All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[Miller535]

Primarily, yes. But I have been burned doing that before, and lost everything in QT by not catching it fast enough. It's not foolproof.
It does matter a bit where they're coming from, too. I don't trust any source fully, but some more than others.

I don't run it therapeutic past 14 days. I have had it make a Paracheilinus pretty loopy, and it took 3-4 weeks to really recover after that. But I can't say I've had it outright kill anything. I target 1.9 ppm, fwiw.

Personally I think most Wrasse's are pretty tolerant of ich. I'll explain what I mean. They seem to be able to have it, but not have it bad or get it nearly as bad as other fish. Often they will be the only fish that shows no signs. So I personally wouldn't trust observing. I think often wrasses can be the typhoid Mary of the tank. Jmo

 

[evolved]

Personally I think most Wrasse's are pretty tolerant of ich. I'll explain what I mean. They seem to be able to have it, but not have it bad or get it nearly as bad as other fish. Often they will be the only fish that shows no signs. So I personally wouldn't trust observing. I think often wrasses can be the typhoid Mary of the tank. Jmo

Possibly. It's the fins I pay super close attention to.
But, I also have less than a handful of non-wrasses in my tank, so my experience here may be different from the average.

 

[mattzang]

Personally I think most Wrasse's are pretty tolerant of ich. I'll explain what I mean. They seem to be able to have it, but not have it bad or get it nearly as bad as other fish. Often they will be the only fish that shows no signs. So I personally wouldn't trust observing. I think often wrasses can be the typhoid Mary of the tank. Jmo

yeah that's really my concern. seems people can get full velvet/ich infestations and wrasses cruise right through it, but they lose everything else. so my problem is my two wrasses look fine, but then i add them to other fish and disaster

i've never tried really conditioning the wrasses before coppering them, so that might help too. i've tried the aggressive method of starting copper day 1 via online order and they seem fine for days, then just wake up to an overnight death despite eating and behaving normally. i've yet to run into a loopy type issue, just the overnight death.

that said, my sample size is tiny

 

[canadianeh]

@evolved I am looking for one wrasse that versatile, stunning, and a bit rare. I say one because my tank is only 54 gallon 2 ft long. It has to be reef safe and eats pests.

Which one do you think?

 

[evolved]

First off, I can't really answer this, because:

stunning

That's up to you. What's "stunning" to you, may well be different from my opinion.

eats pests

And that makes this a bit limiting, as it removes several genera that the next requirement could include.

54 gallon 2 ft long

This is just as limiting, as the 2' of swimming space could cramp some species that the last requirement could include.

Really, those two requirements start to point me towards a Pink Streak wrasse. And I'm not even considering the "rare" part, as that could exclude everything that might be left. Some Pseudocheilinus could be suitable, but that very much depends on what other fish are/will be in the tank.

 

[canadianeh]

First off, I can't really answer this, because:

That's up to you. What's "stunning" to you, may well be different from my opinion.

And that makes this a bit limiting, as it removes several genera that the next requirement could include.

This is just as limiting, as the 2' of swimming space could cramp some species that the last requirement could include.

Really, those two requirements start to point me towards a Pink Streak wrasse. And I'm not even considering the "rare" part, as that could exclude everything that might be left. Some Pseudocheilinus could be suitable, but that very much depends on what other fish are/will be in the tank.

how about Carpenter, diamond tail, six line, four line, or Tanaka Pygmy? Pink Streak look nice too.

I will keep peaceful fish. Right now I have two clownfish. My future plan is to have a pygmy angelfish for final addition. Between now and pygmy angelfish, I am thinking to get one anthias, cardinal, bangai, goby. No tangs.

 

[evolved]

how about Carpenter, diamond tail,

Paracheilinus do not actively eat pests, and need a tank at least 3 feet in length.

six line, four line,

Pseudocheilinus are not peaceful, so I would also scratch that genus off, hearing a bit more of the tank direction.

Tanaka Pygmy?

Wetmorella are great copepod eaters, but not necessarily the best "pest" eater.

 

[Krully]

I added a tomini tang yesterday and my Carpenter is so scared. The Tomini isn't agressive at all, just curious the few times the wrasse has tried to come out of its cave and went to check him but everytime the wrasse went crazy and back into hiding. He barely ate yesterday and today and I hope he'll be fine, I guess there isn't much I can do but maybe you have some advice to give.

 

[canadianeh]

Paracheilinus do not actively eat pests, and need a tank at least 3 feet in length.

Pseudocheilinus are not peaceful, so I would also scratch that genus off, hearing a bit more of the tank direction.

Wetmorella are great copepod eaters, but not necessarily the best "pest" eater.

So I guess my only option is pink stripe wrasse considering what I am looking for in a wrasse?

 

[evolved]

I added a tomini tang yesterday and my Carpenter is so scared. The Tomini isn't agressive at all, just curious the few times the wrasse has tried to come out of its cave and went to check him but everytime the wrasse went crazy and back into hiding. He barely ate yesterday and today and I hope he'll be fine, I guess there isn't much I can do but maybe you have some advice to give.

Time; just time. Everything should settle back to normal, but it might take a good 10 days.

So I guess my only option is pink stripe wrasse considering what I am looking for in a wrasse?

That's how I see it, given the constraints.

 

[Kyl]

Pink streaks are rare enough that I only see them locally once a year if that. They're a quirky little wrasse and develop a bit of a recluse personality once they get established in the tank.

 

[canadianeh]

Time; just time. Everything should settle back to normal, but it might take a good 10 days.

That's how I see it, given the constraints.

There is not even one other wrasse that is the same as pink stripe wrasse?

 

[evolved]

There is not even one other wrasse that is the same as pink stripe wrasse?

It is the only species of the genus (if that is what you mean?).

 

[canadianeh]

It is the only species of the genus (if that is what you mean?).

What I meant was, isn't there another wrasse that can work with my "restrictions" other than pink stripe wrasse? Does not matter the genus.

 

[evolved]

What I meant was, isn't there another wrasse that can work with my "restrictions" other than pink stripe wrasse? Does not matter the genus.

There really isn't, sorry to say.

 

[GlassMunky]

If it turns into a scales flying fight, or if the pintail is forced into constant hiding, then it's a real problem. It still sounds okay to me, as currently described.

Sounds like you've already conquered the tricky part of this species. Compatibility wise, neither of your current wrasse will pay much attention, if at all, to a leopard.

You were 100% right with this, and neither of the other 2 wrasse pay any mind to the Leopard since he was introduced. Question about him though, I know that they sleep in the sand, but is it normal behavior for them to dig in the sand throughout the day?
I occasionally notice him dig into the sand almost like when going to sleep but he just comes right back up, almost like hes digging up the sand looking for food? Hes covered my Acans a few times now from the digging

 

[evolved]

but is it normal behavior for them to dig in the sand throughout the day?

Yes - it's basically a sand sifting behavior, but a little different from a goby. They're looking to kick up prey, rather than sift them out through their gills.

but he just comes right back up, almost like hes digging up the sand looking for food?

Exactly.

 

[GlassMunky]

Yes - it's basically a sand sifting behavior, but a little different from a goby. They're looking to kick up prey, rather than sift them out through their gills.

Exactly.

Does this mean I need to feed him more or that normal healthy behavior?

 

[evolved]

Does this mean I need to feed him more or that normal healthy behavior?

You might reduce the frequency, but you won't stop the behavior.

 

[canadianeh]

There really isn't, sorry to say.

can I mix pink stripe wrasse/cryptic wrasse with Tanaka wrasse?