Identification
A small wrasse of 10 to 18 cm with an elongated body and pointed snout. Reddish-brown to orange with a dark spot on the tail base. Thinner lips than larger wrasses.
Ecology
Lives on rocky bottoms with seaweed in shallow water. Known as a cleaner fish: eats parasites from the skin of larger fish. Used in salmon farming against sea lice.
In the Netherlands
Found near hard substrates such as groynes and wrecks. Not common.
