Best Wrasse?

[GoTakeANap]

Good morning.

What reef safe wrasse would everyone recommend to add to my tank that has a cleaner shrimp in it? Would like to go with one that is less likely to mess with the shrimp.

 

[mort]

How big is your tank, do you have sand and what are you wanting from the wrasse? There are lots like fairy and flasher wrasse that are fine with shrimp and add movement and colour, then there are also fish that are good for pest control but a lot of these need a sandbed.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Fairy and flasher wrasses are pretty safe, but any type of sand-burying wrasse *may* be risky... especially halichoeres and anampses. Even my leopards like to pick on my CUC, my moyers will wait for snails to fall and attack their foot from the underside. And, I had a melanurus before that would pick up hermits/snails and whack them against the rocks to pull them out. I added a group of peppermint shrimp to hopefully combat aiptasia, that didn't survive the first night in my tank- besides one that luckily made it to the sump.

But, most of the cirrhilabrus and paracheilinus behave more like anthias than wrasse IME, and just hang around the water column waiting for food to float by.

 

[nereefpat]

Another vote for fairies and flashers.

Add pink streak and possum wrasses to the list too.

 

[GoTakeANap]

My tank is a 54 gallon corner tank. Its a reef tank and has a sand bed. Was wanting to go with what I had in the past but I don't know if it would go over well or not. Mystery wrasse is what I want, but not gonna take the chance if its possibility it will kill my cleaner shrimp.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Mystery wrasse is one that would stand a chance at eating a cleaner shrimp eventually. Best chance would be starting with a small wrasse and large pre-established shrimp, but even then could just be a matter of time...

 

[Jesterrace]

Mystery Wrasse is part of the same parent family as the 6 line Wrasse and 4 line Wrasse and they are definitely a risk for shrimp and can be an issue with tank mates (although not quite as bad as the 6 line). For that size tank IMHO the Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse would be a great fit and much cheaper to buy as well (about $30-$35 for a small one from most vendors):