The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[HSLSaltwater]

Thats a good start. Add all 3 they have in stock at one time. No issues there. They may peck a bit at each other till they establish a hierarchy, but there shouldn't be any outright aggression.

Then I’ll go shopping. It’s not super local this store so I’ll have to take a road-trip for a couple of hours. They don’t ship fish and livestock here to non commercial.

 

[JoJosReef]

Bipartitus
Meleagris
Negrosensis
Lapillus (out of stock)
Moyeri (out of stock)
Ornatus
This is the listing on my LFS. Most likely they can get others as well

Keep in mind that leopards suffer from shipping stress and often die during transit or shortly thereafter. When they startle they dart down, which in an airtight bag is like running headfirst into a brick wall. I've had leopards arrive with broken jaws or just plain dead from injury. So best to ensure they are healthy when you get them, and ask the LFS to put an inch of sand in the bag so that they don't kill themselves in your car. With sand in the bag, they will be more comfortable.

The next most important thing in my opinion is to get them comfortable in their landing pad tank, whether this is QT or a tank for acclimation. Best to acclimate them slowly over a few days than drip them and drop them in the tank. My landing pad tank has 2in of sand and medium sized rocks for comfort. This is where I start them on baby brine shrimp to whet their appetites and get them eating ROE (or pods) and then on to TDO pellets. When they get into the DT, they should be used to the DT food.

I skipped the acclimation box with my leopard and put her directly into the sand bed by hand and let her sort herself out when she came out of the sand. @homer1475 @Slocke would it be better to have an acclimation box with a big tupper of sand for a few days?

 

[homer1475]

Then I’ll go shopping. It’s not super local this store so I’ll have to take a road-trip for a couple of hours. They don’t ship fish and livestock here to non commercial.

Don't feel bad, my LFS is a 4 hour trip one way.

I have nothing even remotely closer. Quite a few FW stores that I can often times get frozen food, but anything SW stock related is a 4 hour drive one way.

 

[homer1475]

Keep in mind that leopards suffer from shipping stress and often die during transit or shortly thereafter. When they startle they dart down, which in an airtight bag is like running headfirst into a brick wall. I've had leopards arrive with broken jaws or just plain dead from injury. So best to ensure they are healthy when you get them, and ask the LFS to put an inch of sand in the bag so that they don't kill themselves in your car. With sand in the bag, they will be more comfortable.

Great point I often forget about!

I asked my LFS years ago to start doing this with sand sleepers. He actually reported back that he has had less sand sleeper deaths in transport since he started adding sand to the bags.

I skipped the acclimation box with my leopard and put her directly into the sand bed by hand and let her sort herself out when she came out of the sand. @homer1475 @Slocke would it be better to have an acclimation box with a big tupper of sand for a few days?

I have done it both ways. If hes going to add the three all at once, just add them and let them sort it out. When adding more later down the road, use a box with some sort of sand.

While I have used the container of sand in the box, I have often found the sand sleeper never finds it, and ends up squeezing between the box, and the container of sand.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Don't feel bad, my LFS is a 4 hour trip one way.

I have nothing even remotely closer. Quite a few FW stores that I can often times get frozen food, but anything SW stock related is a 4 hour drive one way.

Keep in mind that leopards suffer from shipping stress and often die during transit or shortly thereafter. When they startle they dart down, which in an airtight bag is like running headfirst into a brick wall. I've had leopards arrive with broken jaws or just plain dead from injury. So best to ensure they are healthy when you get them, and ask the LFS to put an inch of sand in the bag so that they don't kill themselves in your car. With sand in the bag, they will be more comfortable.

The next most important thing in my opinion is to get them comfortable in their landing pad tank, whether this is QT or a tank for acclimation. Best to acclimate them slowly over a few days than drip them and drop them in the tank. My landing pad tank has 2in of sand and medium sized rocks for comfort. This is where I start them on baby brine shrimp to whet their appetites and get them eating ROE (or pods) and then on to TDO pellets. When they get into the DT, they should be used to the DT food.

I skipped the acclimation box with my leopard and put her directly into the sand bed by hand and let her sort herself out when she came out of the sand. @homer1475 @Slocke would it be better to have an acclimation box with a big tupper of sand for a few days?

Food I can get from a pet store close by but the saltwater fish is about 3h one way or the second closest is in a different country but got better stock. My plan is having them in my old freshwater tank (about 100 litres) to acclimate. And then do the box. Good tip with the sand in the bag.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Speaking about sand, I got about 1-2 inches of sand in the tank should I get some more maybe?

 

[homer1475]

3 to 4 would be better. Specially for wrasses known to DIVE into the sand when spooked.

I had a bipartus a few years back that broke her jaw diving into the sand and bouncing off the bottom glass.

You will be very surprised how hard they dive into the sand.

EDIT:
I would not go over 4inches as we then start top get into the old DSB debate and whether they cause older tanks to crash or not.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

3 to 4 would be better. Specially for wrasses known to DIVE into the sand when spooked.

I had a bipartus a few years back that broke her jaw diving into the sand and bouncing off the bottom glass.

You will be very surprised how hard they dive into the sand.

EDIT:
I would not go over 4inches as we then start top get into the old DSB debate and whether they cause older tanks to crash or not.

Good to know then I’ll try to make it as close to 4 as possible. Just have to calculate how much that is in cm

 

[homer1475]

As long as you have areas that are deep, they will be fine.

I have some areas of the tank that are deep, and some that are shallower, and other areas that are bare glass. Just the way I stir it up, and the PH's blow it around.

My sand sleepers seem to find the deeper areas. I sometimes find my melagris with her tail sticking out, or partially covered. They are funny fish that are full of personality once settled.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

As long as you have areas that are deep, they will be fine.

I have some areas of the tank that are deep, and some that are shallower, and other areas that are bare glass. Just the way I stir it up, and the PH's blow it around.

My sand sleepers seem to find the deeper areas. I sometimes find my melagris with her tail sticking out, or partially covered. They are funny fish that are full of personality once settled.

I’ll probably add 1 more inch so I have 3-4 inches at the deepest area

 

[homer1475]

I’ll probably add 1 more inch so I have 3-4 inches at the deepest area

Your going to add new sand to an existing tank?

Don't forget to rinse the carp out of it. Otherwise you'll have a snow globe for a couple days.

 

[HSLSaltwater]

Your going to add new sand to an existing tank?

Don't forget to rinse the carp out of it. Otherwise you'll have a snow globe for a couple days.

Probably moving the small amount I have to my quarantine tank in that case and let it settle or at least that was my plan. Open for suggestions

 

[JoJosReef]

What I miss about my tank being at the office is that I don't see them coming out of the sand in the morning. It's cute when they have their little heads poking out of the sand looking around then decide "yup, I guess it's time to get up!"

 

[HSLSaltwater]

What I miss about my tank being at the office is that I don't see them coming out of the sand in the morning. It's cute when they have their little heads poking out of the sand looking around then decide "yup, I guess it's time to get up!"

Something for me to look forward to

 

[BRENDA TRUITT]

What size tank do you have?

I have 100 gallon and have the same problem. Axilspot Hogfish, which turned out to be a Wrasse, is peaceful except with other Wrasses.

 

[Peahen]

I love me some wrasse's, so I want to see everyone's wrasse pictures! Please share!

I've been practicing my fish taking.. Snapped a decent one of my Naoko Wrasse, still need to polish up on my skills though!

Edit:

Forgot my earmuff! Colors since this picture have really improved!

That is beautiful

 

[Slocke]

Your going to add new sand to an existing tank?

Don't forget to rinse the carp out of it. Otherwise you'll have a snow globe for a couple days.

You’ll also end up with carp in your tank and they are an ugly fish.

My dad caught this in the local river

 

[Slocke]

Not going to be on the next Attenborough unfortunately but I tried . You can kind of see it….

 

[i cant think]

Ive missed a lot…
Here’s some recent photos (I may have already shown) of the Fini and Carpenteri

 

[i cant think]

So a question to all wrasse experts here. How many and what wrasses should one have in a 120 gallon tank. Atm I have 2 clowns and a shrimp goby pair.

This is always fun!
What other fish do you plan for?