{"id":3238,"date":"2026-02-16T23:25:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/checkerboard-wrasse-halichoeres-hortulanus\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T23:25:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:25:17","slug":"checkerboard-wrasse-halichoeres-hortulanus","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=checkerboard-wrasse-halichoeres-hortulanus","title":{"rendered":"Checkerboard Wrasse Halichoeres Hortulanus"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"76\"><strong data-start=\"4\" data-end=\"74\">Checkerboard Wrasse (<em data-start=\"27\" data-end=\"51\">Halichoeres hortulanus<\/em>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4 data-start=\"78\" data-end=\"97\"><strong data-start=\"83\" data-end=\"95\">Overview<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"98\" data-end=\"466\">The Checkerboard Wrasse, also known as the Marble or Hortulanus Wrasse, is a striking and hardy reef-safe species that displays a distinctive black-and-white checkerboard pattern with bright green, yellow, and blue highlights. Active, intelligent, and full of character, this wrasse is both a beautiful display fish and a helpful pest controller in marine aquariums.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"468\" data-end=\"485\"><strong data-start=\"473\" data-end=\"483\">Origin<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"486\" data-end=\"681\">Widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, <em data-start=\"541\" data-end=\"565\">Halichoeres hortulanus<\/em> inhabits coral reefs, sandy lagoons, and seaward slopes where it forages for small crustaceans and invertebrates.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"683\" data-end=\"701\"><strong data-start=\"688\" data-end=\"699\">Feeding<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"702\" data-end=\"948\">An omnivore that readily accepts a variety of frozen mysis, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and high-quality marine pellets. It will also naturally graze on small invertebrates and unwanted pests within the aquarium. Feed 2\u20133 times daily.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"950\" data-end=\"971\"><strong data-start=\"955\" data-end=\"969\">Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"972\" data-end=\"1168\">Generally peaceful toward most species and reef-safe with caution. Best housed with tangs, angels, and other robust community fish. Avoid small ornamental shrimp or snails, as they may be eaten.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1170\" data-end=\"1191\"><strong data-start=\"1175\" data-end=\"1189\">Aggression<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"1192\" data-end=\"1385\">Semi-aggressive. Juveniles are peaceful, but adults can become territorial toward smaller or similarly shaped wrasses. Provide ample rockwork, swimming space, and a soft sand bed for resting.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1387\" data-end=\"1414\"><strong data-start=\"1392\" data-end=\"1412\">Experience Level<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"1415\" data-end=\"1555\">Ideal for intermediate aquarists. Hardy, adaptable, and long-lived when kept in a large, well-established aquarium with stable conditions.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1557\" data-end=\"1584\"><strong data-start=\"1562\" data-end=\"1582\">Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1719\">\n<li data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1631\">\n<p data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1631\"><strong data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1603\">Temperature:<\/strong> 74\u00b0F \u2013 82\u00b0F (23\u00b0C \u2013 28\u00b0C)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1632\" data-end=\"1666\">\n<p data-start=\"1634\" data-end=\"1666\"><strong data-start=\"1634\" data-end=\"1647\">Salinity:<\/strong> 1.020 \u2013 1.025 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1667\" data-end=\"1688\">\n<p data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"1688\"><strong data-start=\"1669\" data-end=\"1676\">pH:<\/strong> 8.1 \u2013 8.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1689\" data-end=\"1719\">\n<p data-start=\"1691\" data-end=\"1719\"><strong data-start=\"1691\" data-end=\"1706\">Alkalinity:<\/strong> 8 \u2013 12 dKH<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1721\" data-end=\"1908\">Colorful, energetic, and durable, the Checkerboard Wrasse is a fantastic choice for aquarists seeking a vibrant, personality-filled fish that thrives in larger reef or community setups.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Checkerboard Wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus) Overview The Checkerboard Wrasse, also known as the Marble or Hortulanus Wrasse, is a striking and hardy reef-safe species that displays a distinctive black-and-white checkerboard pattern with bright green, yellow, and blue highlights. Active, intelligent, and full of character, this wrasse is both a beautiful display fish and a helpful pest [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3237,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[127],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3238","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-marine-wrasse","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/3238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=3238"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=3238"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=3238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}