My Halichoeres iridis, the Radiant wrasse

OrionN

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Halichoeres iridis is, IMO, the most beautiful of the Halichoeres wrasse. They are small and will not get larger than about 4.5 inches. This species is very beautiful and unique. I am at a loss as to why they are not more popular wrasse. IMO, they should be THE most popular of the Halichoeres wrasse.
Black Friday, I was at Petco and got one small H. iridis for a very reasonable price of 39.99, along with a H. magnifica anemone. I always looking for one the last few years. Knowing that they are delicate fish and do not ship well, I did not try to buy them online. It was just lucky that I got this small, about 2 inches wrasse.
She was thin, have white spots on her, but is active and eating well. I go ahead and bought her, and release her directly to my DT rather than condition her in my QT system because I am condition and other wrasse in there, a small H. melanurus. Here are pictures of my Radiant wrasse, when I first got her and about 2 weeks later. She is completely well now and is gaining weight. No more blemish on her body or fins, no more white spots.
I will continue to update my experience with this very beautiful wrasse.

These pictures on 11/28/2020, the morning after I got her home. She got a few Ich spots, and white blemish/injury/infection on her fins that can be seem. Also the have concaved stomach and somewhat pinched head. She is eating well so I am confident that she will be fine in my tank. I don't QT my fish for minor disease like this because they never give my tank any problem. Do what you will with your tank. My tank is overflow with fauna. I do believe that the fauna in the tank clean up eliminate most if not all the Ich parasites, and the fish in my tank are exceptionally heathy and not really susceptible to disease.
radiantwrasse2020112804-jpg.1902619

radiantwrasse2020112801-jpg.1902616

radiantwrasse2020112802-jpg.1902617

Picture this AM on 12/9/2020. It is easy to see that she have gain weight and stomach is full. All the white spots have resolved.
radiantwrasse2020120902-jpg.1920615
 
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nereefpat

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They are beautiful. If I ever happened to see a healthy one in a store, I would grab it for sure.

The not shipping well and being uncommon in stores is a double whammy for me not keeping one, although I sure would like to.

Great pics, again, by the way.
 

Maritimer

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Iridis are on my shortlist for certain ... I haven't seen them around much lately, and never at that price!

She's a beauty - I hope she does well for you.

~B.
 

Tamberav

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I tried getting this fish for an entire year. Finally got one only to have it accidentally shipped below hypo salinity which caused internal damage.

I have never seen one available in person.

I am back to trying to find one again.

Their poor shipping combined with sporadic availability is probably why we don’t see more of them.
 

Stigigemla

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To me it is also the most beautiful Halichoeres but a supermale of rubricephalus is not far behind.
To me it seems as it is most the transport and acclimation that causes problems. When they are accustomed to a tank they are generally hardy.
 
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OrionN

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Pestering the clown's nest. My Radiant is very small, she is only about the same lenght as my male A. percula, but considerably smaller in mass becasue of her elongated shape.
RadiantWrasse2020121008Clowns.jpg
RadiantWrasse2020121009Clowns.jpg


Very out-going even if she is the absolute youngest and smallest of my wrasses, smaller than my flashers.
RadiantWrasse2020121005.jpg
RadiantWrasse2020121011.jpg
 
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McPuff

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Very cool fish indeed. I have been considering one for a while. I did have a tiny one on hold at the LFS a while back but it just disappeared. Oh well... I have a lineatus and labouti in QT right now and they'll go into DT next week. Not a bad consolation prize. :0)
 

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Very cool fish indeed. I have been considering one for a while. I did have a tiny one on hold at the LFS a while back but it just disappeared. Oh well... I have a lineatus and labouti in QT right now and they'll go into DT next week. Not a bad consolation prize. :0)

You need to throw some pics up of those.
 

Tcook

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Depressing news. I came into the office this am to feed the QT tank and found this.
20201219_085534.jpg


Not sure ho it happened. My Nuvo 20 has a 3/8" mesh cover. Should have replaced with 1/4"? The worst part was that I was going to move him to the DT last night but decided to wait till today. This fish had great personality
 
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OrionN

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Depressing news. I came into the office this am to feed the QT tank and found this.
20201219_085534.jpg


Not sure ho it happened. My Nuvo 20 has a 3/8" mesh cover. Should have replaced with 1/4"? The worst part was that I was going to move him to the DT last night but decided to wait till today. This fish had great personality
How did he get through the tank cover? I see that you have a cover in your last picture.
 

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Not sure. I feed them last night and didn't remove the cover. He was still moist so must have happened through the night. His body could technically fit through the mesh if he shot like a bullet. The flame wrasse has started to pester him which is why I was going to move him to the DT first. Depressing, really.
 
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OrionN

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Not sure. I feed them last night and didn't remove the cover. He was still moist so must have happened through the night. His body could technically fit through the mesh if he shot like a bullet. The flame wrasse has started to pester him which is why I was going to move him to the DT first. Depressing, really.
So sorry
 

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