Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

[ReefQueen]

Well this was unexpected. A coworker took some of our stores fish (freshwater, my store doesn't have sw anymore) to another one of our stores and came back and said "happy mothers day" and handed me this guy lol. My thoughts are either blue headed or yellow flanked. I am probably wrong, i usually am haha. She said they had it marked as some sort of fairy wrasse. The poor guy has been in a bag for hours until I got home and hurriedly set up the QT. Sorry for the bad bag pics but I figured he would hide as soon as he was done aclimating, and I was right lol.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well this was unexpected. A coworker took some of our stores fish (freshwater, my store doesn't have sw anymore) to another one of our stores and came back and said "happy mothers day" and handed me this guy lol. My thoughts are either blue headed or yellow flanked. I am probably wrong, i usually am haha. She said they had it marked as some sort of fairy wrasse. The poor guy has been in a bag for hours until I got home and hurriedly set up the QT. Sorry for the bad bag pics but I figured he would hide as soon as he was done aclimating, and I was right lol.

I can't tell if there is a yellow blotch below/behind the pectorals. If there is, then it is C. ryukyuensis, the yellow flanked fairy wrasse, if there is no blotch, than it is C. cyanopleura, the blue sided fairy wrasse.

 

[ReefQueen]

I can't tell if there is a yellow blotch below/behind the pectorals. If there is, then it is C. ryukyuensis, the yellow flanked fairy wrasse, if there is no blotch, than it is C. cyanopleura, the blue sided fairy wrasse.

Thank you, I will take a closer look when I actually get out of bed (I'm milking this mothers day thing lol). He looked very stressed and washed out last night by the time the poor guy got into QT, so hopefully he will have perked up and I can get better pics. I seriously don't know how you can remember all of these wrasses, let alone the scientific names. and I even took Latin in high school lol. Wanna take a swing at a gender if I can get some better pics?

 

[Duke4Life]

Thank you, I will take a closer look when I actually get out of bed (I'm milking this mothers day thing lol). He looked very stressed and washed out last night by the time the poor guy got into QT, so hopefully he will have perked up and I can get better pics. I seriously don't know how you can remember all of these wrasses, let alone the scientific names. and I even took Latin in high school lol. Wanna take a swing at a gender if I can get some better pics?

Initial phase male

 

[ReefQueen]

Initial phase male

How do you tell? I never had much interest in wrasses until a few months ago. I have no idea why, they are fascinating! I've been missing out all these years lol. I can now see why some have tanks with nothing but wrasses in them:)

 

[Duke4Life]

How do you tell? I never had much interest in wrasses until a few months ago. I have no idea why, they are fascinating! I've been missing out all these years lol. I can now see why some have tanks with nothing but wrasses in them:)

Sorry to say this but the females are a bit bland and most don't have the colors of their male counterparts.

 

[ReefQueen]

Here is a slightly better pic. I can see him picking at pods and swimming around across the room, but when I come near he hides. I think this is as good as its gonna get right now lol.

 

[Duke4Life]

Here is a slightly better pic. I can see him picking at pods and swimming around across the room, but when I come near he hides. I think this is as good as its gonna get right now lol.

Eatbreakfast was right on with cyanopleura

 

[ReefQueen]

Eatbreakfast was right on with cyanopleura

Awesome thank you! Looks like I will have to upgrade in the future, but like that wasn't going to happen anyway lol. I am still a little confused on the whole phase thing. So if he is a transition male does that mean he will eventually turn into a terminal male, or is that only if a female is present? I do not plan on getting another so I won't mind one way or the other. I would just like to have my facts straight:)

 

[Duke4Life]

Awesome thank you! Looks like I will have to upgrade in the future, but like that wasn't going to happen anyway lol. I am still a little confused on the whole phase thing. So if he is a transition male does that mean he will eventually turn into a terminal male, or is that only if a female is present? I do not plan on getting another so I won't mind one way or the other. I would just like to have my facts straight:)

Typically females aren't needed. Reflection, other fish or wrasse work with transitioning.

 

[evolved]

So if he is a transition male does that mean he will eventually turn into a terminal male, or is that only if a female is present?

Most likely he will eventually transition into a terminal phase male.

Typically females aren't needed. Reflection, other fish or wrasse work with transitioning.

Right; females need not be required.

 

[ReefQueen]

Most likely he will eventually transition into a terminal phase male.

Right; females need not be required.

Thank you! Either way I will be happy. I can't believe how personable he has become already. He seems happy as could be and is a great eater. Now that he is a little more settled he doesn't even hide when i walk over to the tank. I can't wait until his QT is over! I can say I am very happy with my little surprise:) one more question if you don't mind. I read that these guys need sand to bury in at night, but I thought that fairy wrasses did not burrow, am I wrong? I can put a container of sand in the qt for him if it would make him more comfortable.

 

[Duke4Life]

Thank you! Either way I will be happy. I can't believe how personable he has become already. He seems happy as could be and is a great eater. Now that he is a little more settled he doesn't even hide when i walk over to the tank. I can't wait until his QT is over! I can say I am very happy with my little surprise:) one more question if you don't mind. I read that these guys need sand to bury in at night, but I thought that fairy wrasses did not burrow, am I wrong? I can put a container of sand in the qt for him if it would make him more comfortable.

Sand isn't needed and I doubt he would use it for anything. Plenty of pvc does them good.

 

[evolved]

Cirrhilabrus wrasses do NOT require sand; correct.

 

[saltyhog]

As Duke said, you were right no sand needed for fairy wrasses. PVC fittings make adequate shelter for a QT.

Before I knew better I actually successfully QT'd a couple of Halichoeres wrasse without sand. Couldn't figure out why those fish kept swimming around the tank with their nose on the bottom glass!:D

 

[redwingrob40]

Could I please get an ID on this fish, thanks.

 

[mr11]

Does it look like this?

 

[kulas]

Can i get an id of this

 

[townjas]

Can i get an id of this

Royal Pencil Wrasse

 

[redwingrob40]

Does it look like this?

It does look very similar, your post in the wrasse lovers thread prompted me to post this. Was trying to verify identity on the fish pictured above, as it was sold as a diamond tail flasher.