The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Husker]

After my frustration with Anthias (only 2 survived out of 8), I am rethinking my fish plan towards wrasses instead of having a large group of Dispar Anthias. I wanted to run my thoughts by the experts to see opinions:

Tank setup:
150 gallon display (5'x2'x2'), 55 gallon display refugium, 75 gallon sump (tons of pods)

Current Fish:
Solonensis fairy wrasse
Kole Tang
2 Dispar Anthias
(I also have a coral beauty angel and a occelaris clown in the display refugium)

I would like to add several fairy wrasses and , maybe, a leopard wrasse to this tank, but am worried about aggression from the solonensis, since it has been on its own in the tank for a while. Are there any fairies and a leopard that would be more or less successful in this situation? I know to avoid the "complex" closest to the Solonensis. Also, Would it be better to add one at a time in an acclimation box, or several at once without an acclimation box? (or should I get multiple acclimation boxes to handle adding multiple fairies at a time?). If I decide on the leopard, would you recommend adding it before or after the fairies?

Thanks so much.

 

[eatbreakfast]

After my frustration with Anthias (only 2 survived out of 8), I am rethinking my fish plan towards wrasses instead of having a large group of Dispar Anthias. I wanted to run my thoughts by the experts to see opinions:

Tank setup:
150 gallon display (5'x2'x2'), 55 gallon display refugium, 75 gallon sump (tons of pods)

Current Fish:
Solonensis fairy wrasse
Kole Tang
2 Dispar Anthias
(I also have a coral beauty angel and a occelaris clown in the display refugium)

I would like to add several fairy wrasses and , maybe, a leopard wrasse to this tank, but am worried about aggression from the solonensis, since it has been on its own in the tank for a while. Are there any fairies and a leopard that would be more or less successful in this situation? I know to avoid the "complex" closest to the Solonensis. Also, Would it be better to add one at a time in an acclimation box, or several at once without an acclimation box? (or should I get multiple acclimation boxes to handle adding multiple fairies at a time?). If I decide on the leopard, would you recommend adding it before or after the fairies?

Thanks so much.

Ideally adding several fairy wrasses simultaneously using acclimation boxes is best.

It really shouldn't matter too much if the leopard is added before or after the fairies.

 

[Husker]

Ideally adding several fairy wrasses simultaneously using acclimation boxes is best.

It really shouldn't matter too much if the leopard is added before or after the fairies.

Does this mean adding, for example, 3 fairy wrasses at a time using 3 separate acclimation boxes? I was thinking of adding C. rhomboidalis, C. lineatus, and C. exquisitus.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Does this mean adding, for example, 3 fairy wrasses at a time using 3 separate acclimation boxes? I was thinking of adding C. rhomboidalis, C. lineatus, and C. exquisitus.

It depends on the size of the acclimation box. If it's small, than 1 fish per box. If it's a larger acclimation box, then they can be in the same one. They should only have to be in the box for 1-3 days.

 

[Husker]

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Husker]

Would a 14" box be okay for 3?

 

[evolved]

Ideally adding several fairy wrasses simultaneously using acclimation boxes is best.

It really shouldn't matter too much if the leopard is added before or after the fairies.

Agree and agree.

Would a 14" box be okay for 3?

Provided they're all small to medium (not yet fully grown), yes.

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Just a cleaner wrasse. I tried the mirror. Melanarus showed no interest. So when I got home I fed the tank to see if the flasher would come out. He did, but only for a few seconds before the melanarus chased him around the tank back into a hole.

So I just quickly caught the melanarus and he's in the sump. I'll give the flasher a few days to settle and then add the melanarus. If it's still aggressive I'll rehome it.

I'm quite tempted to go and get a McCoskers and add it so when the melanarus goes back into the display there will be two flashers.

So I went and bought the McCoskers last week. (No qt I know, I know). Used an acclimation box and added him. He's doing very well. A few days later I added the melanarus back. The aggression seems to have subsided. He still enjoys the occasional game of "chase the flasher" but nothing serious. Both flashers are doing great.

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Now the near impossible search is on. Next fish on my list is a diamond tail flasher. Not getting my hopes up but I'm hoping to get a hold of one. If I can't I'll go for a Linespot or 8 line.

 

[Ocelaris]

I thought 8 line flashers were overly aggressive?

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

I read that they're aggressive for a flasher wrasse but not overly aggressive. I think the normal 8 line wrasses are very aggressive, like the 6 line.

 

[anjorgy]

Hey all, hope it's okay to pay this here...can I get some help identifying this wrasse? (The yellow one) [emoji4] sorry for the dirty glass.

 

[leahfiish]

Hey all, hope it's okay to pay this here...can I get some help identifying this wrasse? (The yellow one) [emoji4] sorry for the dirty glass.

I think I know this one! It's a puddingwife wrasse. Halichoeres genus but I don't know the species name off the top of my head.

 

[leahfiish]

Now the near impossible search is on. Next fish on my list is a diamond tail flasher. Not getting my hopes up but I'm hoping to get a hold of one. If I can't I'll go for a Linespot or 8 line.

I love the diamond tails so much, but it seems like they are very infrequently imported. I was just reading an old thread on reef Central about them and it seemed that there was barely more than 20 or so available in the last few years.

 

[anjorgy]

I think I know this one! It's a puddingwife wrasse. Halichoeres genus but I don't know the species name off the top of my head.

That's it! Thank you much!

 

[Empress]

Puddingwife??? You're kidding right or is that a typo!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Puddingwife??? You're kidding right or is that a typo!

That's it's real common name. Not nearly as bas as the common name for Halichoeres bivittatus.

 

[evolved]

I thought 8 line flashers were overly aggressive?

I read that they're aggressive for a flasher wrasse but not overly aggressive.

Correct. Much more aggressive than the average flasher, but about as aggressive as the average fairy.

I think the normal 8 line wrasses are very aggressive, like the 6 line.

Right, consistent with their respective genus. ;)

 

[saltyhog]

That's it's real common name. Not nearly as bas as the common name for Halichoeres bivittatus.

:D:p

 

[mfinn]

I've been looking at adding some flasher wrasses, specifically some Carpenter's Flashers (Paracheilinus carpenteri).
I was thinking about 2-3.
Is it better to get all females ( if you can find them) ?
Or a male and a couple females?

Once you have that species, can you add other flasher wrasse species?