Yeah the width is just over 16". I didnt realise the blue flashers required more space. Would the royal flasher still flash without another flasher? That was part of the reason I wanted both. I do quite like the lubbocks and will consider it.
I like halichoeres wrasses but I love my inverts too much to risk them becoming lunch. Id also like to add a pair of red ruby dragonetes at some point so the leopard wrasses would be a competitor. I did also look at pencil wrasses but it seems like they dont tend to do well in captivity?
I find the Blue Flasher can become quite hyperactive - whilst it can work in this size tank, i find they’re just slightly too active and may stress your other fish. One thing to know is Flashers (
Paracheilinus) and Fairies (
Cirrhilabrus) display with each other - yes they’re different genera, but they often set each other off into displays. So even just one flasher with a couple of fairies will display - much like how one fairy with a couple of flashers would show off.
Halichoeres wise - look at the “Biochoeres” complex. This complex includes;
- H. iridis
- H. leucoxanthus
- H. biocellatus
- H. claudia
All of which generally play safer with inverts - Iridis usually is the safest bet I find. In my 4 foot i had a pair of Iridis and in my 5 foot I’ve always had at least one. In both instances, they left my inverts alone - it was my Biocellatus and Chloropterus that nailed my inverts.
The whole Leopards outcompeting mandarins is a bit of a myth. There is truth behind it in the sense that yes they both eat copepods, but both species will find other sources of food. And a mandarin/dragonet will be a constant grazer of copepods whilst leopards can have periods where they don’t need to graze. The other thing with Ruby Red Dragonets (
Synchiropus sycorax) is they can feed on frozen, flatworms/nudibranchs and occasionally small bristleworms so they’re not as likely to starve out compared to the true mandarins.
Pseudojuloides are an interesting one. They’ve always been viewed as difficult to keep but I’ve had a fair few and they’ve always fed and been overall easy, the only reasons I’ve lost them has been due to aggression and disease. They don’t ship the best which is the main caution behind them IME. But if you can get them into an observation tank they generally do quite well.
