Adding Wrasses with old Mandarin?

[Prevailing Reef]

So I've upgraded from a 90 gallon to a 262 gallon.

My Spotted Mandarin has been in my 90 for 6 years. He eats pretty much any type of pellet that sinks to the sand. He has lived off Seaweed Extreme pellets primarily.

I have tons of pods covering my glass if I don't scrub the glass down for a couple days.

Is it a bad idea to add a wrasse? I know he eats pellets but I have no way of really knowing how substantial his pod feasting is throughout the day.

Is there any wrasses that you all would recommend for this scenario?

 

[OrionN]

Normally run 260 gal tank should have plenty of pods for mandarin and wrasses. I would not added 6 line wrasse or wrasses in that Genus but other reef safe wrasses would be fine. I had a pair of Six line attacked and blinded my female Mandarin and then leave her to starve. All 4 fish, Sixline pair and mandarin pair were in a thriving 400 gal tank. All fat and doing well. Since this event six line wrasse only get into my tank over my dead body.
Right now I have a Mandarin pair in my 320 DT with a numbers of wrasse and angels

 

[Prevailing Reef]

Normally run 260 gal tank should have plenty of pods for mandarin and wrasses. I would not added 6 line wrasse or wrasses in that Genus but other reef safe wrasses would be fine. I had a pair of Six line attacked and blinded my female Mandarin and then leave her to starve. All 4 fish, Sixline pair and mandarin pair were in a thriving 400 gal tank. All fat and doing well. Since this event six line wrasse only get into my tank over my dead body.
Right now I have a Mandarin pair in my 320 DT with a numbers of wrasse and angels

Which Wrasses would you recommend specifically?

I don't know much at all about Wrasses!

 

[OrionN]

There are a numbers in of beautiful wrasses in the Flasher and Fairy wrasses that are water column feeder and not food competitors to mandarin. Look at the sticky threat on reefsafe wrasse and the thread on Fairy wrasse above.

 

[Jesterrace]

If you want help with pod eating A Halichoeres Wrasse (ie Yellow, Red Lined) would be the best choice. They also can provide pest removal services. If you are getting pods covering your tank every couple of days, I would say you have more than enough for the mandarin. The Yellow and Red Lined are also well behaved community fish.

 

[Prevailing Reef]

I like the Marble/Checkerboard wrasse. I think I will add that to my list.

 

[heniochus]

I have a target mandarin with about 5 other fairy wrasses in a 100 gallon They don’t ever compete for food outside of pellet.

 

[ss30]

I was told by my LFS that adding a six line in with my mandarin would be ok, with in 1 hour the wrasse had ripped the dorsal fin off of the mandarin, spent the next few hours draining the tank and removing the rock to get the wrasse out.

 

[evolved]

Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus species won't present any real competition for pods, and are likely your best bets here.

I don't know much at all about Wrasses!

Here's a good place to start ;):
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.259894/

I like the Marble/Checkerboard wrasse. I think I will add that to my list.

Eh, a bigger species, and pretty pushy once mature. It's a Halichoeres species that's pretty borderline for a reef tank.

 

[Prevailing Reef]

Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus species won't present any real competition for pods, and are likely your best bets here.

Here's a good place to start ;):
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.259894/
Eh, a bigger species, and pretty pushy once mature. It's a Halichoeres species that's pretty borderline for a reef tank.

Ha! Just posted in your thread!