HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesCocktail wrasse Cocktail wrasse (Pteragogus flagellifer) Scientific name: Pteragogus flagellifer Valenciennes, 1839 The Cocktail wrasse (Pteragogus flagellifer) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. Native range: Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea to South Africa and Papua New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to Australia. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Males with long filaments.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific namePteragogus flagelliferFamilyLabridae (Wrasses)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length20.0EnvironmentMarine; reef-associatedClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-West Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and Papua New Guinea, north to southern Japan, south to Australia.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesSideburn wrassePteragogus pelycusGoldbar wrasseThalassoma hebraicumBluelined wrasseStethojulis albovittataSpottail corisCoris caudimaculaBlue humphead parrotfishChlorurus cyanescensGraphic tuskfishChoerodon graphicusSee all wrasses SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026