The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[i cant think]

@i cant think,
I know that the patterns of the fish, of Leopard wrasses, can change with size, health and age. I don't have enough experiences with these two species to know how to tell one from the other on the facial marking patterns. The surefire observation is the size and length, height of the fins to me. You got to look at a lot of fishes working in the industry in the past (plus personal expriences and research). I only observer my fishes and fishes that I see at LFSs, and reading, research when I am interested in some species. I don't have the knowledge from seeing the fish first hand like you.
Regarding the pattern and coloration of this specimen, I can see the differences, but I am not sure that we can use these to ID the fish.

Definitely agree with you, I do have slightly more experience in IDs than some others - in terms of the patterns, I believe we can use them as I have constantly seen the same occurrence in the facial markings. I will say, the fins are my main ID if I can see them but my secondary ID is the facial markings and how far they go.

I do think the photo is a bit too blue to get a 100% ID however I am leaning towards Marisrubri.

 

[OrionN]

@billy123 , @i cant think ,
Not that I blow my own horn but I got photography over @i cant think hands down :). Seriously you can't go wrong follow his advises.
My Lubbock (nuptial coloration), female and male (nuptial coloration) Meleagris Leopard, and Naoko Fairy wrasse(nuptial coloration).

 

[Slocke]

Does it matter by the laws of taxonomy it is definitely a Bipartitus and maybe a Marisrubri (as any descendent of a clade is still included in that clade).

I'm not sure LFS's and distributers know or care yet as I got a pair of Marisrubri (one never left the sand) for $40 each.

 

[OrchidMiss]

@billy123 , @i cant think ,
Not that I blow my own horn but I got photography over @i cant think hands down :). Seriously you can't go wrong follow his advises.
My Lubbock (nuptial coloration), female and male (nuptial coloration) Meleagris Leopard, and Naoko Fairy wrasse(nuptial coloration).

I almost got a Naoko!
Absolutely love the coloring.

 

[i cant think]

@billy123 , @i cant think ,
Not that I blow my own horn but I got photography over @i cant think hands down :). Seriously you can't go wrong follow his advises.
My Lubbock (nuptial coloration), female and male (nuptial coloration) Meleagris Leopard, and Naoko Fairy wrasse(nuptial coloration).

My wrasses dart too much when displaying for me to get a good photo haha.
Last time I tried to photograph one of my Fairies in display, I got this…

 

[OrchidMiss]

I broke out my professional camera yesterday to snap some photos, just waiting for my computer to want to work properly and upload them more quickly.
I am waiting quite impatiently

 

[Zero_Cool]

Questions about a top for the tank.

72x30 (LxW)

What are you using for a top to help stop jumpers?

Where do I get such a thing?

Is it needed for the following stock list:

1 or 2 (all 3 if possible) of:
Earmuff (H. melasmapomus)
Radiant (H. iridis)
Red Lined female (H. biocellatus)

Probably:
Pintail (C. isosceles)
Exquisite (C. exquistus)
Carpenter (P. carpenteri)

 

[i cant think]

Questions about a top for the tank.

72x30 (LxW)

What are you using for a top to help stop jumpers?

Where do I get such a thing?

Is it needed for the following stock list:

1 or 2 (all 3 if possible) of:
Earmuff (H. melasmapomus)
Radiant (H. iridis)
Red Lined female (H. biocellatus)

Probably:
Pintail (C. isosceles)
Exquisite (C. exquistus)
Carpenter (P. carpenteri)

A lid is needed for any torpedo shaped fish (or even just any fish in general). I’ve seen my LFS have DIY lids, some use glass lids but I find these just create a higher risk of spinal injuries so I will always use a netted lid.

 

[Zero_Cool]

A DIY mesh/net kit then is preferred. Thank you.

I will do a little research to find one that will work best.

 

[Tcook]

Leopard not panther…my bad

No worries. A black panther is a melanistic leopard.

 

[Tcook]

I almost got a Naoko!
Absolutely love the coloring.

Saw one yesterday at the lfs I think.

 

[i cant think]

Saw one yesterday at the lfs I think.

That is a beautiful mature male Naokoae, I love the variation this species has as even when it’s a small variation, it makes each specimen unique.

 

[Poseidon03]

I feel like I've joined the cool kid's club..

That last one a threadfin/temmicki?

 

[Tcook]

That is a beautiful mature male Naokoae, I love the variation this species has as even when it’s a small variation, it makes each specimen unique.

He was tempting. I went to see the chaoti the lfs picked up for me but all I got to see was sand.

 

[Slocke]

Do you trust a fairy that's sitting on the sand? They are so dramatic I find it impossible to tell if there healthy at the LFS.

 

[i cant think]

Do you trust a fairy that's sitting on the sand? They are so dramatic I find it impossible to tell if there healthy at the LFS.

I trust them if they aren’t breathing heavily or showing any other signs of a disease/issue.

 

[OrionN]

.....
The Sixline will murder all of them. Not one of them (even if added in larger) will survive the six. Sixlines are known as the devil for a reason.

.....

I think we should rename this species the 6-6-6 lines wrasse. :)
Seriously, My experience with a Six-line wrasse was 20+ years ago and I never bought one since. A good friend of mine leave the country, and I inherited his fishes, including a Sixline wrasse so I have one now. That is the total of 3 Six line I owned, and 2 I bought over the 43 years of reefing.
I had a 420 gal reef in the 2000's. Thriving. In it among other fishes are a pair of Six line wrasse and a pair of Mandarin Dragonets. They were together for several YEARS, all 4 fishes are doing great and spawned regularly.
One day the Sixline pair decided to take out the Mandarin. The attack occurred very quickly right in front of my eyes. In less than a minutes, no more than a few seconds, the Sixline pair took out the eyes of the female Mandarin, one right after the other in coordinated attacks. One Sixline one eye and the other the other eye. The mandarin was helpless, did noT even have time to swim away.
The thing is right after the attack, the Sixline pair just go about without given the Mandarin a second look. They even ignored the male Mandarin. I took the Sixline to the LFS that weekend after trapping them. They are such bold fish and good eater that trapping was easy. I euthanized the female Mandarin a few weeks later when it was clear to me that she will not recover her eyesight and became emaciated.
I know that eliminating the competition is something wild animal need to do to ensure their survival, but this is too much like premediated murder to me. I never look at Six line wrasse the same since. The current Sixline wrasse I have is beautiful. There is no denied that they are beautiful fish, but not in my DT. The current Sixline will forever live in my QT and possible in my DT's sump if I need to QT some fish in my DT. He will never see my DT sump or DT.

Devil in my tank

 

[Tcook]

Do you trust a fairy that's sitting on the sand? They are so dramatic I find it impossible to tell if there healthy at the LFS.

Initially bothered me but 5 minutes later he was swimming all over. That depression was the only place for him to hide. He arrived the night before.

 

[Poseidon03]

Do you trust a fairy that's sitting on the sand? They are so dramatic I find it impossible to tell if there healthy at the LFS.

I go based off of how thick the fish is if they are doing that, just like tangs.

 

[i cant think]

I think we should rename this species the 6-6-6 lines wrasse. :)
Seriously, My experience with a Six-line wrasse was 20+ years ago and I never bought one since. A good friend of mine leave the country, and I inherited his fishes, including a Sixline wrasse so I have one now. That is the total of 3 Six line I owned, and 2 I bought over the 43 years of reefing.
I had a 420 gal reef in the 2000's. Thriving. In it among other fishes are a pair of Six line wrasse and a pair of Mandarin Dragonets. They were together for several YEARS, all 4 fishes are doing great and spawned regularly.
One day the Sixline pair decided to take out the Mandarin. The attack occurred very quickly right in front of my eyes. In less than a minutes, no more than a few seconds, the Sixline pair took out the eyes of the female Mandarin, one right after the other in coordinated attacks. One Sixline one eye and the other the other eye. The mandarin was helpless, did noT even have time to swim away.
The thing is right after the attack, the Sixline pair just go about without given the Mandarin a second look. They even ignored the male Mandarin. I took the Sixline to the LFS that weekend after trapping them. They are such bold fish and good eater that trapping was easy. I euthanized the female Mandarin a few weeks later when it was clear to me that she will not recover her eyesight and became emaciated.
I know that eliminating the competition is something wild animal need to do to ensure their survival, but this is too much like premediated murder to me. I never look at Six line wrasse the same since. The current Sixline wrasse I have is beautiful. There is no denied that they are beautiful fish, but not in my DT. The current Sixline will forever live in my QT and possible in my DT's sump if I need to QT some fish in my DT. He will never see my DT sump or DT.

Devil in my tank

I have to agree, they’re stunning wrasses but they’re nasty tankmates.
I had a 10 year old one that was peaceful as ever but I did have him in with two tangs, a neon velvet damsel and other fish that can be worse in aggression.