All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[canadianeh]

Compatibility is fine, but I wouldn't put any Macropharyngodon species in a tank less than 75 gallons.

Why is that?

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

Pretty stoked to be adding my leopard wrasse on Tuesday. My final fish in the system.

 

[lba4590]

I’m looking at getting a Rosey Scale but I saw on the compatibility chart they can be aggressive - does anyone have experience with this fish? I would like to have at least two flashers (carpenters and linespot), a pintail, exquisite, and currently have a longfin. Would these be compatible? Thanks!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Any problems keeping a pistol shrimp (or other prolific burrower) with a sand sleeping wrasse? I know some people's shrimps keep to one part of the tank but that's definitely not my guy. His empire extends under every structure in the tank. Not worried about the safety of the shrimp, more the surprised wrasse that he digs up!

So I have an answer for this now. Last night my shrimp decided to try opening a new condo out where my wrasse sleeps (she sleeps in the sand under a low rock cave). I never saw any signs of the fish but I guess the shrimp finally did because he suddenly teleported out of the area. He was just gone. After a minute looking around I found him back in his cave at the other end of the tank. When I checked on things this morning I found he'd done a great of digging after I went to bed but I guess he had a good enough scare that he never returned to digging in the area where the wrasse sleeps. Long story short, seems the shrimp received a bigger scare than the fish did, and I feel pretty confident that he won't be trying to evict her again.

 

[evolved]

Why is that?

Why does any species have a minimum size? You can put any fish in any tank, but that doesn't mean the species will thrive.
Macropharyngodon will cruise about through any/all tank available.

I’m looking at getting a Rosey Scale but I saw on the compatibility chart they can be aggressive - does anyone have experience with this fish? I would like to have at least two flashers (carpenters and linespot), a pintail, exquisite, and currently have a longfin. Would these be compatible? Thanks!

The most important question - how big is the tank?

 

[lba4590]

The most important question - how big is the tank?

It’s a 120g 4x2x2

 

[evolved]

It’s a 120g 4x2x2

I would be hesitant - it may take issue with both the flashers and the long fin.

 

[lba4590]

I would be hesitant - it may take issue with both the flashers and the long fin.

Thank you!! I appreciate your help. Do you think the same aggression may apply with a c. solorensis (with the rest of that grouping)?

 

[evolved]

Thank you!! I appreciate your help. Do you think the same aggression may apply with a c. solorensis (with the rest of that grouping)?

solorensis is a bit less risky, but some risk does still apply.

 

[canadianeh]

will melanarus wrasse and royal flasher wrasse be okay if I add Rhomboid super male, @evolved?

 

[evolved]

will melanarus wrasse and royal flasher wrasse be okay if I add Rhomboid super male, @evolved?

Compatibility is okay, but a 75g is the minimum I recommend for rhomboidalis.

 

[CavalierReef]

I have a beautiful McCoster's in my Biocube32. He is housed with a firefish goby, a shrimp goby with tiger shrimp and a pair of fire shrimp. It is HIS tank and has been for the past 4 months and he seems perfectly happy. He is obviously the dominant fish but quite peaceful with the others. Do you see a problem long term because of tank size? I can re-home to my 120 if the need arises. Thank you for sharing your expertise with all of us wrasse lovers.

 

[lba4590]

My LFS had a beautiful pintail, a blue flasher, and a large carpenters that I scooped up last weekend. All in QT together doing great, no chasing or aggression at all. I would really like to add a linespot and a McCoskers if I can find them - would there be any potential issues with the linespot/blue flasher and mccoskers/carpenters (since they look quite similar)? Thanks! (BTW I want a fairy/flasher wrasse dominant tank so I want as many as I can find that will get along! Certainly open to suggestions.)

 

[evolved]

I have a beautiful McCoster's in my Biocube32. He is housed with a firefish goby, a shrimp goby with tiger shrimp and a pair of fire shrimp. It is HIS tank and has been for the past 4 months and he seems perfectly happy. He is obviously the dominant fish but quite peaceful with the others. Do you see a problem long term because of tank size? I can re-home to my 120 if the need arises. Thank you for sharing your expertise with all of us wrasse lovers.

I do not recommend Paracheilinus species for tanks less than 3' in length.

My LFS had a beautiful pintail, a blue flasher, and a large carpenters that I scooped up last weekend. All in QT together doing great, no chasing or aggression at all. I would really like to add a linespot and a McCoskers if I can find them - would there be any potential issues with the linespot/blue flasher and mccoskers/carpenters (since they look quite similar)?

Assuming the tank is at least 90 gallons, you should be okay. There's always some risk in mixing, but it's pretty low here.

 

[jp_75]

Should i be worried about my Leopard hiding 3rd in the row? All was good for last 4 weeks! Always out and swimming.

 

[evolved]

Should i be worried about my Leopard hiding 3rd in the row? All was good for last 4 weeks! Always out and swimming.

3 possibilities: changing to male, someone else is being a bully, or an illness/disease.

 

[jp_75]

It’s my 3 Leopard.... Never seen any aggression, all 3 fully QT.
Btw don’t have luck with wrasses

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

Are you feeding enough? My leopard (only had her a little while) is out a lot but the least aggressive at feeding time. She is definitely the chill fish in the tank. I am having great luck with reef frenzy, pods, and occasional reef nutrition fish eggs as a snack.

 

[jp_75]

I feed 2/3 times a day.

 

[Mattg023]

Does anybody have a viviens leopard wrasse? I’m interested in getting one but there doesn’t seem to be much information on them. And is this a female?