The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Slocke]

Do you have a good source for Halichoeres species by group?

Would like to see this too. Wehn I was doing my research it just showed that the Halichoeres genus is a mess but if there are defined complexes that may clear it up a bit.

 

[blecki]

 

[DarkReefer]

Avoid the Melanurus if I’m honest, although they could work its unlikely and the Mel will become fairly boisterous towards other wrasses. As I’ve said in previous posts, you want to avoid the Platyglossus group when mixing Halichoeres and stick to the Biochoeres group or Hemiulis group. These two generally have more peaceful species that will happily coexist with others - The Iridis is one from the Biochoeres group.

I’ve had 10-11 shrimp in with wrasses at seperate times, currently I have 8 shrimp in with wrasses (3 in one tank with a leopard and 5 in my other tank with my main gang). I’ve never seen them being eaten unless they have already passed from old age. Cleaner and Fire Shrimp tend to be ignored due to their role (a fish will usually know if a shrimp has a role to the reef and their role is to clean the fish). As for the snails, I’ve not had much of an issue - my main issue is that my snails love to fall upside down. Again, species from the Platyglossus group are more likely to go for inverts.

As Slocke said above, those complexes are best to mix, however on the whole almost any complex can be mixed together, just avoid the species from the Scottorum and Filamentosus groups.
I’d also add in a couple Paracheilinus species to truly get the lights going at night! Some personal favourites of mine are;
- Carpenteri
- Attenuatus
- Piscilineatus
- Amanda
- Rubricaudalis

No problem! Just hang around here and you’ll learn many scientific names :)

Thank you for the additional advice.
My head spins with the amount of scientific names at the moment for sure but I'm slowly starting to associate certain ones with certain types of fish so maybe there's hope yet !

Understood regarding the Melanurus. Starting to hear more and more that they can potentially become problems as they grow. Definitely don't want to see that so I think I'll take your advice and avoid and perhaps take the Dusky route that Slocke suggested earlier, they look quite nice despite the darker initial appearance!
(Although a further google dive seems to show some comment regarding the Dusky Halichoeres marginatus, as Platyglossus marginatus) It's stuff like this that makes the whole identification thing difficult or confusing for newbies/hobbyists like me.
It does also state species as Halichoeres marginatus so maybe I just ignore the rest of the science bs here lol?
Source = https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2291#moreinfo

You have some great looking suggestions, thanks for those. My gf was pretty happy with the ones suggested by Slocke and I've no doubt she'll like these ones too! Once my purple tang is out of the observation/pretend QT tank I'll have to put an order in with the LFS to get me in a few different wrasse so I can try and add them together I think. May even look at either tearing down that existing tank and sorting out a smaller/easier to manage actual QT tank but we'll see.

 

[JoJosReef]

Pinkies are getting comfortable with me around the tank.

New video · Thursday, Jan 18, 2024 🎬

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Brazilian Reefer]

Pinkies are getting comfortable with me around the tank.

New video · Thursday, Jan 18, 2024 🎬

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

Amazing! Happy for you. So sad I can’t have one here =|

 

[i cant think]

Thank you for the additional advice.
My head spins with the amount of scientific names at the moment for sure but I'm slowly starting to associate certain ones with certain types of fish so maybe there's hope yet !

Understood regarding the Melanurus. Starting to hear more and more that they can potentially become problems as they grow. Definitely don't want to see that so I think I'll take your advice and avoid and perhaps take the Dusky route that Slocke suggested earlier, they look quite nice despite the darker initial appearance!
(Although a further google dive seems to show some comment regarding the Dusky Halichoeres marginatus, as Platyglossus marginatus) It's stuff like this that makes the whole identification thing difficult or confusing for newbies/hobbyists like me.
It does also state species as Halichoeres marginatus so maybe I just ignore the rest of the science bs here lol?
Source = https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2291#moreinfo

You have some great looking suggestions, thanks for those. My gf was pretty happy with the ones suggested by Slocke and I've no doubt she'll like these ones too! Once my purple tang is out of the observation/pretend QT tank I'll have to put an order in with the LFS to get me in a few different wrasse so I can try and add them together I think. May even look at either tearing down that existing tank and sorting out a smaller/easier to manage actual QT tank but we'll see.

The Marginatus is in the Hemiulis complex to my knowledge, I’m not too sure exactly why it can appear as ‘(platyglossus)’.

 

[i cant think]

Pinkies are getting comfortable with me around the tank.

New video · Thursday, Jan 18, 2024 🎬

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

He’s gorgeous, look at that Mohawk! I really hope a small specimen appears in my LFS soon, they’re just beautiful when paired.

 

[i cant think]

Would like to see this too. Wehn I was doing my research it just showed that the Halichoeres genus is a mess but if there are defined complexes that may clear it up a bit.

This is what I tend to use for most of my information and learning with new species, this has the main 2 complexes of Biochoeres (Chrysus, Leucoxanthus, Iridis, etc.) and Hemiulis (Rubricephalus, Richmondi, Leucurus etc.) but does explain the other complexes given by Kuiter.

https://reefs.com/red-green-halichoeres-wrasses-photographic-guide/

The Marginatus is in the Hemiulis complex to my knowledge, I’m not too sure exactly why it can appear as ‘(platyglossus)’.

I believe I have figured out this - Some species that are in the Hemiulis complex were moved around into different complexes. So some species in Platyglossus, Octocynodon and Julichoeres all came from the Hemiulis complex. This secondary complex seems to be displayed via brackets and often treated more like subgenera.

I believe Paracheilinus is also put into complexes. But generally they can all be mixed together so it’s not as important from a hobbyist point of view. If you’re curious then here’s one complex I know exists;
- Attenuatus
- Piscilineatus
- Hemitaeniatus
- Octotaenia

 

[SaltyT]

Would like to see this too. Wehn I was doing my research it just showed that the Halichoeres genus is a mess but if there are defined complexes that may clear it up a bit.

Here's the link to the phylogenetic tree i can't think is referring to but the tree only represents about 50% of the recognized halichoeres spp. so more work needs to be done:

https://reefs.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/halichoeres-tree-finished2.jpg

 

[i cant think]

Here's the link to the phylogenetic tree i can't think is referring to but the tree only represents about 50% of the recognized halichoeres spp. so more work needs to be done:

https://reefs.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/halichoeres-tree-finished2.jpg

I was looking for a chart that showed the majority of the groups. Now it makes sense as to why Jades are so notorious for aggression - They’re in the Hemicoris group.

 

[SaltyT]

I was looking for a chart that showed the majority of the groups. Now it makes sense as to why Jades are so notorious for aggression - They’re in the Hemicoris group.

Speaking of Jades, do you still have yours?

 

[i cant think]

Speaking of Jades, do you still have yours?

For now I do…

Until I find evidence he wasn’t the cause of death for my two angels he’ll probably be removed at some point this year. Whether I wait until I upgrade my tank and remove him then or if I do it even before I’m unsure.

 

[SaltyT]

For now I do…

Until I find evidence he wasn’t the cause of death for my two angels he’ll probably be removed at some point this year. Whether I wait until I upgrade my tank and remove him then or if I do it even before I’m unsure.

Oh dang sorry to hear that, was one of them the regal? Hopefully the Jade never turns on your diamond tail.

 

[i cant think]

Oh dang sorry to hear that, was one of them the regal? Hopefully the Jade never turns on your diamond tail.

The regal is luckily thriving still instead it wiped out the Majestic (I have a ‘replacement’ coming home this week) and my TT Coral Beauty.

Ironically, the Diamond Tail is quite possibly the most dominant of the Fairies and Flashers. The finifenmaa and him love to flare up in the evening and he definitely displays at random points in the day. He stays away from the Jade but he refuses to allow the others to overtake him in the hierarchy.
Now I just want to try and come across a female Mauritian flasher. But that could be in many years time.

 

[SaltyT]

The regal is luckily thriving still instead it wiped out the Majestic (I have a ‘replacement’ coming home this week) and my TT Coral Beauty.

Ironically, the Diamond Tail is quite possibly the most dominant of the Fairies and Flashers. The finifenmaa and him love to flare up in the evening and he definitely displays at random points in the day. He stays away from the Jade but he refuses to allow the others to overtake him in the hierarchy.
Now I just want to try and come across a female Mauritian flasher. But that could be in many years time.

My DT was a boss too. It was funny watching him herd a 6" earmuff wrasse around the tank.

 

[i cant think]

My DT was a boss too. It was funny watching him herd a 6" earmuff wrasse around the tank.

I love seeing him boss the finifenmaa which is definitely larger around the tank. Especially as the Fini is supposedly a more robust Fairy Wrasse yet he submits to a (now stunning) less dominant species of wrasse.

 

[Slocke]

Don’t know what annoys me more about this… second part is great but that first sentence

 

[SaltyT]

Don’t know what annoys me more about this… second part is great but that first sentence

Hey @Slocke ..... Yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris

 

[Slocke]

Hey @Slocke ..... Yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris, yellow coris

Stop it! Those are two words this Knight of Nie cannot hear!!

 

[i cant think]

Stop it! Those are two words this Knight of Nie cannot hear!!

Psst, look at this.

Might as well have that guy in the Coris genus if they’re that close together.

Or why don’t we make a Halichoris genus? Throw in every species that is called a Coris Wrasse and solve the argument ;)