The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Fishninja]

I just got two frozen frostbite clowns which cost a pretty penny. My melanarus wrasse has been swimming up at them and pushing them into the top left corner of the tank. This has been going on for maybe half and hour and part of me says it isn't worth it to stress the clowns out anymore and I should just get the wrasse out of the there. But the other part of me says that this will end soon and they will both go back to minding their own business. Anyone have suggestions on what I should do?

 

[Jstn]

Zoacollector.com All of my fish have come from him and their all healthy and eating like pigs.

Same here, nothing but success!

 

[Maritimer]

I just got two frozen frostbite clowns which cost a pretty penny. My melanarus wrasse has been swimming up at them and pushing them into the top left corner of the tank. This has been going on for maybe half and hour and part of me says it isn't worth it to stress the clowns out anymore and I should just get the wrasse out of the there. But the other part of me says that this will end soon and they will both go back to minding their own business. Anyone have suggestions on what I should do?

I've had success with placing a mirror (one of the inexpensive full-length mirrors that can hang over a closet door) on one end of the tank. The bully will be more interested in defending their territory from another fish of his own species than in chasing the unrelated clownfish.

Another trick would be to lay a few fishnets in the tank - or even stand them up with the mesh threateningly overhead. That'll take the edge off of interspecies aggression sometimes . . .

~Bruce

 

[Fishninja]

Thank you! It looks like the mirror trick is working!

 

[Paul87]

Has any one had or know any info (as far as behavior) on the penant wrasse (Cirrhilabrus joanallenae)? I know that they are in the rubriventralis group. Are these guys as bold as the naokoe or milder like the social? Can't seem to find a lot on them.

 

[foxngn]

Hi guys, I got 1 bluehead fairy wrasse in my exisiting tank & recently I just got myself a social fairy wrasse.
I put it inside quarantine box with pvc for it to hide. But when it is not hiding I can see the bluehead will occasionally hangout near the box.
Is there anyway I can do to reduce the risk that next time it will fight/bully the new wrasse ?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Has any one had or know any info (as far as behavior) on the penant wrasse (Cirrhilabrus joanallenae)? I know that they are in the rubriventralis group. Are these guys as bold as the naokoe or milder like the social? Can't seem to find a lot on them.

It's behavior is identical to that C. rubeus(formerly the common rubriventralis).

Hi guys, I got 1 bluehead fairy wrasse in my exisiting tank & recently I just got myself a social fairy wrasse.
I put it inside quarantine box with pvc for it to hide. But when it is not hiding I can see the bluehead will occasionally hangout near the box.
Is there anyway I can do to reduce the risk that next time it will fight/bully the new wrasse ?

The only way the bluehead wrasse won't bully the new fairy wrasse is to remove one of them. Bluehead wrasses belong to the genus Thalasomma. The species in this genus are quite aggressive toward other wrasses.

 

[foxngn]

The only way the bluehead wrasse won't bully the new fairy wrasse is to remove one of them. Bluehead wrasses belong to the genus Thalasomma. The species in this genus are quite aggressive toward other wrasses.

Owh, no no.. mine is Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura, not the Thalasomma bluehead.
is a fairy wrasse

 

[eatbreakfast]

Owh, no no.. mine is Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura, not the Thalasomma bluehead.
is a fairy wrasse

Ah, in that case, keep the social fairy in the acclimation box for two days or so, and while there will be some displays, it should definitely calm down.

 

[Paul87]

It's behavior is identical to that C. rubeus(formerly the common rubriventralis).

Thanks. I also didn't know about the name change. Are the C. joanallenae a rare fish? This one at my LFS was the only I've ever seen.

 

[foxngn]

Ah, in that case, keep the social fairy in the acclimation box for two days or so, and while there will be some displays, it should definitely calm down.

Ok, noted.
Just now i checked, bluehead totally ignore the box, but the social fairy keep hiding inside the pvc for quite a period without getting out of it. Does it consider normal given it just been 2 days?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks. I also didn't know about the name change. Are the C. joanallenae a rare fish? This one at my LFS was the only I've ever seen.

They are encountered less than C. rubeus, but still pretty common.

Ok, noted.
Just now i checked, bluehead totally ignore the box, but the social fairy keep hiding inside the pvc for quite a period without getting out of it. Does it consider normal given it just been 2 days?

That's pretty normal. It's in limited confines. Remove the pvc for a few hours, then see what happens.

 

[evolved]

I just got two frozen frostbite clowns which cost a pretty penny. My melanarus wrasse has been swimming up at them and pushing them into the top left corner of the tank. This has been going on for maybe half and hour and part of me says it isn't worth it to stress the clowns out anymore and I should just get the wrasse out of the there. But the other part of me says that this will end soon and they will both go back to minding their own business. Anyone have suggestions on what I should do?

So long as no physical harm was being done, I would have just let things ride.

Are these guys as bold as the naokoe or milder like the social?

The milder end of that spectrum.

Hi guys, I got 1 bluehead fairy wrasse in my exisiting tank & recently I just got myself a social fairy wrasse.
I put it inside quarantine box with pvc for it to hide. But when it is not hiding I can see the bluehead will occasionally hangout near the box.
Is there anyway I can do to reduce the risk that next time it will fight/bully the new wrasse ?

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-acclimation-box-can-this-thing-really-work.16/

Are the C. joanallenae a rare fish? This one at my LFS was the only I've ever seen.

Collection is a lot more sporadic on them.

 

[Jakepen]

Hey guys, I'm hoping to get a wrasse in my 30 gallon (three feet long). I really like the Christmas wrasse and the hoeven. Are they wrong for my tank? I do have coral and inverts. If not those two, can I have some suggestions?

 

[foxngn]

That's pretty normal. It's in limited confines. Remove the pvc for a few hours, then see what happens.

Noted on this. I think i'll give him 1 more day, if it still hiding inside the pvc not moving out, I'm going to remove the pvc & observe for another 2 days.
If the bluehead doesn't pay any attention to her, then i'll release her into DT.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-acclimation-box-can-this-thing-really-work.16/

Thanks for sharing the link.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hey guys, I'm hoping to get a wrasse in my 30 gallon (three feet long). I really like the Christmas wrasse and the hoeven. Are they wrong for my tank? I do have coral and inverts. If not those two, can I have some suggestions?

Choose one or the other. There may be fighting between the two in that size tank.

Both are completely safe with coral, but may eat hermits or snails.

 

[evolved]

Hey guys, I'm hoping to get a wrasse in my 30 gallon (three feet long). I really like the Christmas wrasse and the hoeven. Are they wrong for my tank? I do have coral and inverts. If not those two, can I have some suggestions?

Choose one or the other. There may be fighting between the two in that size tank.

Both are completely safe with coral, but may eat hermits or snails.

I feel 30 gallons really isn't large enough for either, but as eatbreakfast said it will surely be too small for both.

Noted on this. I think i'll give him 1 more day, if it still hiding inside the pvc not moving out, I'm going to remove the pvc & observe for another 2 days.
If the bluehead doesn't pay any attention to her, then i'll release her into DT.

I am still a bit confused as to what species you have in the box. On the darkside (the other site), you mention both social and solar; are you trying to add a rubriventralis or a solorensis? If it's the latter, then compatibility with the cyanopleura might always be questionable as they are pretty closely related.

 

[Jakepen]

Choose one or the other. There may be fighting between the two in that size tank.

Both are completely safe with coral, but may eat hermits or snails.

Oops, I definitely only intend to add one of either if possible ha. My only concern is thirty gallons being to small, it is three foot long so they will have a bit of room to swim. If neither of these two work, any suggestions?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Oops, I definitely only intend to add one of either if possible ha. My only concern is thirty gallons being to small, it is three foot long so they will have a bit of room to swim. If neither of these two work, any suggestions?

The 3' 30g should be fine, as it affords swimming space. Just don't aquascpe it as one big wall of rock.

 

[Maritimer]

Oops, I definitely only intend to add one of either if possible ha. My only concern is thirty gallons being to small, it is three foot long so they will have a bit of room to swim. If neither of these two work, any suggestions?

What about a red lined wrasse from the same genus (Halichoeres biocellatus)? I'd been looking at them in the past, because they stay smaller, IIRC.

~Bruce