Baby red coris wrasse. Minimum tank size for first 2 months

Perpetual Novice · Jul 29, 2019

Hi all.

I am stocking a fish only tank and decided I want to add a red coris wrasse. I’ve kept one once before but ended up taking down the tank a few months lather when I moved.

Last time I bought the wrasse as an adult but this time I’m buying a tiny juvenile (about 1.5 inches) since I’ve read they adjust better to aquarium life. But I’m worried that my fowlr tank environment is too aggressive for a small fish to safely adjust so I’ve decided I’m going to keep the red coris wrasse in a smaller tank by itself while it adjusts.

I have already ordered my wrasse from liveaquaria and it should arrive soon. I’m nervous that my tank may be too small though.

I have a tank up and running for the red coris but I may go buy a cheap tank at petco and use my extra sand, bottled bacteria, hon filters, etc. if it turns out my planned tank is too small.

Has anyone kept a tiny red coris before? How small of a tank could I house a 1.5 in specimen for 2 months or so? FYI it will ultimately be added to a 120 gallon down the road.

Apotack · Jul 29, 2019

Tank should be cycled before fish gets there. The coris will pick constantly so a tank with a good population of pods is a good idea. Bigger is obviously better as far as tank size, lots of rock and pods and he’ll be fine. What size is the temporary tank?

Frtdrmrose7 · Jul 29, 2019

What fish do you have in your FOWLR that have you worried about with the size of the wrasse?

Perpetual Novice · Jul 29, 2019

Apotack said:
Tank should be cycled before fish gets there. The coris will pick constantly so a tank with a good population of pods is a good idea. Bigger is obviously better as far as tank size, lots of rock and pods and he’ll be fine. What size is the temporary tank?

The current tank I have is 20 gallons. Based on your advice I’ll move some live rock in there from my established tank and maybe buy some pods if need be. I’ve got tons of live bacteria I plan to add every day. It’s a wasteful way to use it but I ive done it before were I just overdose the tank with bacteria daily for about a month and never even allow the ammonia spike to happen. It’s never been a problem before. But I never considered pods. I was thinking if adding tiny hermits for it to eat.

Anyway the tank I have available is only 20 gallons. I set it up this morning and the sand bed is about 4.5 inches deep.

Perpetual Novice · Jul 29, 2019

Frtdrmrose7 said:
What fish do you have in your FOWLR that have you worried about with the size of the wrasse?

Fowlr tank has a burst trigger, a powder blue tang, a flame hawkfish, a small leopard wrasse, and a peacock mantis shrimp. The rest of the fish aren’t aggressive or predatory species. Canary blenny. Clowns. Rabbitfish. Filefish. No corals. Tank is decorated with lots of macroalgae.

FYI the mantis is about 5 inches but has not been a problem for any fish even the small and slow moving filefish.

nereefpat · Jul 29, 2019

20 gallon will be fine for several months. Sand is a must, but only an inch or so is needed

Apotack · Jul 29, 2019

I was told not a good idea to put a leopard wrasse with my red coris, when the coris matures a bit he may go after the leopard. This is my second red coris, neither has eaten any hermits.

cancun · Jul 29, 2019

I have a Red Coris with 6 leopard Wrasses. They have all been together for several years no issues for me. I got my Coris as a 1 inch juvi. Had him for 4 years now. He is probably 7 or 8 inches now. When I got him he was in a 80 gallon reef tank. Now he is in my 200 gallon reef tank. IMO he would be fine in your FOWLER instead of a separate tank. Mine acclimated fine to my tank.

Apotack · Jul 29, 2019

@cancun how we’re they introduced? I’d love to add some leopards. My coris is a juvenile.

cancun · Jul 30, 2019

Apotack said:
@cancun how we’re they introduced? I’d love to add some leopards. My coris is a juvenile.

Hi! I don't QT Leopards. I have 2 blue star Leopards, 2 Moyer's Leopards, and 2 Melegris Leopards. They were not introduced at the same time. Each one was introduced individually several weeks or months apart. I bought each of them from my LFS. They get their harder Wrasses such as Leopards, China Wrasses etc straight from the collector. I always make sure they had the leopard for a week or two. Also I have them feed frozen Mysis while I watch, and if it is actively eatting like a pig, I take him home. If possible I don't recommend buying Leopards online.

It is risky mixing Wrasses. I don't use a acclimation box. I have 14 Wrasses, no agression.....but I won't add any more Wrasses. I don't want to push my luck.... LOL! As usual the bigger the tank the better!