All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[Rudefish]

I am glad to find this thread as there are very knowledgeable wrasse experts here. I wanted to add 2 wrasse to a 300g tank with other fish that I know are compatible. However, I have a Yellow Candy Hogfish which is shown to be compatible with reefsafe wrasse based on a compatibility chart. However, I have read in places where they are not compatible because of the possible similar body shape. Can someone provide some insight as to which I should go with as I would love to add two beautiful wrasse to the tank?

 

[mattzang]

I am glad to find this thread as there are very knowledgeable wrasse experts here. I wanted to add 2 wrasse to a 300g tank with other fish that I know are compatible. However, I have a Yellow Candy Hogfish which is shown to be compatible with reefsafe wrasse based on a compatibility chart. However, I have read in places where they are not compatible because of the possible similar body shape. Can someone provide some insight as to which I should go with as I would love to add two beautiful wrasse to the tank?

usually hogfish are a no go with other wrasses.. 300g is pretty massive tho

i'd ask @evolved and/or @eatbreakfast

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Great read!

 

[Rudefish]

usually hogfish are a no go with other wrasses.. 300g is pretty massive tho

i'd ask @evolved and/or @eatbreakfast

Much appreciated.

@evolved - can you provide some insight as to the feasibility of adding wrasse to a tank that is already housing a hogfish?

 

[Rudefish]

usually hogfish are a no go with other wrasses.. 300g is pretty massive tho

i'd ask @evolved and/or @eatbreakfast

Much appreciated.

@evolved - can you provide some insight as to the feasibility of adding wrasse to a tank that is already housing a hogfish?

 

[TrishK]

In my 180 reef tank I currently have a red head Ruby fairy wrasse, a pink margin fairy wrasse, a carpenter flasher and yellow fin flasher. All males. What would be a beautiful female wrasse I could add that would be compatible with these four?

I have a male McCoskers and a red velvet fairy female in my 60 FOWLR tank and they were sleeping next to each other in the same crevice the first night

 

[saltyhog]

In my 180 reef tank I currently have a red head Ruby fairy wrasse, a pink margin fairy wrasse, a carpenter flasher and yellow fin flasher. All males. What would be a beautiful female wrasse I could add that would be compatible with these four?

I have a male McCoskers and a red velvet fairy female in my 60 FOWLR tank and they were sleeping next to each other in the same crevice the first night

Any particular reason to want a female? Almost any female you add will likely transition to male. The most likely exception would be a leopard wrasse. I think many of the leopard species actually are more attractive as females.

With a relatively large tank as you have you could add several more wrasses in the Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus or Halichoeres genera.

 

[homer1475]

I have a current wrasse gang, melagris leopard, blue star leopard, yellow corris, long finned fairy, and a melanarus.

LFS has a male exquisite fairy, would he go well with the current gang? I know mixing fairies is sometimes hit or miss, so an acclimation box will most certainly be used.

FWIW 80G cube with plenty of rockwork to hide in.

Mccoskers is still on my list if I ever happen to find one.

 

[TrishK]

I have a current wrasse gang, melagris leopard, blue star leopard, yellow corris, long finned fairy, and a melanarus.

LFS has a male exquisite fairy, would he go well with the current gang? I know mixing fairies is sometimes hit or miss, so an acclimation box will most certainly be used.

FWIW 80G cube with plenty of rockwork to hide in.

Mccoskers is still on my list if I ever happen to find one.

Bluezooaquatics has a McC right now. Just saw it available last night. Took me forever to get my hands on one too. Only male though available.

 

[homer1475]

Thanks for the heads up, but even LA has them every so often. I have just not had good luck with shipping fish, and I like to see them before buying so I know the condition there in.

 

[TrishK]

Any particular reason to want a female? Almost any female you add will likely transition to male. The most likely exception would be a leopard wrasse. I think many of the leopard species actually are more attractive as females.

With a relatively large tank as you have you could add several more wrasses in the Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus or Halichoeres genera.

I had just read that the Carpenter wrasse may lose its coloring unless there are a few females around. Don’t know if anyone has any personal experience about that?

 

[saltyhog]

I had just read that the Carpenter wrasse may lose its coloring unless there are a few females around. Don’t know if anyone has any personal experience about that?

Not true in my experience. You do not want to try and keep a male and female of any Halichoeres, Paracheilinus or Cirrhilabrus species. In aquaria the female will almost always transition to male.

The best strategy to promote lots of colorful displays is to keep males of multiple species of flasher or fairy wrasse.

 

[canadianeh]

@evolved
So lately, I always find my outside tank is riddled with drips of dried saltwater in the morning. I noticed at night that my Royal Flasher Wrasse (RFW) tried to jump out and caused splashes. I do have lid on my tank. He is splashing like crazy only when the lights are out at night. Doesn’t do this during the day.

I don't understand why this just started now. This only happens overnight when lights are out. I don't see aggression at all in the tank. Is it the flow? or something else? I actually lowered the wavemakers by 5% and not higher.

It is pain in the butt to keep wiping off the mess in the morning and I would like to understand why he is doing this. Otherwise, he is fine and eating.

Tank mates:
-Two orange clownfish
-Molly miller blenny
-Yellow watchman goby
-Lined dartfish
-Yellow tang
-Melanarus wrasse
-tuxedo urchin
-Bubble tip anemone

 

[lba4590]

I’m thinking about purchasing a female flame wrasse. I currently have a pintail and a carpenters flasher, to latter of whom is a bully. Would introducing a female that is similarly colored to the carpenters be an issue? And is it a guarantee that she will turn into a male (what I want)? Just wondering how/why I always see them being sold as male/female pairs..

 

[esther]

Morning everyone! I currently have the following wrasse's in our tank:
- Loubouti Wrasse
- Flame Wrasse
- Lineatus Fairy Wrasse

Looking to add:
- Orangeback Wrasse
- Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse

Thoughts? OK to add them to the group? Thanks in advance!

 

[saltyhog]

Morning everyone! I currently have the following wrasse's in our tank:
- Loubouti Wrasse
- Flame Wrasse
- Lineatus Fairy Wrasse

Looking to add:
- Orangeback Wrasse
- Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse

Thoughts? OK to add them to the group? Thanks in advance!

The C. rhomboidalis and C. lineatus are in the same complex and may not get along. Additionally the Rhomboid is very mild mannered. If your tank is large it may work fine. It will also depend on the individual disposition of the Lineatus.

I've kept Lineatus and Pink Margin (which is also in the same complex) in a 6' tank but the Pink Margin was far from shy. Maybe @evolved will have some more specific input.

 

[Traian]

I currently have 4 wrasses in my DT: Bluestreak cleaner (Labroides dimidiatus), Carpenter's ( Paracheilinus carpenteri), Ruby Head Fairy (Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura), and a Solon (Cirrhilabrus solorensis). These last two get along just fine even if they're on the same complex (Cyanopleura).

I am considering adding the following all in one shot: Long fin Fairy ( Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis), female Vermiculate Leopard (Macropharyngodon bipartitus), Laboute's fairy ( Cirrhilabrus laboutei), Lineatus Fairy (Cirrhilabrus lineatus), Lubbock's fairy ( Cirrhilabrus lubbocki), purple velvet/yellow band (Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus), and a Red velvet (Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis).

The tank is a 560 gallon reef. so although I am not concerned about space, I am trying to anticipate potential conflicts. I looked very carefully at Evolved's chart on the Cirrhilabrus complexes thread, and in my head I think that it should work (specially since the two on the Cyanopleura complex are already living peacefully together). However, I am no wrasse expert by any means, and I may have missed something while looking at the chart, so looking for input/advice.

 

[bayoukid89]

So I’m new to the wrasse world but I’m looking yo add a golden rhomboid,lineatius, and flame wrasse my tank is a 105g 48x24x21 curious would I have any trouble

 

[saltyhog]

I currently have 4 wrasses in my DT: Bluestreak cleaner (Labroides dimidiatus), Carpenter's ( Paracheilinus carpenteri), Ruby Head Fairy (Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura), and a Solon (Cirrhilabrus solorensis). These last two get along just fine even if they're on the same complex (Cyanopleura).

I am considering adding the following all in one shot: Long fin Fairy ( Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis), female Vermiculate Leopard (Macropharyngodon bipartitus), Laboute's fairy ( Cirrhilabrus laboutei), Lineatus Fairy (Cirrhilabrus lineatus), Lubbock's fairy ( Cirrhilabrus lubbocki), purple velvet/yellow band (Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus), and a Red velvet (Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis).

The tank is a 560 gallon reef. so although I am not concerned about space, I am trying to anticipate potential conflicts. I looked very carefully at Evolved's chart on the Cirrhilabrus complexes thread, and in my head I think that it should work (specially since the two on the Cyanopleura complex are already living peacefully together). However, I am no wrasse expert by any means, and I may have missed something while looking at the chart, so looking for input/advice.

The C. rubrisquamis would be my concern. They are usually pretty aggressive. Of course in a huge tank like yours there is a lot of room to disperse that aggression. Interested to see what evolved thinks about this.

 

[saltyhog]

So I’m new to the wrasse world but I’m looking yo add a golden rhomboid,lineatius, and flame wrasse my tank is a 105g 48x24x21 curious would I have any trouble

Any problem would be between the Rhomboid and Lineatus as they are in the same complex. Rhomboids are very demure. I wouldn't do it but again will defer to evolved's expertise.