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 30 m (98 ft) in the Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea included. 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.
It grows to an average length of 35 cm (14 in) but can reach up to 50 cm (20 in).
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.
Due to their adult size and diet, they are rarely kept in the aquarium.
