Peaceful Wrasse for 40B

[EricR]

Hoping to add a wrasse to my 40 gallon soft coral tank but no experience so wondering which type would be small enough and not too aggressive.

GOAL = maintain the peace!

Pink streaked wrasse seems safest (not a huge fan of possum) but wondering if anything like the following would be reasonable:
- Lubbuck's fairy wrasse
- McCosker's flasher wrasse
- other small fairy wrasse types to consider?


System is 40 gallon breeder running since 10/2021 with mostly soft corals.
HOB filter only,,, no sump,,, no skimmer,,, so have purposely stuck to few/easy fish:
- Solo female Ocellaris clownfish
- Tailspot blenny
- Pajama cardinal
*Banggai cardinal recently passed after 3.5 years

Pretty sure the ones I'd consider are invert safe but, just in case, I have skunk cleaner shrimp, tiger sand conch, blue tuxedo urchin.


Rockwork looks like this, in case it matters:

*Tailspot rests in the barnacle cluster in front but cruises the whole tank.
*Clownfish splits resting time between the Duncan on the right and the heater in the back/left.

 

[Zach136378]

I think a fairy wrasse would do well. A mc coskers would do really well. Mystery wrasse are sick but can be aggressive and pretty pricy. Pink streaked are good too. You could maybe get away with a smaller halichoeres wrasse like a yellow or debatably a melenarus which are beautiful

 

[fishnchip]

I've got a Bells Flasher in my 60 with a pair of clowns and a bunch of small gobies, and it's been a model citizen. Not a single complaint

 

[EricR]

I've got a Bells Flasher in my 60 with a pair of clowns and a bunch of small gobies, and it's been a model citizen. Not a single complaint

Bell's flasher wrasse is a nice looking fish and seems to stay pretty small -- all good.
Searching just now, I see they're EXPENSIVE so I should add the restriction that I'm likely not willing to spend >$200, especially for my current (small) 40 gallon tank.

 

[Zach136378]

I think a melenarus would be nice and a smaller fairy wrasse like a Naoko

 

[Skippy The Meh]

i have a canarytop wrasse i got from WWC and he is super peacefull, great color, and nice to watch.

 

[EricR]

I think a melenarus would be nice and a smaller fairy wrasse like a Naoko

I do really like Naoko's fairy wrasse just from pictures/videos that I've seen but, only from reading, got it in my head that it might be more aggressive than the ones I've been considering.

 

[winzig]

I would do a possum wrasse

 

[Zach136378]

I do really like Naoko's fairy wrasse just from pictures/videos that I've seen but, only from reading, got it in my head that it might be more aggressive than the ones I've been considering.

Solon wrasse are really nice too

 

[sjfishguy]

I second Solon wrasse. I like pintails too

 

[EricR]

Thanks all for the suggestions.
Heading away on vacation and will start seeing what my LFS can get after that although I might just buy from Dr. Reef's so I don't have to deal with QT on my own -- gettin' lazy around here.

 

[mapman]

I have a pintail and lubbock's fairy in a 40 long no aggression at all.

 

[Savage Henry]

I think a fairy wrasse would do well. A mc coskers would do really well. Mystery wrasse are sick but can be aggressive and pretty pricy. Pink streaked are good too. You could maybe get away with a smaller halichoeres wrasse like a yellow or debatably a melenarus which are beautiful

I think the Halichoeres wrasses have the best temperament.

I would have suggested the canary and melenarus wrasses too. Although I have never kept one, consider the neon wrasses too.

But, I’m not sure you’ve got enough live rock for one of these wrasses. If you do get one, feed it well with fresh seafood.

Also, these wrasses need a good layer of fine gravel to bury themselves. Your tank doesn’t seem to have much gravel???

I’m considering a wrasse for my tank and was holding out for a pink streaked wrasse, but have recently got interested in a neon wrasse.

I want the wrasse to eat pests and things.

 

[Savage Henry]

Nice tank by the way.

 

[EricR]

Also, these wrasses need a good layer of fine gravel to bury themselves. Your tank doesn’t seem to have much gravel???

I believe that the wrasses I'm considering (mainly fairy and flasher wrasses) don't bury themselves in the sand.
I hope that's true but will make sure to research that more.
*sand bed at this point is down to about 1"-1.5" deep

 

[Savage Henry]

I’ve never kept the fairy wrasse, but considering them now too. I am not sure if they eat the pest creatures. Do keep in mind that a good role of your wrasse is to remove some nasties. I think they are invaluable in our artificial systems where certain pests can flourish.

 

[JoJosReef]

I believe that the wrasses I'm considering (mainly fairy and flasher wrasses) don't bury themselves in the sand.
I hope that's true but will make sure to research that more.
*sand bed at this point is down to about 1"-1.5" deep

Fairies and flashers don't bury in the sand. They form a mucous cocoon to sleep in the rocks.

For a 40B, the only fairies I would put in are a Lubbock or a pintail. I would be hesitant to put any flashers in a 40B because of their natural swim behavior (zoomies.. doing a zoomie while flashing in a short tank is not ideal). Same for fairies, but pintails can be a bit more subdued. I'd never add a Naoko to a 40. Helpful chart when thinking about fairies:
https://www.thewrasseguy.com/mixing-cirrhilabrus

 

[winzig]

I would not do a Solon wrasse, I had one and it got to 5” a 40gallon imo is to small

 

[BriDroid]

I have a yellow (Halichoeres chrysus) in my 40 breeder. I wanted it for the pest control. I was able to find a tiny one at my LFS. He eats everything I put in there. He gets along great with everything but he does have a little beef with my azure damsel. Just flaring fins, no fighting. He is best friends with my little clown that’s in there. They’re always swimming together. It’s really cute.

 

[EricR]

OK. I'm back on this with vigor,,, and some Dr. Reef's gift certificates from my birthday so basically almost ready to order one of the following:
1. McCoskers or Carpenters Flasher Wrasse -- seems like some said not a good idea.
2. Pintail Fairy Wrasse -- I really like these but reading on several sites suggests that these get larger (up to 5") and really require more like a 90 gallon tank, so, am I missing something?

*I appreciate the rest of the recommendations also but others either didn't interest me or seemed to be too big and would need a bigger tank.

Final thoughts/suggestions before I do something stupid?