The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[AKL1950]

Hi everyone. I’m new to the Wrasse thread, but wanted to get some advice. I’m looking at getting a Wrasse and wanted to make sure I’m getting my due diligence done right.

My tank is a WaterBox 220.6, so tank is about 175 gallons. It is bare bottom, but lots of rock in the tank. Current residents are four tangs (purple, powder blue, Hippo and Tomini). The purple and PB are about 5”. Purple is tank boss. Male and female Bellus angelfish and six Chromis. There will eventually be two clowns Added. Tank aggression is minimal, but not zero. I’m currently at 7 months since first fish went in. I’m looking to get my Wrasse at the one year mark (June).

The one I want is a male Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. My understanding is they don’t need a sand bed. I will probably go the extra cost and get one prequarantined from Dr Reef. I have had excellent luck with him.

Any words of wisdom? Only Wrasse I’ve ever had in the past was a 6 line, so minimum experience with them.

 

[i cant think]

Hi everyone. I’m new to the Wrasse thread, but wanted to get some advice. I’m looking at getting a Wrasse and wanted to make sure I’m getting my due diligence done right.

My tank is a WaterBox 220.6, so tank is about 175 gallons. It is bare bottom, but lots of rock in the tank. Current residents are four tangs (purple, powder blue, Hippo and Tomini). The purple and PB are about 5”. Purple is tank boss. Male and female Bellus angelfish and six Chromis. There will eventually be two clowns Added. Tank aggression is minimal, but not zero. I’m currently at 7 months since first fish went in. I’m looking to get my Wrasse at the one year mark (June).

The one I want is a male Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. My understanding is they don’t need a sand bed. I will probably go the extra cost and get one prequarantined from Dr Reef. I have had excellent luck with him.

Any words of wisdom? Only Wrasse I’ve ever had in the past was a 6 line, so minimum experience with them.

Unfortunately with a bare bottom, you’re limited to only the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus genera. If possible, I would personally add a sandbed purely so you can enjoy all wrasses and not just the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus genera (which are really only good for the display factor and not pest hunting).

 

[blaxsun]

Thanks I was wondering why I rarely hear of people keeping wrasse in pairs.

Usually one jumps out of the tank, lol. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[AKL1950]

Unfortunately with a bare bottom, you’re limited to only the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus genera. If possible, I would personally add a sandbed purely so you can enjoy all wrasses and not just the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus genera (which are really only good for the display factor and not pest hunting).

Yes, the pest issue is one of my concerns. I have none. Not even a lonely Aptasia. I started the tank with complete dry rock and no sand. All the fish and coral were quarantined and the tank is pretty much free of pests. The only critters I have that I didn‘t put in knowingly are pineapple sponges and spirorbid worms. They came in on a cured Carib Sea rock I got from WWC. Worried that a Wrasse would not have an abundance of natural food to go after. I assume they will eat what I’m feeding everyone else. Since pests are not a real problem (yet), the wrasse would be for looks only.

 

[AKL1950]

Usually one jumps out of the tank, lol. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Lol! Learned that lesson with my first two clowns. Problem fixed.

 

[i cant think]

Yes, the pest issue is one of my concerns. I have none. Not even a lonely Aptasia. I started the tank with complete dry rock and no sand. All the fish and coral were quarantined and the tank is pretty much free of pests. The only critters I have that I didn‘t put in knowingly are pineapple sponges and spirorbid worms. They came in on a cured Carib Sea rock I got from WWC. Worried that a Wrasse would not have an abundance of natural food to go after. I assume they will eat what I’m feeding everyone else. Since pests are not a real problem (yet), the wrasse would be for looks only.

I would still try get a sandbed in there. IMHO, there is no such thing as a sterile tank. I’ve seen many fail with sterile tanks so I more so aim for a natural tank where the fish go straight in without a risk of disease as they can settle easily (I’ve done this several times in the past).
But that’s not for this thread, I recommend what I usually recommend which is;
Since there are so many wrasse species, make a list of the ones you love from the genera I have suggested and then we can pick through them in here. What wrasses I may like, you may hate (I tend to prefer simple patterned fish).

 

[OrionN]

....... What wrasses I may like, you may hate (I tend to prefer simple patterned fish).

I just like beautiful and brightly color fishes.

 

[AKL1950]

Since there are so many wrasse species, make a list of the ones you love from the genera I have suggested and then we can pick through them in here. What wrasses I may like, you may hate (I tend to prefer simple patterned fish).

Yes, the one I seem to like the most is the Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. Since it is a Cirrhilabrus, it should do okay without a sand bed. There are plenty of hiding spots in the rock work where it can find several unused caves/spots. It has the colors I like. I’ve looked at just about every Fairy Wrasse there is and that’s the one I keep going back to, so it’s got to be put on top of the list.

 

[Crabby48]

Yes, the one I seem to like the most is the Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. Since it is a Cirrhilabrus, it should do okay without a sand bed. There are plenty of hiding spots in the rock work where it can find several unused caves/spots. It has the colors I like. I’ve looked at just about every Fairy Wrasse there is and that’s the one I keep going back to, so it’s got to be put on top of the list.

They get little bigger and like bigger tanks. They tend to be little more on aggression side. I would add last if you plan on more wrasse down the road.

 

[AKL1950]

They get little bigger and like bigger tanks. They tend to be little more on aggression side. I would add last if you plan on more wrasse down the road.

This will be my only Wrasse. Adding it and two clowns will get me up to 15 fish, which I think is plenty for my tank. I feed a lot, so the fish I already have are growing fast and are already getting quite fat. My PB tang is right around 5” long and at least 3/4” wide. It never misses feeding time.

 

[Tcook]

This will be my only Wrasse. Adding it and two clowns will get me up to 15 fish, which I think is plenty for my tank. I feed a lot, so the fish I already have are growing fast and are already getting quite fat. My PB tang is right around 5” long and at least 3/4” wide. It never misses feeding time.

15 fish in a 175 is nothing:) Put a small Tupperware container with 3 inches of sand behind your rocks. Get a Vivien and be done with it.

 

[AKL1950]

Vivien

I looked at them. Kinda cool looking, but every time I see that fake eye on its side I think bullet hole. :grinning-face-with-sweat: I’ve got time to think about it.

 

[Tcook]

I looked at them. Kinda cool looking, but every time I see that fake eye on its side I think bullet hole. :grinning-face-with-sweat: I’ve got time to think about it.

Here's mine hovering over my prized bryopsis bed.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I'm a horrible photographer, but I have a huge adult male blue flasher wrasse who loves darting the tank for hours on end. Figured this thread would enjoy him.

 

[blaxsun]

Here's mine hovering over my prized bryopsis bed.

That's a joke, right? :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[Oggiewok]

Picked up my first ever wrasse yesterday, and hes already out and about an eating, super happy. My only issue is that Im not sure what sort of Wrasse he is. The receipt from the LFS said "Ruby longfin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubeus)" however from looking at various pictures, I think it may actually be a redfin fairy wrasse, but even those are really conclusive. Maybe one of the wrasse-o-philes in this thread can help :)

(P.S) Ignore the algea in the tank, it was an upgrade from an older system, and the new rocks I've added are having some algae problems

 

[SaltyT]

Picked up my first ever wrasse yesterday, and hes already out and about an eating, super happy. My only issue is that Im not sure what sort of Wrasse he is. The receipt from the LFS said "Ruby longfin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubeus)" however from looking at various pictures, I think it may actually be a redfin fairy wrasse, but even those are really conclusive. Maybe one of the wrasse-o-philes in this thread can help :)

(P.S) Ignore the algea in the tank, it was an upgrade from an older system, and the new rocks I've added are having some algae problems

You're right it's not C. rubeus, it's C. rubripinnis

 

[i cant think]

Picked up my first ever wrasse yesterday, and hes already out and about an eating, super happy. My only issue is that Im not sure what sort of Wrasse he is. The receipt from the LFS said "Ruby longfin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubeus)" however from looking at various pictures, I think it may actually be a redfin fairy wrasse, but even those are really conclusive. Maybe one of the wrasse-o-philes in this thread can help :)

(P.S) Ignore the algea in the tank, it was an upgrade from an older system, and the new rocks I've added are having some algae problems

That looks like a C. rubripinnis however it could also be a young C. cyanogularis, the best way to tell is by the dorsal fin however the part that is easy to see isn’t currently up in the photo.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Maybe some or most of you have seen this wrasse but I never did until I saw it on my LFS’s list. It’s a Kio Wrasse. Not expensive and really nice coloring to it

 

[i cant think]

Maybe some or most of you have seen this wrasse but I never did until I saw it on my LFS’s list. It’s a Kio Wrasse. Not expensive and really nice coloring to it

Cirrhilabrus adornatus is a beautiful wrasse. Yours is possibly the best specimen I’ve seen of them with the yellow in the back of the dorsal fin, I don’t think I’ve seen many with that much yellow (usually it’s just a speck or two of yellow).

The lubbocki complex of wrasses is my personal favourite complex and the reason why is when they display they tend to gain completely different colours. And if I remember correctly, this one isn’t an exception and it goes almost completely yellow on the body.