Wrasse for bare bottom SPS tank?

[exnisstech]

Barebottom here. Keeping a pair of sixline wrasses.
Always inspecting the corals. A pair helps to "soften" them alot.

I do have a 6 line in my 180. Almost forgot I had it :zany-face: It doesn't bother anyone but it's a small fish in a 6ft tank with large tangs and a lot of rock so I don't see it out often

 

[SpSDrew]

I have a melanarus in my grow out tank. No sand, no Lid, no problem. He hides in the liverock at night.

 

[52728299]

My mystery wrasse eats bristleworms and prolly other pests and doesn't sleep in the sand. He's super chill, will swim right up to my hand when in the tank, don't think anything stresses that guy out

 

[Tanggy]

I have a radiant wrasse. He sleeps in that bowl of sand every night.

 

[brucey]

I have 2 tamarind wrasse (initially 2 female, now one of each sex) and a green face wrasse and all do fine in a bare bottom tank
The 2 wrasse sleep on top of each other with no issues for the last 9months.

I took the fact the female yellow tail transitioned to a male as a sign they weren’t stressed.
as long as they have cover and a rock or two on the bottom then in my experience they’ll be fine

 

[MikeyG]

I'm looking for a wrasse to help with pest control in a bare bottom SPS dominant tank. Is there one that would work? I don't have any pests at the moment but am stocking a new tank that I will be moving all of my frags to in the future so I'm trying to be a little proactive. I figured I'd ask here rather than the general or fish forum as its related to helping with SPS pest vs being a general fish question. TIA

I have about 20 to 30 different types of wrasses in mt 300gal bare bottom and no issue going on 8 years.
I tried the sandbox thing and they showed no interest.
However, they have a ton of hiding places among the corals and aquascaping.

1 recommendation is to stay away from the 8 line wrasse.
He is a mean MF, and should not be considered reef safe.
As soon as one of my snails falls over he is ready to eat it.

 

[brucey]

Pic if the 2 wrasse asleep…

 

[brucey]

I have about 20 to 30 different types of wrasses in mt 300gal bare bottom and no issue going on 8 years.
I tried the sandbox thing and they showed no interest.
However, they have a ton of hiding places among the corals and aquascaping.

1 recommendation is to stay away from the 8 line wrasse.
He is a mean MF, and should not be considered reef safe.
As soon as one of my snails falls over he is ready to eat it.

That’s got to be worth a pic or 2…

 

[MikeyG]

My mystery wrasse eats bristleworms and prolly other pests and doesn't sleep in the sand. He's super chill, will swim right up to my hand when in the tank, don't think anything stresses that guy out

WOW.
I did not know that.
I have a ton of bristle worms through my system. Enough to feed a school of these wrasses for a year.
I don't consider them a problem because they work like part of my cleanup crew.
They don't bother my corals or fish.

 

[i cant think]

I do have a 6 line in my 180. Almost forgot I had it :zany-face: It doesn't bother anyone but it's a small fish in a 6ft tank with large tangs and a lot of rock so I don't see it out often

With this wrasse…
You really can’t have more wrasses.

Already, without sand you were limiting your options however with a six line already in there your options are now 0 unfortunately.

 

[i cant think]

I have about 20 to 30 different types of wrasses in mt 300gal bare bottom and no issue going on 8 years.
I tried the sandbox thing and they showed no interest.
However, they have a ton of hiding places among the corals and aquascaping.

1 recommendation is to stay away from the 8 line wrasse.
He is a mean MF, and should not be considered reef safe.
As soon as one of my snails falls over he is ready to eat it.

out of curiosity, how many of those 20-30 species are actually sand sleepers?
Only these genera need sand (and they really do need sand to thrive).
Halichoeres
Macropharyngodon
Anampses
Pseuojuloides
Xenojulis
Coris

 

[exnisstech]

With this wrasse…
You really can’t have more wrasses.

Already, without sand you were limiting your options however with a six line already in there your options are now 0 unfortunately.

This 6 line is in a different tank.

 

[MikeyG]

This 6 line is in a different tank.

Guys I hate to differ with you but I have not found 6 line to be territorial.
I have 4 in 1 tank with about 20 to 30 other wrasses and never observed a problem.
Everything from Australian super mail, pintail, mystery, yellow choris wrasse, orange head wrasse, redfin, African exquisite, you name it.
On the other hand I have one 8 line which I name Bin Laden because he's a terrorist, and should not be considered reef safe.
If one of my snails happened to flip over the eight line is pouncing on it immediately as food. It even ate my cleaner shrimp.
so if I have to call out a bad wrasse it would not be 6 six line, but certainly the 8 line.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Last time I did this wrasse got attacked by bristle worm at night while sleeping . Make sure you put a sand bed

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Sixline wrasse does not need sand and is a good pest hunter. my LFS had one in all their frag tank.

 

[exnisstech]

Last time I did this wrasse got attacked by bristle worm at night while sleeping . Make sure you put a sand bed

I wont put a sand dwelling wrasse in a bare bottom tank. That's why I was asking. I figure if we are taking these creatures out of their habitat, which is probably wrong to begin with and placing them in our little piece of the ocean I should at least try to replicate a portion of the tank for them to be able to sleep and be stress free for the night.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

i have a sixline and no problem at all with it. They are small and would fit in your tank.

 

[Om84]

I had a elongated acrylic container made for my tank for this purpose. It sits on one side of the tank filled with sand. Wrasses go in it at night and I have not had any problems keeping wrasses in a bare bottom tank.

 

[doubleshot00]

My melanarus wrasse is in my bare bottom 220g for past two years and he’s never told me he wants sand.

2 LFS have these and another variety in a bar bottom frag system.