Wrasse Ass Bass

Photo courtesy from Reef Builders

Wrasse Ass Bass (Liopropoma fasciatum)

Other Name: Rainbow Basslet
Max. Length: 17.8 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 11.6 centimeters
a value:
b value:
Depth Range: 24 – 250 meters (80 – 825 feet)
Frequency: Abundant in the reefs of the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Photo courtesy from Shorefishes

If you go deep diving in Cocos island, most of the fish that you will see are dull-colored. With this, please do not expect to see rainbow-colored species as this can only be found in the shallow reef areas. This is mainly attributed to the absorption of sunlight as you go deeper. However, there is always an exemption to the rule. You can still possibly see brightly colored fish at greater depths courtesy of the Wrasse Ass Bass.

You can easily identify them through their moderately elongated and compressed body. Their head is pointed with eyes that are moderate to large in size. They have a large mouth that are slightly oblique with a protruding lower jaw.

As to body color, a Wrasse Ass Bass is one of the few deep thriving fish that is brightly colored. Their head and the tummy portion is colored pink to purple that slowly fades away as you traverse towards the tail. Horizontal stripes can also be found in their body where you can visibly see brown, red and yellow stripes.

What’s with the Name?

Bad Ass? Thug Life? No. Their name has nothing to do with bad living, but rather, it has something to do with the similarity of anatomical structure to a fellow reef fish.

If you try to compare the caudal portion of this particular fish to a Wrasse, then you will notice several similarities. For example, both species has a caudal fin that is deeply based and strongly compressed. Both species also has a concave-shaped tail with scales that are rough and small.

2014 Fish of the Year

Photo courtesy from Among the Reef

The Fish of the Year Award is a prestigious accord, however, not highly appreciated by divers as this pertains to aquarium fish raising. The Wrasse Ass Bass was awarded the 2014 Fish of the Year. There were several contenders for this awards but nothing comes close to the “meteoric and shocking appearance” of the Wrasse Ass Bass, as told by one of the Judges.

But for us divers, we would appreciate it better if the award was pertaining to the effective management and protection of the Wrasse Ass Bass population in general. For sure, we would like to see them alive underwater rather than sitting down in a chair in front of an aquarium feeling bad knowing that their fate would have been better if they were living in a wild habitat that is being protected by man, like the ones that you will see in Cocos island.

Reference:

Fishbase: www.fishbase.org

IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species: www.iucnredlist.org

Reef Builders: www.reefbuilders.com

Video courtesy from Angus Wu

About Tristan Paylado
Tristan is a marine biologist and a CMAS 2-Star Dive Instructor
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