Wrasse ID & Recommendations

[WTJReef]

Hey Everyone,

Purchased this guy from the LFS but not sure what kind of Wrasse he is or best care practice. I've attached pics below.

If anyone could ID this guy and recommend a specific QT procedure they have successfully used on this kind of wrasse previously as well as any general diet or care tips that would be greatly appreciated

I currently have him sitting in his own QT tank with sand (He loves burying himself - to the point where I feel like i need to disturb him at feeding time) with a large HOB filter with media and filter wool. I am feeding Mysis and Brine shrimp which he has shown some interest in. I have access to praziquantel tablets, triple sulfa and copper, but I am aware copper Isnt really appropriate for wrasses

Any tips appreciated!

Cheers

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Looks like a Red Coris Wrasse (Coris gaimard) to me. Typically hits 6-8 inches in aquaria, but it can get substantially larger. It is Reef Safe With Caution because it’ll eat inverts. May get substantially more aggressive as it ages. I’ve never kept one myself so I can’t help much beyond that, but it looks like enriched mysis and brine is a good place to start, as well as some good quality carnivore or omnivore food.

Hope this helps, and I hope someone with more experience can chime in and help with your other questions too.

 

[Husker-reef]

Hey Everyone,

Purchased this guy from the LFS but not sure what kind of Wrasse he is or best care practice. I've attached pics below.

If anyone could ID this guy and recommend a specific QT procedure they have successfully used on this kind of wrasse previously as well as any general diet or care tips that would be greatly appreciated

I currently have him sitting in his own QT tank with sand (He loves burying himself - to the point where I feel like i need to disturb him at feeding time) with a large HOB filter with media and filter wool. I am feeding Mysis and Brine shrimp which he has shown some interest in. I have access to praziquantel tablets, triple sulfa and copper, but I am aware copper Isnt really appropriate for wrasses

Any tips appreciated!

Cheers

I am pretty sure that is an adult red coris wrasse. The juvenile has a far different color pattern. Says not reef safe but I have never seen one for sale around here.

 

[WTJReef]

Hi Guys,

Definitely a Red Corris as you have both suggested now that I was able to Google it.

Anyone with experience keeping one?

 

[homer1475]

Perfectly "reef" safe. Just don't count on anything with a shell staying alive. Mine loved to flip my conchs(never ate them), almost looked like it was playing kick ball with them, and I could never keep snails or crabs for very long.

They tend to get mean as they transition to adults. I ended up giving away my red as it transitioned simply because it got so mean to it's other tank mates that had been with it since it was a juvenile.

I've never seen a fully transitioned adult for sale in an LFS. Always small juveniles.

 

[i cant think]

Hey Everyone,

Purchased this guy from the LFS but not sure what kind of Wrasse he is or best care practice. I've attached pics below.

If anyone could ID this guy and recommend a specific QT procedure they have successfully used on this kind of wrasse previously as well as any general diet or care tips that would be greatly appreciated

I currently have him sitting in his own QT tank with sand (He loves burying himself - to the point where I feel like i need to disturb him at feeding time) with a large HOB filter with media and filter wool. I am feeding Mysis and Brine shrimp which he has shown some interest in. I have access to praziquantel tablets, triple sulfa and copper, but I am aware copper Isnt really appropriate for wrasses

Any tips appreciated!

Cheers

Coris aygula, a mature male Red Coris Wrasse.

Watch out, as they age they become aggressive and can be a PITA as they will flip frags and small rocks to find food. Never disturb wrasses when they’re in the sand bed, they will stress out more than is needed. He’ll eventually adjust to your QT tank lights and stay out longer.

In terms of other wrasses I’d stick to more boisterous species that can withstand the Coris’ aggression.

 

[i cant think]

Coris aygula, a mature male Red Coris Wrasse.

Watch out, as they age they become aggressive and can be a PITA as they will flip frags and small rocks to find food. Never disturb wrasses when they’re in the sand bed, they will stress out more than is needed. He’ll eventually adjust to your QT tank lights and stay out longer.

In terms of other wrasses I’d stick to more boisterous species that can withstand the Coris’ aggression.

Oh man, I just realised I put the scientific name for the “Clown Coris” and not the Red, oops.
I meant to say Coris gaimard.

 

[WTJReef]

Coris aygula, a mature male Red Coris Wrasse.

Watch out, as they age they become aggressive and can be a PITA as they will flip frags and small rocks to find food. Never disturb wrasses when they’re in the sand bed, they will stress out more than is needed. He’ll eventually adjust to your QT tank lights and stay out longer.

In terms of other wrasses I’d stick to more boisterous species that can withstand the Coris’ aggression.

Thank you! Did you end up QT your wrasse? How did you do it if you dont mind me asking?

Any recommendations on boisterous wrasses? - As I am new to the Hobby. Once QT he will be joining a much larger system with a Purple Tang, Powder Brown Tang, Bristletooth Tang, Flame Hawkfish, 2x Fire Gobies and 4 Clowns

 

[i cant think]

Thank you! Did you end up QT your wrasse? How did you do it if you dont mind me asking?

Any recommendations on boisterous wrasses? - As I am new to the Hobby. Once QT he will be joining a much larger system with a Purple Tang, Powder Brown Tang, Bristletooth Tang, Flame Hawkfish, 2x Fire Gobies and 4 Clowns

I don’t QT my wrasses however for boisterous it depends, how aggressive do you want?
I can go all out nasty or moderately aggressive.

 

[WTJReef]

I don’t QT my wrasses however for boisterous it depends, how aggressive do you want?
I can go all out nasty or moderately aggressive.

Oh, Can I ask why no quarantine for wrasses? Ive read they are pretty disease proof but Ive had velvet run through a system so I'm pretty paranoid.

Just too hold its own with this one. I don't think I need any outright bullies but confidence is nice

 

[i cant think]

Just too hold its own with this one. I don't think I need any outright bullies but confidence is nice

Okay, give me a few minutes to figure out a list then.

 

[homer1475]

I'm with @i cant think on not QTing sand sleeping wrasses. They often don't take to well to meds, and the lack of sand in a QT makes them more stressed.

 

[blaxsun]

You couldn't find a smaller wrasse?

 

[blaxsun]

I'm with @i cant think on not QTing sand sleeping wrasses. They often don't take to well to meds, and the lack of sand in a QT makes them more stressed.

I have to concur. The combination of bare bottom + meds = almost 100% fatality rate in quarantine.

 

[WTJReef]

You couldn't find a smaller wrasse?

Haha He is actually my first wrasse. My LFS gets livestock shipments every weekend and he had lots of interest when I went in on Saturday. I thought his colors were amazing so snapped him up before anyone else. If I had to estimate I'd say he is around 3.5 - 4 inches currently

 

[WTJReef]

I have to concur. The combination of bare bottom + meds = almost 100% fatality rate in quarantine.

I did throw some sand in to my QT tank in the picture but did not consider how this might affect meds. Just watch for a week or so and add to DT then?

 

[blaxsun]

Haha He is actually my first wrasse. My LFS gets livestock shipments every weekend and he had lots of interest when I went in on Saturday. I thought his colors were amazing so snapped him up before anyone else. If I had to estimate I'd say he is around 3.5 - 4 inches currently

That's interesting. Most of the juvenile red coris wrasses are around 2.5-3" (at least the last one I had was and the one my LFS had in last week was as well). Maybe you got the "compact" model!

 

[blaxsun]

I did throw some sand in to my QT tank in the picture but did not consider how this might affect meds. Just watch for a week or so and add to DT then?

It's the absorption aspect of the sand+meds that's the issue. This is why you'll typically see PVC vs. sand or rocks.

 

[i cant think]

Halichoeres:
Melanurus - Relatively peaceful but will hold its own with aggression

Iridis - Normally peaceful however they can hold their own when established (They can be difficult to ship so they’re labelled as Expert)

Vroliki - Usually peaceful but much like the melanurus, they don’t take well to bullies and will be relatively boisterous

Chloropterus - Usually all out aggressive but I hold hope to this species being moderate as my specimen is getting to the top of the hierarchy and doesn’t seem to be too aggressive

Rubricephalus - Much like the melanurus and vroliki these can be rather boisterous and withstand aggression

Marginatus - Again, much like the Melanurus and vroliki these can be boisterous but also withstand aggression.

Cirrhilabrus:
Melanomarginatus - Part of the complex Scottorum, these can withstand aggression however they aren’t as aggressive as their close relative, C. scottorum is

Naokoae - Part of the Complex rubrivebtralis, these are a moderately aggressive species and will withstand aggression.

Solorensis - Part of the complex cyanopleura, much like the naokoae this is a moderately aggressive species and can withstand aggression.

Roseafascia - Part of the complex Lanceolatus, these are rather docile for the most of it however they can handle aggression

These are the two most common genera to find being owned in captivity, obviously there will be more this is just a short list of Halichoeres and Cirrhilabrus.

 

[blaxsun]

My melanarus ate all the polyps and tentacles off both my elegance corals (one is still recovering, the other didn't make it). I've been told this is very unusual and very peculiar behavior.