The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Well don't Walker! Now feed that wrasse. We like fat wrasses around here!

I tried feeding formula 2 flakes and he didn't even think about eating them. I'll try mysis next.

 

[JoJosReef]

I tried feeding formula 2 flakes and he didn't even think about eating them. I'll try mysis next.

Mysis is usually a sure shot, and they then pick up on pellets rather quickly. Fairies are pigs once they figure out what's food.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Mysis is usually a sure shot, and they then pick up on pellets rather quickly. Fairies are pigs once they figure out what's food.

He just devoured some vitamin enriched mysisHe also met my serpent star for the first time!

 

[malacoda]

I have an orange back wrasse and Mckosker wrasse in a 90g tank , along with a couple clownfish, yellow tank, pjama cardinal, and coral beauty. I'd like to add an exquisite fairy wrasse. I've looked at the chart and they are not in the same box together, but unclear if they are 'far enough' apart. Would the exquisite fairy wrasse to be ok with the orange back wrasse?

IMO there is a high probability of aggression.

While I haven't had an orange back (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis), per "the chart", they are, on average right in the middle of the aggression scale — of the 5 colors they are orange, or color 3. And, you have it in the absolute minimum size tank that's recommended.

In other words, it is likely right on the edge of feeling cramped for territory and food competition from other similar planktivores ... particularly other fairy wrasses.

I have had an exquisite fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus) in a 65g. They're ranked a green (or a 1) in terms of aggression. And yet, when I tried to add a lubbocks (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki) and a pintail (Cirrhilabrus isosceles), the exquisite hounded them both to death ... even though they were all ranked very low aggression (green, or 1 of 5) AND their complexes were all very far apart on the chart.

Granted, my particular exquisite may have just been an oddball jerk...

But the more likely reason is that my 65g was very close to the minimum tank size for that fish (55g) and it felt too cramped to risk food and territory competition from the other two fairy wrasses.

You may get lucky if you add a second fairy wrasse... (If you do try, an acclimation box could significantly improve your odds.)

But chances are, the orange back won't tolerate one in a tank that size.

A better bet would be something like a leopard wrasse (if you have sand), a pink streaked wrasse, or a banded possum wrasse.

 

[Cael Gallery]

IMO there is a high probability of aggression.

While I haven't had an orange back (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis), per "the chart", they are, on average right in the middle of the aggression scale — of the 5 colors they are orange, or color 3. And, you have it in the absolute minimum size tank that's recommended.

In other words, it is likely right on the edge of feeling cramped for territory and food competition from other similar planktivores ... particularly other fairy wrasses.

I have had an exquisite fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus) in a 65g. They're ranked a green (or a 1) in terms of aggression. And yet, when I tried to add a lubbocks (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki) and a pintail (Cirrhilabrus isosceles), the exquisite hounded them both to death ... even though they were all ranked very low aggression (green, or 1 of 5) AND their complexes were all very far apart on the chart.

Granted, my particular exquisite may have just been an oddball jerk...

But the more likely reason is that my 65g was very close to the minimum tank size for that fish (55g) and it felt too cramped to risk food and territory competition from the other two fairy wrasses.

You may get lucky if you add a second fairy wrasse... (If you do try, an acclimation box could significantly improve your odds.)

But chances are, the orange back won't tolerate one in a tank that size.

A better bet would be something like a leopard wrasse (if you have sand), a pink streaked wrasse, or a banded possum wrasse.

I don't own any fairies or flashers and haven't really paid much attention to the chart but i'd be lying if i said that i thought charts were actually useful for deciding wether or not 2 fish are going to work. I feel that the circumstances and the interaction between the fish isn't something you can just put on a chart. Like there's just so many variables. I bet if there was a chart for overall wrasse compatibility, not just fairies, that either the chart or the people who made it would say i can't keep multiple Anampses in the same tank with multiple Thalassoma. Or i can't keep multiple thalassoma together, or i can't keep multiple Coris or Halichoeres or any combination of those 4 genera i mentioned. And yet for me i was able to get 3 Thalassoma coexisting with 2 Anampses one of which was tiny, 2 coris and like 4 Halichoeres with minimal issues.

 

[Tcook]

I don't own any fairies or flashers and haven't really paid much attention to the chart but i'd be lying if i said that i thought charts were actually useful for deciding wether or not 2 fish are going to work. I feel that the circumstances and the interaction between the fish isn't something you can just put on a chart. Like there's just so many variables. I bet if there was a chart for overall wrasse compatibility, not just fairies, that either the chart or the people who made it would say i can't keep multiple Anampses in the same tank with multiple Thalassoma. Or i can't keep multiple thalassoma together, or i can't keep multiple Coris or Halichoeres or any combination of those 4 genera i mentioned. And yet for me i was able to get 3 Thalassoma coexisting with 2 Anampses one of which was tiny, 2 coris and like 4 Halichoeres with minimal issues.

Hunter designed the chart for the cirrhilabrus genera only and is a guide and not a guarantee on how species of that genera might behave. I have found it to be very useful.

 

[i cant think]

I don't own any fairies or flashers and haven't really paid much attention to the chart but i'd be lying if i said that i thought charts were actually useful for deciding wether or not 2 fish are going to work. I feel that the circumstances and the interaction between the fish isn't something you can just put on a chart. Like there's just so many variables. I bet if there was a chart for overall wrasse compatibility, not just fairies, that either the chart or the people who made it would say i can't keep multiple Anampses in the same tank with multiple Thalassoma. Or i can't keep multiple thalassoma together, or i can't keep multiple Coris or Halichoeres or any combination of those 4 genera i mentioned. And yet for me i was able to get 3 Thalassoma coexisting with 2 Anampses one of which was tiny, 2 coris and like 4 Halichoeres with minimal issues.

If I’m honest, “the chart” is incredibly useful. It may not be 100% true all the time however it is 90% of the time accurate. Yes, you can ignore it altogether but you will also ignore what the majority of people say altogether.
I know I’ve gone beyond the chart on combinations.

Yes, using a chart you may find you have gone beyond the recommendations of mixing wrasses however you have also seen why we have those guidelines recently.
I currently have Hologymnosus doliatus mixed nicely with my group and I have pencils that “will be outcompeted” with my wrasse (And I still plan to add more). I even plan to possibly add a Thalassoma lucasanum to the mix.
But, I have also seen the negatives and what mixing wrasses goes wrong. It will go wrong quickly, and when it does it’s impossible to deny the failures. I have already lost a laboutei and lineatus to a failed mix of wrasses. I have had similar with A. twistii where I added a true juvenile and she was just too small.

 

[i cant think]

But, on a positive note… Look whose come home today! We all know what it is
It’s just the guess of how many did I get?

 

[ChiCity]

king of the seas

 

[i cant think]

king of the seas

See, this is why I wish my female lasted longer than just a couple months. They are cracking fish I just refuse to buy a mature male because they come in brown and rarely display for me.

 

[Brisk]

which wrasse is that?

 

[i cant think]

which wrasse is that?

The Wrasse Chicity posted is Paracheilinus hemitaeniatus.

 

[Slocke]

 

[ChiCity]

 

[Tcook]

Hate to see that dragon coming for me

 

[TARHEEL78]

This guy is looking quite happy today. He hid for days when he was added to the display but has been out for a week now loving life.

 

[i cant think]

This guy is looking quite happy today. He hid for days when he was added to the display but has been out for a week now loving life.

Im hoping i can get a pair of these to thrive… so far I’ve been unsuccessful with both introductions I have done previously.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Im hoping i can get a pair of these to thrive… so far I’ve been unsuccessful with both introductions I have done previously.

The first I had ended up with UNWD, it hurt having to euthanize him. This one seems to be doing great so far.

 

[Crabby48]

Anyone interested in Palidus. I know a source thinking about a few. If interested pm me

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

This little guy ate so much today, I don't know how it all fit in him lol. No flakes for him yet, he only ate mysis.

He's still a juvenile, so his colors should get more vibrant, right? He's an exquisite wrasse.