School me on wrasses

[rayn]

Way back when I first started out I tried a couple wrasses. They never made it and I gave up. Then I got into predator fish and didn't even think of them with their shape.

Now I'm doing a reef. Any scorp predator will be to small in this tank to eat a wrasse. So...what's the big deal about wrasses?! What's a good wrasse to have? Why? Are some hardier then others?

 

[Duke4Life]

Way back when I first started out I tried a couple wrasses. They never made it and I gave up. Then I got into predator fish and didn't even think of them with their shape.

Now I'm doing a reef. Any scorp predator will be to small in this tank to eat a wrasse. So...what's the big deal about wrasses?! What's a good wrasse to have? Why? Are some hardier then others?

I like fairies and flashers due to their color and activity level. They are always on the move. There are a few halichores that would work as well. I'd go after some of the bigger fairies as some flashers come in under 3 inches.

 

[rayn]

There seem to be so many choices. Fairies, flashers, six line, four line, leopard. Don't even know where to start!

 

[carmine leonetti]

be careful with the fairy wrasse there jumpers

 

[Duke4Life]

There seem to be so many choices. Fairies, flashers, six line, four line, leopard. Don't even know where to start!

If it has a line in the name and you have interest in other wrasses avoid. Leopards and tamarins/anampses need a more mature reef with sand IMO. The others just depend on where you get from. My biggest disease concern with wrasses are flukes.

 

[michellejy]

The thing I remember most about my fairy wrasse is that he would cover himself in a slime coat and wedge himself in the rocks to sleep. He would stay there even after the lights came on, refusing to move until I put food in the tank. My husband thought it was hilarious to call him "my wife's lazy wrasse."

 

[rayn]

The thing I remember most about my fairy wrasse is that he would cover himself in a slime coat and wedge himself in the rocks to sleep. He would stay there even after the lights came on, refusing to move until I put food in the tank. My husband thought it was hilarious to call him "my wife's lazy wrasse."

This makes me laugh!

 

[michellejy]

I thought he was dead at first until I saw his eye moving. Lazy thing would watch me, so he was awake. It just wasn't worth his time to move until food was involved.

 

[zoomonster]

To me there are two selection criteria with wrasses. One is utility for eating pests like bristle worms, flat worms, acropora eating flatworms, bugs etc. Six line wrasse and Malanurus are two big standouts in that category. The other part of utility is a cleaner. People will argue over the benefit but I always keep a common cleaner wrasse. Not only does he clean the other fish but nice blue color and a very interesting fish.

The other part is well preference and I happen to be obsessed with color. The whole group of reef safe wrasses possess more color that probably any other group of fish and the whole flasher behavior.

As far as reef safe that's kind of subjective for some. Many will be labeled not reef safe if they munch the smallest of crabs or other inverts. One I happen to keep is the pearl wrasse and its beyond me why its "not reef safe". Then there are the more absolutes like dragon wrasses. I like them but they will be eating your shrimp and other inverts for dinner.

As far as having "line" in the name bad that's a crock. Sure any fish can be bad (much like people) but i.e. I have always kept six line wrasses and the one I have now is pretty much a model citizen among my population of 11 wrasses. Like any other fish I have heard some stories of people that experienced the terrorist of the variety. My terrorists have mostly been angels, tangs and even anthias.

And yes most wrasses are notorious jumpers but any fish can jump. I lost a few before I really got my tank top sealed up tight.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Fairy and flasher are active, colorful, and completely reef safe. All of the flaher wrasses are quite peaceful. Most of the fairy wrasses are peaceful, though there are some that will be aggressive toward other wrasses. Both groups are quite hardy.

Halichoeres is a large genus that varies as far as suitability for a reef. Most of the smaller species, such as melanurus and chrysus, may eat small snails and hermits, but also eat coral pests. Larger Halichoeres species can be more aggressive and more likely to flip corals and eat larger inverts. These are sand burying wrasses.

Leopards, Anampses, and Pseudojuloides are peaceful, usually completely reef safe, and will eat coral pests. However, they don't handle shipping stress well, and are sensitive their first few weeks, but can develop into quite hardy fish. They do best in an established reef. They are all sand burying wrasses.

The lined wrasses of the genus. Pseudocheilinus are hardy and full of personality, but can be aggressive to small fish added after them, especially other wrasses.

Cleaner wrasses can have a role in aquaria, but do best in lg systems that are heavily stocked with fish, so that there are an adequate number of client fish so the cleaner doesn't become a nuisance. The genus Labroides is reef safe, the other generas of cleaner wrasses will eat corals.

Wetmorella and Pseudocheilinops are small, peaceful, cryptic species.