Peacock Wrasse

Photo: Falk Viczian Solarboot-Projekte gGmbH · CC BY-NC

Male peacock wrasse turn extraordinary shades of iridescent blue and green during the April to June spawning season, constructing elaborate nests of algae in rock crevices and guarding eggs with conspicuous territorial displays. Gjipe's intact rocky reef with its undisturbed algae communities provides ideal nesting habitat, and breeding males can be encountered at densities rarely seen on more heavily visited Mediterranean coasts. Their post-spawning colour fades rapidly, so the narrow spring window offers a genuinely rare photographic opportunity.