Marjorie Fairy Wrasse

The Marjorie Fairy Wrasse is a rare and highly sought-after deepwater fairy wrasse endemic to the Marshall Islands. Males display a beautiful combination of reds, pinks, and purples with iridescent highlights that shimmer as they swim. This species is named in honor of Marjorie Awai and is one of the more exclusive Cirrhilabrus available to the hobby due to its restricted geographic range and deepwater habitat. Females are more modestly colored in soft pinkish tones.

In the wild, Cirrhilabrus marjorie is found exclusively in the waters of the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific, where it inhabits deep reef slopes and rubble areas typically below 40 meters. Its extremely limited range and deepwater habitat make collection both challenging and infrequent. Like other fairy wrasses, males maintain harems and perform courtship displays, but wild observations of this species at depth are scarce.

The Marjorie Fairy Wrasse is an expert-level species primarily due to the challenges associated with deepwater collection, decompression, and initial acclimation. Specimens require careful decompression during collection and a gentle transition to captive conditions with subdued lighting. Once established, the species can do well in a mature reef aquarium. A tight-fitting lid is essential, and the tank should provide moderate flow with ample live rock and open swimming space. This is a collector's fish for experienced aquarists prepared for the demands of deepwater species care.