Unique and colorful Humphead Wrasse
April 24, 2026
In the "Coral Reef Sea" tank at Tokyo Sea Life Park, in addition to corals, many fish are kept. In this lively tank where colorful small fish swim around, there are two large fish that can be seen from a distance. The name of these fish is the "Humphead Wrasse."
Humphead Wrasse is a target species in the "Second Zoo Stock Plan," which aims to breed rare animals at Tokyo Metropolitan Zoos and Aquariums. Tokyo Sea Life Park is attempting to improve future breeding by keeping multiple individuals together in a large tank called "Coral Reef Sea."
This Humphead Wrasse, the Napoleon Wrasse, is also known as the "Napoleonfish." Many people may be more familiar with this name.
The forehead-like area indicated by the red circle in the photo below swells as the fish grows, resembling the silhouette of the large military cap worn by Napoleon, the emperor of the First French Empire, hence the name "Napoleonfish."
Humphead Wrasse in the "Coral Reef Sea" tank are still young, so the forehead-like part is not very prominent, but Humphead Wrasse in the "South China Sea" tank have a magnificent hat-like silhouette that can be clearly seen.
Furthermore, upon closer observation of the two creatures in the "Coral Reef Sea," we can see that there are several differences besides their body size and markings.
For example, they tend to stay in different places within the tank. Individuals that are comfortable with humans nearby are often found near the viewing walkway, while others tend to hide in the shadows of rocks. There are also differences in where and when they eat. Of course, this may be partly influenced by the environment within the tank, but it also seems that each individual has its own preferences.
Thus, even within the same species of fish, their appearance can differ depending on their stage of growth and sex, and they may possess individual characteristics that are not apparent from their outward appearance.
I encourage you all to try and discover the unique personalities and behaviors of each individual Humphead Wrasse.
[Kanna Hirota, Animal Care and Exhibition Staff, Kasai Tokyo Sea Life Park]