The cigar wrasse, Cheilio inermis, is a species of wrasse native to the Indo-Pacific. It is mainly found on tropical reefs at depths to 30m (100feet) in the Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea included.[1] They inhabit seagrass beds and algae-covered flats, occasionally in lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m. They are a mostly solitary species. Their diet includes crustaceans, mollusks, sea urchins, and other hard-shelled prey.[2]
It grows to an average length of 35cm (14inches) but can reach up to 50cm (20inches).[3]
Young individuals are usually a mottled brown or green, sometimes with a broad lateral stripe. Rare individuals may be uniformly yellow. Large males may develop a bright yellow, orange, black, white, or multicolored patch on their sides behind their pectoral fins.[4]
Due to their adult size and diet, they are rarely kept in the aquarium.