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Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) — Labridae

Three-lined rainbow wrasse

Stethojulis trilineata
Family: Labridae

The Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
16.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–20.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, Solomon Is., Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, India and others
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The three-lined rainbow wrasse is a small wrasse (Labridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 17 cm; females and juveniles are greenish with fine dotted lines, while dominant males develop bright blue and orange longitudinal lines. As a reef-dweller it swims actively by day over shallow reef and seagrass bottoms and picks small invertebrates; at night it buries itself in the sand. It changes sex from female to male. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Three-lined rainbow wrasse?

The Three-lined rainbow wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body.

Where does the Three-lined rainbow wrasse live?

The Three-lined rainbow wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Australia, Solomon Is., Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, India and others

How big does the Three-lined rainbow wrasse get?

The Three-lined rainbow wrasse grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Three-lined rainbow wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Three-lined rainbow wrasse is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Three-lined rainbow wrasse edible?

The Three-lined rainbow wrasse is rarely eaten.

More photos

Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) — Labridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Greg III Espera, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) — Labridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) — Labridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) John Clough, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Three-lined rainbow wrasse (Stethojulis trilineata) — Labridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Ivan Samra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Three-lined rainbow wrasse sourced
Scientific name
Stethojulis trilineata
Family
Labridae
Other names
Blue-ribbon wrasse; Red shouldered rainbow-fish; Scarlet-banded rainbowfish; Three-blueline wrasse; Three-lined rainbowfish; Three-ribbon wrasse; Three-lined wrasse; Wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
16.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, Solomon Is., Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, India and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Stethojulis

More from the family Labridae

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