Skip to content

DiscoverSpeciesFish

Nebulous wrasse

Halichoeres nebulosus

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth0–9 m
  • Water temperature21–30 °C
  • Best monthsApril and May
  • How commonOccasional
All species

About this species

The nebulous wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It can be found in groups at depths from 1 to 40 m on reef flats. This species feeds on fish eggs and benthic invertebrates, including crabs, sea urchins, ophiuroids, polychaetes, sponges and mollusks. Its coloration varies, ranging from brown to dark green. This species can reach 12 cm (4.7 in) in total length. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Nebulous wrasse”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 13 records
  • February: 9 records
  • March: 9 records
  • April: 137 records
  • May: 94 records
  • June: 51 records
  • July: 14 records
  • August: 29 records
  • September: 19 records
  • October: 31 records
  • November: 28 records
  • December: 8 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–9 m · Deepest record: 16.5 m

  • 0–10 m: 155 records
  • 10–20 m: 12 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 21–30 °C

  • 20–22 °C: 2 records
  • 22–24 °C: 14 records
  • 24–26 °C: 45 records
  • 26–28 °C: 78 records
  • 28–30 °C: 157 records

Names and classification

English
Nebulous wrasse, clouded rainbowfish, Clouded Rainbow Fish, Clouded Wrasse, Nebulosus Wrasse, nebulous wrasse, Picture Wrasse
Names in 2 more languages
French
Girelle Nébuleuse
Japanese
Inazumabera, イナズマベラ

Other scientific names: Halichoeres nebulosa, Halichoeres reichei, Julis nebulosus, Julis pseudominiatus, Julis reichei, Pseudojulis maculifer

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 1,908 open-data records from 1931 to 2023.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist

DiveHive uses necessary cookies to work. With your permission we also use analytics to see which pages help. Analytics is off until you say yes, and we never record what you type.

  • NecessaryAlways on: your choice, security.Always on
  • AnalyticsOff unless you accept.Off
Privacy policy