Head to head
Ballan Wrasse vs Cuckoo Wrasse
Ballan Wrasse
VS Cuckoo Wrasse
The ballan wrasse and the cuckoo wrasse are close relatives in the same genus that share the rocky coasts of the north-eastern Atlantic, but one is dull and the other dazzling.
| Ballan Wrasse | Cuckoo Wrasse | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Labrus bergylta | Labrus mixtus |
| Relationship | A close relative of the cuckoo wrasse, in the same genus | A close relative of the ballan wrasse, in the same genus |
| Size | Often 30 to 50 cm long, with a heavy body and thick lips | Usually around 25 to 35 cm long, with a long body and a pointed snout |
| Colour | Green to brown to reddish, often with pale spots or blotches | Males have a blue head and a bright orange to yellow body with blue stripes, while females are orange with dark blotches along the back |
| Sex change | Is born female and later changes into a male, so the biggest fish are mostly males | Females change into males as they grow, so the blue-headed fish are the oldest |
| Habitat | Rocky shores, kelp forests, and reefs | Rocky reefs and kelp forests in water deeper than most other wrasses |
| Diet | Crabs, shrimps, snails, mussels, and other shellfish, crushed with strong teeth in its throat | Crabs, shrimps, brittle stars, small molluscs, and other animals on the reef |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, along rocky coasts from Norway to Morocco | Least Concern, from Norway to northwest Africa and the Mediterranean |
Ballan Wrasse vs Cuckoo Wrasse: common questions
Are the ballan and cuckoo wrasse related?
Yes, they are close relatives in the same genus, Labrus, and both change sex from female to male as they grow.
Which one is more colourful?
The cuckoo wrasse, with its blue-headed, orange-bodied males and orange, blotched females, while the ballan wrasse is mostly green to brown.
Which one lives in deeper water?
The cuckoo wrasse, which lives on rocky reefs and around kelp forests in deeper water than most other wrasses.