The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Husker]

Many thanks to @eatbreakfast and @evolved for all the wrasse help. I was worried for a bit on the aggression after release from the AB, but now my C. solorensis, C. exquisitus, C. lineatus, and H. chrysus are all out and swimming about peacefully. Wouldn't have been possible without all the great advice.

 

[reeferparty]

Anyone have any luck with keeping exquisite with other wrasses and them keeping a vibrant color?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Anyone have any luck with keeping exquisite with other wrasses and them keeping a vibrant color?

I haven't had a problem with exquisitus losing color. Social dynamics can have a big factor on that. If it is toward the top of the hierarchy, it's color will remain bright, if it is toward the bottom of the hierarchy, it's colors will fade.

 

[diablomaster9045]

How bout some leopard wrasse love!
And a yellow corris.

 

[ngoodermuth]

My Melanarus ,Ziggy, finally let me take a pic! Recently his the blue in face got bluer. Hopfully nothing in wring.

It's a fully transitioned male :) beautiful guy!

 

[ngoodermuth]

How bout some leopard wrasse love!
And a yellow corris.

Nice! What size tank is this? I'd love to get another leopard or two but I read somewhere that meleagris aren't always hospitable to other leopards or even some halichoerus. My little female gave my yellow crysus a hard time for a little bit, though they are perfectly fine now, I've been nervous to add another. How did you introduce yours?

 

[diablomaster9045]

Nice! What size tank is this? I'd love to get another leopard or two but I read somewhere that meleagris aren't always hospitable to other leopards or even some halichoerus. My little female gave my yellow crysus a hard time for a little bit, though they are perfectly fine now, I've been nervous to add another. How did you introduce yours?

This tank is a 200g deep dimension. So i have a observation system dedicated for bringing in wrasses. I put them each in their own 20g long aquarium with macro algae, 2 inch sandbed, and tons of pods. Then i transition them over to prepared foods and build their strength up. Then i introduce them into the tank in pairs. My meleagris was mean untill i added a blue star and my kutier leopard. The meleagris killed the blue star but the kutier put him in his place. I think that helped the agression. I added the potters and the ornate a month ago and it was smooth. I still have plans to pick up a black leopard, blue star, and a lappillis.

 

[ngoodermuth]

This tank is a 200g deep dimension. So i have a observation system dedicated for bringing in wrasses. I put them each in their own 20g long aquarium with macro algae, 2 inch sandbed, and tons of pods. Then i transition them over to prepared foods and build their strength up. Then i introduce them into the tank in pairs. My meleagris was mean untill i added a blue star and my kutier leopard. The meleagris killed the blue star but the kutier put him in his place. I think that helped the agression. I added the potters and the ornate a month ago and it was smooth. I still have plans to pick up a black leopard, blue star, and a lappillis.

Well good job, awesome collection you've got there! I had a black leopard before, she was an awesome fish...underrated IMO. I've posted this picture before, but here was mine:

 

[Sandroni]

My baby six line, and my solon wrasse :) Sorr the pictures arent so great, they just moved in.

 

[jimmyzhou]

got it yestoday

 

[JAWS 32]

It's a fully transitioned male :) beautiful guy!

Thx ngoodermuth!

 

[JAWS 32]

Nice! What size tank is this? I'd love to get another leopard or two but I read somewhere that meleagris aren't always hospitable to other leopards or even some halichoerus. My little female gave my yellow crysus a hard time for a little bit, though they are perfectly fine now, I've been nervous to add another. How did you introduce yours?

I put two juvenile leopards in at the same time, one meleagris (really tiny) and a small blue star. the little meleagris kept chasing the blue star into the sand. She even tried to boss around my full grown ornate leopard , who didn't go back at her, but didn't fear her either. She certainly has alot of sass about her. I never thought she would be so beastly. She even darts in front of my purple tang to get seaweed. I would love to get another blue star, but alas I must wait.

 

[King Adeft]

I have a mandarin dragonet that is currently eating frozen foods as well as corals that I would like to avoid getting fish to pick on them. I want a wrasse that will be okay with the mandarin and the corals. My tanks has been running for 1 month and 21 days. I know it has not been running that long but I am sure I can keep the mandarin alive and well. I do not plain to get a wrasse for another 3-6 mounths. Which wrasse should I get if any?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have a mandarin dragonet that is currently eating frozen foods as well as corals that I would like to avoid getting fish to pick on them. I want a wrasse that will be okay with the mandarin and the corals. My tanks has been running for 1 month and 21 days. I know it has not been running that long but I am sure I can keep the mandarin alive and well. I do not plain to get a wrasse for another 3-6 mounths. Which wrasse should I get if any?

How big is the tank? Even if it is eating frozen, the digestive tract of a Mandarin is s o short that they need to eat almost constantly. Therefore, a stable and established pod population is necessary. This is why waiting at least six months is wise to ensure the success of keeping a Mandarin.

Depending on the size of the tank, fairy and flasher wrasses don't compete for pods.

 

[King Adeft]

How big is the tank? Even if it is eating frozen, the digestive tract of a Mandarin is s o short that they need to eat almost constantly. Therefore, a stable and established pod population is necessary. This is why waiting at least six months is wise to ensure the success of keeping a Mandarin.

Depending on the size of the tank, fairy and flasher wrasses don't compete for pods.

Do you know how I can sustain a copepod population. I already have mandarin so... I don't want it to starve and unable to feed it while I am at school.

 

[King Adeft]

How big is the tank? Even if it is eating frozen, the digestive tract of a Mandarin is s o short that they need to eat almost constantly. Therefore, a stable and established pod population is necessary. This is why waiting at least six months is wise to ensure the success of keeping a Mandarin.

Depending on the size of the tank, fairy and flasher wrasses don't compete for pods.

The tank is 50 gallons

 

[ngoodermuth]

Do you know how I can sustain a copepod population. I already have mandarin so... I don't want it to starve and unable to feed it while I am at school.

Do you have a sump with rock and macros? You can dump a few bottles of commercial pods in there to help seed it.

You should also have adequate rock in your display, which might be a little tough in 50 gallons, but maybe doable if he's also eating frozen foods. My mandarin loves nutrimar ova and has been "living" in a 20g QT for several months now without issue.

Some people have had success supplementing with newly hatched baby brine shrimp as well.

 

[Broadfield]

I finally got around to capturing some images of these yahoos...

IMG_0985 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

IMG_1022 by Toby Broadfield, on Flickr

 

[ascheff]

Hello @eatbreakfast , @evolved , et al.

I please need to some stocking advice? I thought my tank was at full “big” fish capacity and I was done adding wrasses to my tank, but the opportunity has come up to get a Rhomboid, a fish I have always wanted don’t come around very often in South Africa.

The display is 59” x 27.5” x 19.5” at about 125g, with total system volume about 160g.

Current wrasses are:
Halichoeres marginatus (the boss)
H. leucoxanthus (second in command)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (the boss of the fairies)
C. lineatus (second in command fairy)
C. isosceles
C. katherinae (most recently added, but integrated well)
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Wetmorella tanakai
Pseudocheilinops ataenia

I have two Halichoeres lapillus in QT. I have my reservations on their long-term peaceful coexistence, but they are from another reefer’s tank and have been together for two years.

Other fish in the tank are:
A Banggai Cardinal, a Royal Gramma, a Blue Neon Goby (E. oceanops), a Firefish, two Bluestripe Pipefish and a Hector’s Goby.

Furthermore I was planning on adding only nano fish like tiny gobies or some dwarf dartfish. I have also wanted another flasher, probably Attenuatus, but I’m willing to let that idea go.

While there is much posturing in my tank, everyone knows their place and is quite peaceful. I’d like to keep it that way.

How close would you say I’m to the limit of my tank for wrasses? Do I have space for the Rhomboid? And then equally important, seeing as the Rhomboid and Lineatus is relatively closely related, will that even work?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hello @eatbreakfast , @evolved , et al.

I please need to some stocking advice? I thought my tank was at full “big” fish capacity and I was done adding wrasses to my tank, but the opportunity has come up to get a Rhomboid, a fish I have always wanted don’t come around very often in South Africa.

The display is 59” x 27.5” x 19.5” at about 125g, with total system volume about 160g.

Current wrasses are:
Halichoeres marginatus (the boss)
H. leucoxanthus (second in command)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (the boss of the fairies)
C. lineatus (second in command fairy)
C. isosceles
C. katherinae (most recently added, but integrated well)
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Wetmorella tanakai
Pseudocheilinops ataenia

I have two Halichoeres lapillus in QT. I have my reservations on their long-term peaceful coexistence, but they are from another reefer’s tank and have been together for two years.

Other fish in the tank are:
A Banggai Cardinal, a Royal Gramma, a Blue Neon Goby (E. oceanops), a Firefish, two Bluestripe Pipefish and a Hector’s Goby.

Furthermore I was planning on adding only nano fish like tiny gobies or some dwarf dartfish. I have also wanted another flasher, probably Attenuatus, but I’m willing to let that idea go.

While there is much posturing in my tank, everyone knows their place and is quite peaceful. I’d like to keep it that way.

How close would you say I’m to the limit of my tank for wrasses? Do I have space for the Rhomboid? And then equally important, seeing as the Rhomboid and Lineatus is relatively closely related, will that even work?

It should be ok to add the rhomboid, especially since a Katherine was added. Just use an acclimation box, as the lineatus may have an interest.

Be wary of adding mini dartfish, or other fish that size, I've had H. marginatus get predatory to fish that size.