Species No. 034

Bird Wrasse

Gomphosus varius

This fish can change its whole look as it grows. A speckled white fish can transform into a shiny blue-green one, which is why it is nicknamed the "bird wrasse" for its beak and its flying-like swimming.

The real colors of this species — match them or invent your own.

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Size

30 cm

Depth

0–35 m

Range

Indo-Pacific

Habitat

Coral reefs

IUCN

Least Concern

How to spot

Easy to spot by its long, thin snout that looks just like a bird's beak. The beak grows longer as the fish gets older. Young ones have shorter snouts and two black stripes down the body.

True colors

Adult males are blue-green with a tiny red line on each scale and a blue half-moon on the tail. Females and young are speckled white with an orange-topped snout and a white-edged black tail.

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