The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Petcrazyson]

Thank you.

Are any of these readily available and a good choice for a returning/new hobbyist?

Like @i cant think stated the Paracheilinus attenuatus, the Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis, the Cirrhilabrus johnsoni, and the Cirrhilabrus nahackyi are rather tricky to get your hands on while all the others are not too expensive and readily available affordably. All of these wrasses, with maybe the exception of the negrosensis, are easy-ish, so really they would all work well for a beginner, it’s just I wouldn’t recommend spending over $200 for a fish that you haven’t had much experience caring for. If you like, start off with the naokoae and the lubbocki. I think those will suit you well. You can try as well the iridis as since it’s a Halichoeres it will eat your pests and add some nice color.

 

[OrionN]

Not loving the colorings of the male negrosensis!

Awww. Why do so many people not like the male coloration of the poor Macropharyngodons?

The Healthy male M. negrosensis is not only dark black, it also has iridescent blue and green highlights. That is when it is not courting. When it is courting, the nuptial coloration is absolutely brilliant blue, green and black. Capture iridescent coloration with photo is not always easy. Even when I manage to capture it, it lost it's brilliant POP that it has in real life. Here are picture of my Black leopard terminal male with nuptial coloration and base coloration.
In the first picture, if you can see all the blue/green coloration t the tail of the fish, that is near the coloration of all the scales on the fish with black outline.
I seen nuptual coloration of Black and of the Meleagris terminal male. The Black Leopard is far more brilliant. Like a 10 compare to a 7. That is no offense to Male Meleagris which nuptial coloration is no slouch.

Terminal male Meleagris Leopard nuptial coloration

For completeness, here is the normal coloration of a terminal male Meleagris Leopard.

Vertical is the primary position when the Meleagris in nuptial display

 

[Petcrazyson]

@OrionN I’ve been wanting to ask you regarding gigantea care would it be best to ask you in your thread? Those are stunning photos btw.

 

[i cant think]

The Healthy male M. negrosensis is not only dark black, it also has iridescent blue and green highlights. That is when it is not courting. When it is courting, the nuptial coloration is absolutely brilliant blue, green and black. Capture iridescent coloration with photo is not always easy. Even when I manage to capture it, it lost it's brilliant POP that it has in real life. Here are picture of my Black leopard terminal male with nuptial coloration and base coloration.
In the first picture, if you can see all the blue/green coloration t the tail of the fish, that is near the coloration of all the scales on the fish with black outline.
I seen nuptual coloration of Black and of the Meleagris terminal male. The Black Leopard is far more brilliant. Like a 10 compare to a 7. That is no offense to Male Meleagris which nuptial coloration is no slouch.

Terminal male Meleagris Leopard nuptial coloration

For completeness, here is the normal coloration of a terminal male Meleagris Leopard.

Vertical is the primary position when the Meleagris in nuptial display

Have you got photos of your male negrosensis in display?

 

[OrionN]

@OrionN I’ve been wanting to ask you regarding gigantea care would it be best to ask you in your thread? Those are stunning photos btw.

Thanks
Gigantea just require stable clean water and really high light and current. They will live and grow with less but will be at their happiest with very high light and current. Post a thread in the anemone or general reef. Tag me and I will try my best to answer.

 

[Petcrazyson]

Thanks
Gigantea just require stable clean water and really high light and current. They will live and grow with less but will be at their happiest with very high light and current. Post a thread in the anemone or general reef. Tag me and I will try my best to answer.

Will do! I’m currently going through your thread checking out some photos and I’ll be sure to post it there.

 

[OrionN]

Have you got photos of your male negrosensis in display?

The first of the five picture is the Terminal male Black Leopard display. I was not able to get a direct on picture. That is the coloration isn’t as I like it.

 

[i cant think]

The first of the five picture is the Terminal male Black Leopard display. I was not able to get a direct on picture. That is the coloration isn’t as I like it.

He’s a beauty, I assume the iridescence of the scales isn’t nearly as visible when he’s resting.

 

[OrionN]

@i cant think
Here are a few pictures:

 

[Petcrazyson]

Have you got photos of your male negrosensis in display?

Going through his thread I found these pictures of when he got put in and he looks like he is in display colors a little I hope you don’t mind me showing them @OrionN

 

[OrionN]

Going through his thread I found these pictures of when he got put in and he looks like he is in display colors a little I hope you don’t mind me showing them @OrionN

I mail ordered him. I wanted a female and was promised a female but he arrived instead. I already have a female that turn male in my tank so I gave him to a friend in San Antonio. I understand that he eventually live in a 300 gal tank with another male Black Leopard and did fine. No fighting.
that picture was then he just got into my QT system. Wrasse often display when they stressed. I did not think it is a natural healthy picture so I almost never use it. I just want to show normal healthy fish as I can get by provide good care for them.

 

[Tcook]

My LFS is only selling the roseafacia as a pair for 400$. The male is quite special.
Apologize for the blues:

What I am tempted on is a C rubeus and C lunatus. They both look very healthy but nothing like the beauty of online specimens. Is that something they will grow into?

Another lfs with the idea of cirrhilabrus "pairs". Will they buy one back when they start fighting?

 

[Tcook]

Another question: what is used for a screen/cover for the tank and where do I find one? Old tank was acrylic with smaer openings that were easy to cover. New tank is glass and wide open.

You can go inexpensive with the BRS lid kit or spring for a custom lid with all the special cut outs.

 

[i cant think]

Another lfs with the idea of cirrhilabrus "pairs". Will they buy one back when they start fighting?

Don’t worry, if you think a Roseafascia pair is bad, my further LFS has a ‘Chloropterus pair’ (one juvenile and one mature adult) and the aggression I’ve seen from them just says “Survival of the fittest”. Hopefully they’ve moved one of the two into another tank as the juvenile looked to be highly beaten up.
I’m going today as I’ve got to pick up All For Reef so I’ll grab a photo of the male (if he’s still there) as he is a stunner.

 

[Reefhaven]

Thinking about getting a jewelled leopard wrasse. Anyone have one or have dealt with them before? I have other leopards…blue star and black leopard along with 14 other wrasses!

 

[i cant think]

Thinking about getting a jewelled leopard wrasse. Anyone have one or have dealt with them before? I have other leopards…blue star and black leopard along with 14 other wrasses!

These guys are just as bad as Macropharyngodon are when it comes to care. Although they are in the Halichoeres genus these are certainly harder than the average Halichoeres.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Novaculichthys macrolepidotus

Why don't I see any of these in tanks pics? Are they not reef safe or are they too big or too aggressive?

 

[Zero_Cool]

Cirrhilabrus pylei

How about this one: peaceful? reef safe? Hardy for a newbie?

 

[i cant think]

Cirrhilabrus pylei

How about this one: peaceful? reef safe? Hardy for a newbie?

These guys cross off all of them, peaceful is iffy as some specimens can be aggressive but others aren’t too bad. However if you get an aggressive one then their aggression isn’t too bad compared to others in that genus.

 

[Zero_Cool]

Also a C. Pylei but from a different region. Could they be kept together?