All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[eatbreakfast]

Pink Margin and Rhomboid together? I don't have either but trying to adjust my stocking list to what's available. They're quite close on the chart and would be going into a 220. Currently a bully melanarus and a timid orange back are in it now along with a yellow fin flasher.

Many other flasher's and fairy's planned along with some halichoeres but I can adjust on the fly. I just want more wrasses lol! So, if the pink margin is likely to be aggressive in general, I might avoid it.

Pink margin and rhomboid will be fine, though I would recommend adding them simultaneously or the rhomboidalis first.

How would a Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia mix with multiple fairy wrasse?

Not well. Pseudocheilinus get increasingly aggressive as they mature, especially toward other wrasses.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Do fairy and flasher wrasses need a sand bed?
Or are they acceptable candidates for a bare bottom tank with a ridiculously large amount of rock and hiding places?
75 gallon tank, 200 pounds of live rock in the display.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Do fairy and flasher wrasses need a sand bed?
Or are they acceptable candidates for a bare bottom tank with a ridiculously large amount of rock and hiding places?
75 gallon tank, 200 pounds of live rock in the display.

No sand need for those.

 

[Bug235]

I have 7 fairy wrasses in a 150 with no problems

Scotts
Lineadus
Labouti
Male And female Rhomboid
Katherine
Pink take

 

[Newb73]

I am not a wrasse guy but I decided to get a few for pest control.

I sealed up the open back part of my canopy 100%.

I did some research here but there are thousands of pages on nearly hundreds of wrasse types.

I wanted a 6 line but LFS didn't have any so I boughy a melanurus, since i have large meaty tangs I got a pinkface and also a what I believe to be a ruby head.

So far the pink face and melanurus are model citizens....out all day feeding and not participating in any aggression (except the melanurus will nip at pink face if he swims too close).

The Ruby head stays im the rocks and is rarely seen, don't know how it will do long term although if it chooses to be an introvert that is fine...my tank has tons of pods, worms etc. (It literally is "crawling" when i shine a light in at night).

Now that i have these I am enjoying them.

I think i would like more and need advice as to if it is posdible, how many, and maybe good tank mates.

225G 6ftlongx29ish wide.
8x blue green chromis
4x Oscellaris clowns
5x Anthias (2x lyretail/3x Ignitus)
2x Banji Cardinals
1x Foxface
1x 2 spott goby (also rarely see)
1x Achilles tang
1x Regal tang
1x Yellow Tang
1x Sailfin Tang.

I know i am pretty much stocked, but was looking at smaller fish so wondered if i could squeeze more wrasse or anthias in.

There is no agression in my tank except at feeding time when nori is on a clip the achilles tries to keep the regal and sailfin from it....and if any THING swims into the clowns spawning grounds it gets nipped...a touch of pecking order nipping among the chromis pack....

Overall though very peaceful and am happy to see the melanurus and pink face swimming amoung the neighbors and taking food. I feed 3 to 5x per day 70% of the days, 2x a day the other 30%.

Should I hold where I am or can more wrasse be added?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I am not a wrasse guy but I decided to get a few for pest control.

I sealed up the open back part of my canopy 100%.

I did some research here but there are thousands of pages on nearly hundreds of wrasse types.

I wanted a 6 line but LFS didn't have any so I boughy a melanurus, since i have large meaty tangs I got a pinkface and also a what I believe to be a ruby head.

So far the pink face and melanurus are model citizens....out all day feeding and not participating in any aggression (except the melanurus will nip at pink face if he swims too close).

The Ruby head stays im the rocks and is rarely seen, don't know how it will do long term although if it chooses to be an introvert that is fine...my tank has tons of pods, worms etc. (It literally is "crawling" when i shine a light in at night).

Now that i have these I am enjoying them.

I think i would like more and need advice as to if it is posdible, how many, and maybe good tank mates.

225G 6ftlongx29ish wide.
8x blue green chromis
4x Oscellaris clowns
5x Anthias (2x lyretail/3x Ignitus)
2x Banji Cardinals
1x Foxface
1x 2 spott goby (also rarely see)
1x Achilles tang
1x Regal tang
1x Yellow Tang
1x Sailfin Tang.

I know i am pretty much stocked, but was looking at smaller fish so wondered if i could squeeze more wrasse or anthias in.

There is no agression in my tank except at feeding time when nori is on a clip the achilles tries to keep the regal and sailfin from it....and if any THING swims into the clowns spawning grounds it gets nipped...a touch of pecking order nipping among the chromis pack....

Overall though very peaceful and am happy to see the melanurus and pink face swimming amoung the neighbors and taking food. I feed 3 to 5x per day 70% of the days, 2x a day the other 30%.

Should I hold where I am or can more wrasse be added?

The bad news is, that although perhaps well behaved now, pink face wrasses get quite aggressive as they mature, especially toward other wrasses. I would not recommend adding wrasses to a tank with a pink face wrasse.

 

[Newb73]

The bad news is, that although perhaps well behaved now, pink face wrasses get quite aggressive as they mature, especially toward other wrasses. I would not recommend adding wrasses to a tank with a pink face wrasse.

No worries then. He is a replacement for my bluethroat and he is already much better (as my bluethroat killed a pack of anthias and then removed both eyes from a kole...then jumped to his death).

So the bar is set pretty low.....

Will refrain from adding any more and see how it goes. I do like the pink, very active and interesting. So far, the Melanurus is by far more aggressive in their encounters.

The melanurus always chases the pinkface away.

 

[eatbreakfast]

No worries then. He is a replacement for my bluethroat and he is already much better (as my bluethroat killed a pack of anthias and then removed both eyes from a kole...then jumped to his death).

So the bar is set pretty low.....

Will refrain from adding any more and see how it goes. I do like the pink, very active and interesting. So far, the Melanurus is by far more aggressive in their encounters.

The melanurus always chases the pinkface away.

That aggression will flip flop, as the pink face gets bigger. Which is a shame since a male pink face in display is one of the prettiest fish.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Finally teapped the six line wrasse and gone!
What about a red velvet fairy wrasse, yellow line flasher wrasse, blue line flasher wrasse and Lubbock's combination in a 75 gallon?

 

[saltyhog]

Finally teapped the six line wrasse and gone!
What about a red velvet fairy wrasse, yellow line flasher wrasse, blue line flasher wrasse and Lubbock's combination in a 75 gallon?

Congratulations on getting the Six Line out of there!

Red velvet fairies are a little aggressive but in a tank the size of yours it shouldn't be a problem. Do you mean Yellow fin flasher (P. flavianalis) and Blue Flasher (P. cyaneus)? They will be fine. Always use an acclimation box but especially if the red velvet goes in first.

Edit : Sorry, I missed the 75 gallon(got you crossed up with the 225 gallon) Still might be ok though, we'll see what @eatbreakfast says.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Thanks! Can I add a blue and yellow fin Lubbock's wrasse to that mix if they all go in together?

 

[saltyhog]

Thanks! Can I add a blue and yellow fin Lubbock's wrasse to that mix if they all go in together?

I would think those 3 would be great together.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would think those 3 would be great together.

I agree.

 

[Newb73]

That aggression will flip flop, as the pink face gets bigger. Which is a shame since a male pink face in display is one of the prettiest fish.

Update. I only saw the melanurus wrasse out last night. This am i spotted my ruby red (tried to get a picture for positive ID) and then spotted what may be image of the pinkface expired (which might explain the ruby reds appearance)

Thoughts?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Uodate. I only saw the melanurus wrasse out last night. This am i spotted my ruby red (tried to get a picture for positive ID) and then spotted what may be image of the pinkface expired (which might explain the ruby reds appearance)

Thoughts?

That's definitely a possibility.

 

[Newb73]

That's definitely a possibility.

I can confirm the pinkface expired and the ruby red has been schooling and sleeping with the anthias and is now coming out.

The melanurus is fine. I put my ozone on turbo as i think maybe the pinkface was dz on purchase. Turned up the UV also.

My tank always has ick in it, i never saw spots on pink face but the tx w copper at lfs likely weakened it.

I assume this may be a blessing in disguise? Assume i can probably add more wrasse later now?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I can confirm the pinkface expired and the ruby red has been schooling and sleeping with the anthias and is now coming out.

The melanurus is fine. I put my ozone on turbo as i think maybe the pinkface was dz on purchase. Turned up the UV also.

My tank always has ick in it, i never saw spots on pink face but the tx w copper at lfs likely weakened it.

I assume this may be a blessing in disguise? Assume i can probably add more wrasse later now?

Yes, other wrasses can be kept with your stock.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Quick general question (hoping I did not miss it earlier):

I see a few fairy and flasher wrasses that are 3-4 inches recommended for a 55 gallon aquarium minimum. Is the large space for the small fish because of needed swimming room, or some other concern? Thanks.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Quick general question (hoping I did not miss it earlier):

I see a few fairy and flasher wrasses that are 3-4 inches recommended for a 55 gallon aquarium minimum. Is the large space for the small fish because of needed swimming room, or some other concern? Thanks.

They are very active and use the space in their displays

 

[Makers Marc]

All,

Just curious if any of your LFS are bringing in any Potters Leopard Wrasses, Red/Yellow tail Tamarin, or Royal Pencil Wrasses in the past 3 months?

I get the Hawaii net size ban, but im curious if other hobbyists have observed any coming in for sale.

Ive been scouring online and locally for 3 months and havent seen any. Wonder if its the new normal.