Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

[eatbreakfast]

Are they known to be buttheads? I have never seen a fish pin another into a corner and peck them to death, despite my attempted interventions, like this one did. Surprising, as he and the solorensis are not in the same complex.

Yeah, that complex can be buttheads. Recently I've had a good run with rubeus and africanus being well behaved, but that is proving to be more of an exception.

 

[evolved]

Are they known to be buttheads? I have never seen a fish pin another into a corner and peck them to death, despite my attempted interventions, like this one did. Surprising, as he and the solorensis are not in the same complex.

But they are both in more aggressive complexes. How large was the tank? If it was on the smaller side (<75g), than that was a contributor as well.
rubeus typically is pretty feisty, but usually isn't to the point of being a death machine. But there's always exceptions, unfortunately.

 

[Husker]

But they are both in more aggressive complexes. How large was the tank? If it was on the smaller side (<75g), than that was a contributor as well.
rubeus typically is pretty feisty, but usually isn't to the point of being a death machine. But there's always exceptions, unfortunately.

Yes, it was in a 40 breeder. I also was naive about wrasses and didn't use a social acclimation box. Still, that encounter has made me nervous about introducing my batch of new wrasses to my 150 this weekend (even though I have an acclimation box).

 

[evolved]

Yes, it was in a 40 breeder.

Bingo. And that's not enough tank for solorensis, fwiw. Pretty boarderline for rubeus too.

made me nervous about introducing my batch of new wrasses to my 150 this weekend (even though I have an acclimation box)

It's an apple v. orange comparison - you'll fair much better. But I'd still be very cautious with that particular rubeus specimen (if you still have it).

 

[Husker]

Bingo. And that's not enough tank for solorensis, fwiw. Pretty boarderline for rubeus too.

It's an apple v. orange comparison - you'll fair much better. But I'd still be very cautious with that particular rubeus specimen (if you still have it).

Nope, he went to the LFS. The solorensis came from someone's 40 Breeder with me knowing I had a new tank on the way, so I figured he would be fine. Probably would have been if not for the devilish rubeus.

Thanks for all the help and guidance. I wish I would have found all this info before the last wrasse fiascos.

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

Well I've got 2 wrasse here for an ID.. the first was marked as a 'red & blue' wrasse, the 2nd was marked as a Christmas wrasse although I'm thinking it may be an ornate.

 

[saltyhog]

Not sure on the first one but the second is H. biocellatus.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well I've got 2 wrasse here for an ID.. the first was marked as a 'red & blue' wrasse, the 2nd was marked as a Christmas wrasse although I'm thinking it may be an ornate.

First is a transitioning C. cyanopleura, second is a female H. biocellatus.

 

[Ben jammin]

My LFS got in a transhipment today with several interesting wrasses, some mislabeled or not labeled at all. I'd lome to get some IDs so I can figure iut which might worm in my FOWLR:

 

[Ben jammin]

Here are the first candidates. Labeled as melanarus but dont quite look like it, and dont look like each other as one had a white belly and the other all green. Vrolik's maybe?

 

[Ben jammin]

I think these may be juvenile marble wrasses. Will they be bothered by a T. quinquevittatum?

 

[Ben jammin]

Not sure this one is a wrasse but I think so. Looks more like one in person than in this pic. Mostly black with white band on tail.

 

[Ben jammin]

This one should be an easy ID as color/pattern is very distinct. Mouth looks like an anampses sp. but body is taller than most.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Here are the first candidates. Labeled as melanarus but dont quite look like it, and dont look like each other as one had a white belly and the other all green. Vrolik's maybe?

Halichoere Argus and H. marginatus.

I think these may be juvenile marble wrasses. Will they be bothered by a T. quinquevittatum?

Yes, marbled or checkered wrasse. T. quinquevittatum has a problem with most wrasses smaller than it.

Not sure this one is a wrasse but I think so. Looks more like one in person than in this pic. Mostly black with white band on tail.

It's a dottybacks.

 

[eatbreakfast]

This one should be an easy ID as color/pattern is very distinct. Mouth looks like an anampses sp. but body is taller than most.

Thicklip wrasse, Hemigymnus fasciatus.

 

[Ben jammin]

This is the black one I meant to post above. This one also looks like an anampses sp. but I dont know which.

 

[Ben jammin]

Last one. These also labeled as melanarus but I dont think they are.

Sorry for the multiple posts and thanks in advance!

 

[eatbreakfast]

This is a false cleaner, either a Labropsis or Labrichthys species. Obligate coralivore.

This is the black one I meant to post above. This one also looks like an anampses sp. but I dont know which.

I can't get a clear id on the top pic. The bottom one is H. argus.

Last one. These also labeled as melanarus but I dont think they are.

Sorry for the multiple posts and thanks in advance!

 

[Ben jammin]

Thanks for answering all those. I had a feeling the black one you identified as a false cleaner was not a good candidate for an aquarium.

Any experience with the Thicklip wrasse?

Any notable differences in disposition or hardiness between the H. melanarus, argus, marginatus, hoeveni and chrysotaenia? Seems like they all look pretty similar. I'm curious if one or more of this species is more or less desirable (other than subjective appearances).

 

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks for answering all those. I had a feeling the black one you identified as a false cleaner was not a good candidate for an aquarium.

Any experience with the Thicklip wrasse?

Any notable differences in disposition or hardiness between the H. melanarus, argus, marginatus, hoeveni and chrysotaenia? Seems like they all look pretty similar. I'm curious if one or more of this species is more or less desirable (other than subjective appearances).

Thicklip wrasses get big, buut grow slow. They are peaceful, but will eat motile inverts. When they get bigger they may flip small corals and rocks.

Hoevani is a junior synonym of melanurus. It was descrided as a seperate species because males and females look so different.

Of the species list marginatus is the most aggressive, melanurus and chrysotaenia are a little less aggressive than marginatus, and argus is slightly less aggressive than those 2.