i’m assuming there aren’t major regional differences. The wrasse in question’s blue stripes are similar to the one in the link you provided, except still even significantly dimmer. i know color/intensity is very variable, but i’ve never seen any in pictures or in person, even a very stressed out cleaner, with stripes as dim as this one, let alone an acclimated, that’s up and about, and eating. i wouldn’t consider something like intensity of stripes as significant, if it wasn’t for the other differences. even if it was some red sea cleaner mimic, i’d imagine it would look more similar, both shape and colors.

[lowsingle]

Whatever it is , it sure is pretty!

 

Darren

 

[Still_human]

2 hours ago, lowsingle said:

Whatever it is , it sure is pretty!

 

Darren

 

yeah, it was absolutely gorgeous at first, but sadly, and oddly, it actually got a lot less pretty as it got less stressed. the body lightened up from being almost black, to a dull dark blue, with 2 also dull, slightly lighter blue stripes along the length, and it’s pretty blue face marking, and trim faded to a duller, much less visible blue:(

i just don’t have a place for lyretail wrasses right now, so that’s why i didn’t get it before, but i was very glad later, when i saw its non-stressed, way less attractive colors.