Choosing wrasse for barebottom

Pete polyp · Jan 30, 2014

I'm wanting to have several wrasse in my new tank. I'm looking for wrasse that have a minimum 50g and don't require a sandbed. I know the flasher wrasse and possum wrasse will be fine. Which fairy wrasse could I choose?

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

50's a little small for most cirrhilabrus. I believe a 4' tank's about minimum for most of those.

Pete polyp · Jan 30, 2014

About 1/3 of the fairy wrasse listed on LA have a minimum 50 gallon

Eienna · Jan 30, 2014

I believe you should pm evolved. He could let you know which fairies to avoid for a multiwrasse 50 :)

Pete polyp · Jan 30, 2014

This is what I'm hoping to keep
Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse(Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse*(Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)
Melanurus Wrasse ( Halichoeres melanurus)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse*(Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Tono's Fairy Wrasse ( Cirrhilabrus tonozukai)

I would really like to have all of them, but the Lubbock's would be my first choice to go, its a tie for second with the melanurus and the Tono's. I would remove one of those but not both. I really really want the whipfin. The McCoskers is a definite in thus tank.

Esage · Jan 30, 2014

Melanurus Wrasse needs a sandbed

evolved · Jan 30, 2014

It's a matter of genus when it comes to the sandbed need. Those genera which do: Anampses, Coris, Halichoeres, Macropharyngodon, Pseudojuloides, & Thalassoma.

Pete polyp said:
This is what I'm hoping to keep
Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse(Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)
Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse*(Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)
Melanurus Wrasse ( Halichoeres melanurus)
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse*(Paracheilinus mccoskeri)
Tono's Fairy Wrasse ( Cirrhilabrus tonozukai)

I would really like to have all of them, but the Lubbock's would be my first choice to go, its a tie for second with the melanurus and the Tono's. I would remove one of those but not both. I really really want the whipfin. The McCoskers is a definite in thus tank.

Lubbock's is fine.
Whip fin is not. You might really, really want one, but there's a really, really, really good chance it will terrorize your other wrasses. :)
Melanurus is out. Requires sand.
McCosker's is fine.
Tonozuakai is risky. Same complex as a whip-fin and sometimes just as mean.

Esage said:
Melanurus Wrasse needs a sandbed

All Halichoeres do.

Pete polyp · Jan 30, 2014

Thanks a bunch for the input evolved. A couple others I was considering were Cirrhilabrus solorensi and Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura. I have already been informed that most flashers and possums would probably do well. I would like to add a couple fairy wrasse though. The only other fish that I'm interested to adding to the stock list with these would be a 2 spot bristletooth tang ( Ctenochaetus binotatus) but I'm not really sure about adding the tang since it can be aggressive and get ich easily.

Pete polyp · Jan 30, 2014

I guess I should add more specifics about the tank I'm building. Its actually a 40b, that will be an sps tank. I know the minimum of 50 gallon thing but... The only difference between a 50 and a 40 is 3" height. The absence of a sandbed will give this tank the same water column. If it can be kept in a 50 with a dsb, then why not in a 40 bb? I have a 40b sump, bm curve 5 skimmer, Triton bluefin reactor for biopellets, phosban reactor, 2x jebao wp25, sicce 5.0 (return and manifold), apex lite with Ph probe, 6xt5 fixture... I think that's everything I have so far....

evolved · Jan 30, 2014

Regardless of a 40 or 50, neither is large enough for those larger species of Cirrhilabrus (cyanopleura or solorensis) nor a tang I'm afraid. There's simply not enough swimming room.