Best wrasse

[Gumbies R Us]

None of the fairy wrasses will eat your CUC.

This grid has a lot of great info to help you choose your fairy wrasses. Happy Reefing!

Saving this image too!!

 

[i cant think]

what is the #1 wrasse called?

That’s a male Macropharyngodon meleagris.

 

[Crabby48]

Best wrasse. Any reef safe wrasse but leopards are definitely clear winner in my book

 

[i cant think]

Best wrasse. Any reef safe wrasse but leopards are definitely clear winner in my book

Viviennae is a close second to Choati in my list ;)

 

[Crabby48]

Viviennae is a close second to Choati in my list ;)

Potters, viviens close second then choats. That said choats are very unique personalities. Viviens have a great personality bit timid. Choats are more wild to me.

 

[OrionN]

what is the #1 wrasse called?

That’s a male Macropharyngodon meleagris.

Yes it is but it is the nuptial coloration of the terminal male Meleagris Leopard wrasse. You won’t see him like that all the time. Only if you able to keep a harem and keep them well enough to induce courting and spawn behavior.

 

[TrampledByEwoks]

What are you looking for? There isn’t a best in everything. Re you looking for a flashy wrasse? Are there other wrasses in the tank? Only 1 wrasse will result in dull Flasher and Fairy. If this is the case look at other genus. If you keep 2 or more the there are a million choices.
Here are a few I have. Not a complete list by far. It is all depends on what you are looking for and what are available for you, how patient you are and how good are you in getting the best out of your fish.
all reef safe

What is the 8th wrasse on the list? It looks amazing!

 

[TrampledByEwoks]

What are you looking for? There isn’t a best in everything. Re you looking for a flashy wrasse? Are there other wrasses in the tank? Only 1 wrasse will result in dull Flasher and Fairy. If this is the case look at other genus. If you keep 2 or more the there are a million choices.
Here are a few I have. Not a complete list by far. It is all depends on what you are looking for and what are available for you, how patient you are and how good are you in getting the best out of your fish.
all reef safe

What is the 8th wrasse on the list? It looks amazing!

 

[slingfox]

What are you looking for? There isn’t a best in everything. Re you looking for a flashy wrasse? Are there other wrasses in the tank? Only 1 wrasse will result in dull Flasher and Fairy. If this is the case look at other genus. If you keep 2 or more the there are a million choices.
Here are a few I have. Not a complete list by far. It is all depends on what you are looking for and what are available for you, how patient you are and how good are you in getting the best out of your fish.
all reef safe

Out of curiosity how does having multiple wrasses improve the coloration of fairy and flasher wrasse? I will be adding 4 wrasses soon (one each of halichoris, flasher, fairy, and leopard wrasse) so will not be an issue but am curious.

 

[JoJosReef]

What is the 8th wrasse on the list? It looks amazing!

Think that's an 8 line, but maybe one of the wrasse experts will chome in @Slocke @i cant think

 

[i cant think]

What is the 8th wrasse on the list? It looks amazing!

In order from top to bottom;
Macropharyngodon meleagris - Meleagris Leopard Wrasse
Macropharyngodon negrosensis - Black Leopard Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus exquisitus - Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Anampses neoguinaicus - New Guinea/Black Backed/China/Freedom Wrasse
Paracheilinus attenuatus - Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse
Paracheilinus attenuatus - Diamond Tail Flasher Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus naokoae - Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse
Paracheilinus octotaenia - Eight Line Flasher Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Indo Variant) - Indonesian Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis - Blue Throat Fairy Wrasse
Macropharyngodon negrosensis - Black Leopard Wrasse

 

[i cant think]

Out of curiosity how does having multiple wrasses improve the coloration of fairy and flasher wrasse? I will be adding 4 wrasses soon (one each of halichoris, flasher, fairy, and leopard wrasse) so will not be an issue but am curious.

For wrasses to keep their main colours strong they have to have a reason to be keeping dominant and on edge.
Displaying causes the colours to truly show however this is only done through three means;
- Breeding/Courting of a female
- Territory and defending it
- Food

Here’s my diamond tail beginning to go into display, he now does this almost every night and even throughout the day. The reason he does it now is to protect territory and also the boss of the fairies/flashers and him love to display with eachother.

Halichoeres are rarely susceptible to dulling without anyone else and they keep their colours generally unless under stress. It’s the same with Leopards.
Fairies and Flashers are most susceptible to the dulling phase as they keep their colours through display and courting. It’s why in LFSs you’ll often see a dull wrasse yet when in a home aquarium, the same wrasse will have 100s of colours all over it.

 

[JoJosReef]

For wrasses to keep their main colours strong they have to have a reason to be keeping dominant and on edge.
Displaying causes the colours to truly show however this is only done through three means;
- Breeding/Courting of a female
- Territory and defending it
- Food

Here’s my diamond tail beginning to go into display, he now does this almost every night and even throughout the day. The reason he does it now is to protect territory and also the boss of the fairies/flashers and him love to display with eachother.

Halichoeres are rarely susceptible to dulling without anyone else and they keep their colours generally unless under stress. It’s the same with Leopards.
Fairies and Flashers are most susceptible to the dulling phase as they keep their colours through display and courting. It’s why in LFSs you’ll often see a dull wrasse yet when in a home aquarium, the same wrasse will have 100s of colours all over it.

And this is why I think I'm going with the rubeus and brunneus instead of the rubeus and M negrosensis! Want to see some flashing!

 

[i cant think]

And this is why I think I'm going with the rubeus and brunneus instead of the rubeus and M negrosensis! Want to see some flashing!

Why not… all three? ;)

 

[JoJosReef]

Why not… all three? ;)

I have the funds for two, and I have to remind myself it's only a 3' tank!

Although I haven't closed the tab yet on that 5' tank/stand/sump deal yet...

 

[fsingh747]

Hi selling a Nyos g300 reef tank brand new tank only. Unforeseen circumstances have allowed me not to continue with my tank. Comes with sump and plumbing its brand new and unused. Please give me an offer im selling for $600 firm local pick up. I live in SOCAL corona ca.

 

[NancyFish]

Here’s my top 5 (from each genus) that’ll fit into your tank size;
Cirrhilabrus isosceles - Pintail Fairy
Cirrhilabrus naokoae - Naoko’s Fairy
Cirrhilabrus exquisitus (Vanuatu var.) - Exquisite Fairy
Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis - Golden Fairy
Cirrhilabrus lunatus - Lunate Fairy
Halichoeres iridis - Radiant/Iridis
Halichoeres cosmetus - Adorned
Halichoeres biocellatus - Red Lined/Christmas
Halichoeres leucoxanthus - Silver Belly
Halichoeres claudia - Christmas/Claudia’s
Macropharyngodon marisrubri - Red Sea Leopard
Macropharyngodon meleagris - Leopard
Macropharyngodon choati (Wait till you get experience in the Leopards before getting into this species) - Choat’s Leopard
Macropharyngodon vivienae - Vivienne’s Leopard
Macropharyngodon cyanoguttatus - Blue Spot Leopard
Anampses meleagris - Yellow Tail Tamarin
Anampses melanurus - White Spotted Tamarin
Anampses lineatus - Linear/Black Tail Tamarin
Anampses neoguiniacus - China/Black Back
Anampses twistii - Twistii
Xenojulis margaritaceus - Gold Nugget

I wouldn’t personally do Paracheilinus species in a tank less than 4’x2’ floorspace and I believe 75G tanks at 4’x18” but correct me if I’m wrong :)

Are the Croats harder? I’m reading conflicting sizes and only have a 65g

 

[i cant think]

Are the Croats harder? I’m reading conflicting sizes and only have a 65g

It entirely depends where you get the choati from, and how prepared you are to meet their needs.
I have had one since December (albeit my tank has partly crashed… and I’ve not seen her since pulling other fish out dead). Settling her was easy in my tank - mainly because I could settle her in at the LFS, but that stage was the most difficult as she was waking up at maybe 6am and sleeping at 10am, so I had 4 hours to get food into her, eventually though she fixed her sleep schedule to be from 6am until 12pm and then just a few weeks ago started to stay up until 7pm.

 

[NancyFish]

It entirely depends where you get the choati from, and how prepared you are to meet their needs.
I have had one since December (albeit my tank has partly crashed… and I’ve not seen her since pulling other fish out dead). Settling her was easy in my tank - mainly because I could settle her in at the LFS, but that stage was the most difficult as she was waking up at maybe 6am and sleeping at 10am, so I had 4 hours to get food into her, eventually though she fixed her sleep schedule to be from 6am until 12pm and then just a few weeks ago started to stay up until 7pm.

Interesting to know, thank you for sharing. I’ve been trying to decide on a wrasse or 2 for some weeks now and can’t seem to figure it out - doesn’t help that tank sizes can vary drastically among sites.

I was considering a red velvet, rhomboid, Mckosker, pintail, etc. I did like the melanus and leopards, but idk if they’re worth the sand bed with corals.

Idk how anyone decides when there’s so many similar looking options with wrasses, then the females obviously look even more diffrrent

 

[cba191]

What are you looking for? There isn’t a best in everything. Re you looking for a flashy wrasse? Are there other wrasses in the tank? Only 1 wrasse will result in dull Flasher and Fairy. If this is the case look at other genus. If you keep 2 or more the there are a million choices.
Here are a few I have. Not a complete list by far. It is all depends on what you are looking for and what are available for you, how patient you are and how good are you in getting the best out of your fish.
all reef sa

What is this one?