Help in wrasse selection

[reefer37160]

Needing help with choosing the best wrasse for my reef. I have tried 2 different six line and one swam into my LTA, the second one almost double the size was killed by my flame hawk. Tank is 150 tall with 200# of live rock. Removing the flame hawk is not an option. Way too many caves, and it is not interested in a fish trap. Other inhabitants are 3x ocellaris clowns, 1x three stripe damsel, 2x Talbots's damsel, 1x bicolor angel, 1x bicolor dottyback, 1x watchman/shrimp pair, 1x lawnmower blenny. I have some small vermitid snails that are irritating my gonipora and acans.

 

[TX_REEF]

how about melanarus or tamarin wrasse? They both get relatively large, so you could purchase a larger specimen that would be less likely to be bullied by your flame hawk.

 

[reefer37160]

I was thinking the melanarus at first but have a couple large feather dusters, the tamarin is a bit finicky and not looking to waste more money on fish I would probably kill.

 

[TX_REEF]

if you're worried about feather dusters, may I ask why even consider a wrasse then? I think any wrasse that will hold its own against an aggressive flame hawk will likely enjoy eating your feather duster worms at some point.

How about a tang?

 

[reefer37160]

Will a tang eat vermitid snails?

 

[TX_REEF]

Will a tang eat vermitid snails?

nope - sorry, I missed that point!

 

[TX_REEF]

Will a tang eat vermitid snails?

how about a leopard wrasse? I think they are tough enough to stand their own against your hawk.

 

[DrkNMighty]

Are you wanting a wrasse specifically for pest control or could you do something like bumblebee snails to handle the vermetids?

 

[reefer37160]

I was told that wrasse were the best at vermitid snail control. How many bumblebee snails do you think I would need? The snails are concentrated on 3 different rocks that came from a different system.

 

[DrkNMighty]

They are relatively small so you might need a decent amount. Maybe 20 or so? I’m not entirely sure.

Maybe @Slocke or @i cant think can give some wrasses recommendations.

 

[reefer37160]

I had the gf pick me up 10 from my favorite shop on her way home from work.

 

[i cant think]

Needing help with choosing the best wrasse for my reef. I have tried 2 different six line and one swam into my LTA, the second one almost double the size was killed by my flame hawk. Tank is 150 tall with 200# of live rock. Removing the flame hawk is not an option. Way too many caves, and it is not interested in a fish trap. Other inhabitants are 3x ocellaris clowns, 1x three stripe damsel, 2x Talbots's damsel, 1x bicolor angel, 1x bicolor dottyback, 1x watchman/shrimp pair, 1x lawnmower blenny. I have some small vermitid snails that are irritating my gonipora and acans.

Wrasses and Hawkfish do not mix well unfortunately, any of the ones which will work, will go for your inverts. I’ve had them with feather dusters no issues but I’ve also had some with them and it’s ended up with a “missing” feather duster.

I’ve lost too many fish to Hawkfish, and the majority have been wrasses to the point I don’t keep them together (I’ve faced this issue in both an LFS environment and my own reef).