HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesElegant wrasse Elegant wrasse (Anampses elegans) Scientific name: Anampses elegans Ogilby, 1889 The Elegant wrasse (Anampses elegans) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. Native range: Southwest Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Range extends eastward to Easter Island. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 8 - 10. Body color light brown with a faint blue spot, 1 per scale, above lateral line and 7 faint golden stripes following centers of scale rows below lateral line; a faint dark stripe from front of snout to eye with a fainter continuation behind eye; lower half of head pale silvery. Pectoral fin comparatively long (1.5-1.7 times in HL).Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameAnampses elegansFamilyLabridae (Wrasses)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length29.0Depth range2–35 m (7–115 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 35 mClimateTemperateDistributionSouthwest Pacific: Australia and New Zealand. Range extends eastward to Easter Island.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesBlue and yellow wrasseAnampses lennardiRed tail wrasseAnampses chrysocephalusPearl wrasseAnampses cuvierYellowbreasted wrasseAnampses twistiiBlue-striped orange tamarinAnampses femininusGeographic wrasseAnampses geographicusSee 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