Wrasse Question

[Jim C]

My tank is 125 gallons. Is there an issue with adding an orange back wrasse, exquisite wrasse, and mccoskers wrasse to my existing livestock?

Longfin Fairy Wrasse
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
Hawaiian Yellow Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Fiji Blue Hippo Tang
Royal Gramma Basslet
Bartlett's Anthias

 

[sc50964]

They should be fine.

 

[ngoodermuth]

The longfin *might* be an issue if it's established, they can be a little more aggressive. I'd suggest a social acclimation box.

 

[neupane00]

You should be fine

 

[eatbreakfast]

I"d agree, you should be fine. Use a social acclimation box when adding new wrasses to existing ones.

I haven't fond C. rubeus to be any more aggressive than any other established fairy wrasse.

 

[Jim C]

I"d agree, you should be fine. Use a social acclimation box when adding new wrasses to existing ones.

I haven't fond C. rubeus to be any more aggressive than any other established fairy wrasse.

Sorry I mistyped. It's an established Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis, not rubeus. Could I also add a blue flasher wrasse as well?

 

[sc50964]

Sorry I mistyped. It's an established Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis, not rubeus. Could I also add a blue flasher wrasse as well?

The three cirrhilabrus aren't known to be aggressive. The risk is low IMO. It may be good to first divide up the tank with egg crates. As to the blue flasher, which is a smaller and more timid specie, it's probably best to not do it IMO unless it was the first in the collection of wrasses.

 

[Jim C]

So I ended up adding the mccoskers, exquisite, and orange back to the tank after quarantine. Is it normal for the orange back to be constantly hiding, and the exquisite giving it a bit of a hard time? They were in qt together with no issues. Any advice?

@evolved @eatbreakfast

 

[Maritimer]

My exquisite is normally out & about, while my (larger) orange-back stays closer to the rocks. The other day, though, I spotted the orange-back making rushes at the exquisite . . .

~Bruce, posting from some kind of soggy Payton Place . . .

 

[Salty1962]

Always use acclimation boxes with new additions, especially wrasses! You can't determine the impact of your social hierarchy with a new addition/s and it's much easier to take out if there is an issue:) A laid back fish can become a holy terror when mixed with new additions.;)

 

[eatbreakfast]

If being added simultaneously, and there aren't any wrasses already in the tank, then a social acclimation box isn't necessary.

An exquisite showing dominance to an aurantidorsalis is fine, as long as it is just displays with a little chasing, not relentless chasing, refusing to let the orangeback out.

 

[Pandy]

Agree with TJ. My exquisitus chases my mccoskeri and displays sometimes, but there's nothing in it - 99% of the time they are fine with each other.

 

[evolved]

Is it normal for the orange back to be constantly hiding, and the exquisite giving it a bit of a hard time?

Some squabbling is expected, but if the orange back is truly in constant hiding that's definitely not okay.

Always use acclimation boxes with new additions, especially wrasses! You can't determine the impact of your social hierarchy with a new addition/s and it's much easier to take out if there is an issue:) A laid back fish can become a holy terror when mixed with new additions.;)

Agree in the general sense, but it doesn't sound as though there were existing wrasses in the tank prior to the introduction of these.

If being added simultaneously, and there aren't any wrasses already in the tank, then a social acclimation box isn't necessary.

+1

An exquisite showing dominance to an aurantidorsalis is fine, as long as it is just displays with a little chasing, not relentless chasing, refusing to let the orangeback out.

Agree, but it sounds like the latter might be the case.

If so, give it a few days for things to possibly settle down, but if the situation hasn't much changed in 7-10 days you may need to remove either the exquisite or the orange back.

 

[Jim C]

So I found the McCoskers dead tonight, and the orange back is MIA. These fish barely came out, and I did not see any severe aggression. But I will be honest I don't know what happened.

If I were to use an acclimation box next time, could I add a flame wrasse to the exquisite in a 125 gallon tank? Is there also a purple wrasse (besides the orange back) that would go with them nicely?

 

[Maritimer]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Jim . . .

Acclimation box - and that tank size - should help with future introductions. Flame and exquisite _should_ get along - but so should exquisite and orange-back.

For fairy wrasses with some purple, take a look at Lubbock's wrasse, which stays on the smaller side and is generally fairly peaceful, and LaBout's wrasse, which is bigger, pricier and crankier.

~Bruce

 

[Jim C]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Jim . . .

Acclimation box - and that tank size - should help with future introductions. Flame and exquisite _should_ get along - but so should exquisite and orange-back.

For fairy wrasses with some purple, take a look at Lubbock's wrasse, which stays on the smaller side and is generally fairly peaceful, and LaBout's wrasse, which is bigger, pricier and crankier.

~Bruce

From the pictures I see of the Lubbock's, it looks like there is a lot of color variations? Is that so?

 

[4FordFamily]

I tend to add more than one wrasse at a time to existing wrasse and have little trouble doing it that way. Sorry for your losses :(

 

[Maritimer]

From the pictures I see of the Lubbock's, it looks like there is a lot of color variations? Is that so?

Two main ones - which may prove to be separate species. One has a pale pinkish/purple metallic look, with deep maroon striping, the other has violet sides and a yellow-into-orange dorsum with a red tail, and when it's displaying, the violet separates out into big, circular, blood-red spots on an electric-blue field.

~Bruce

 

[evolved]

So I found the McCoskers dead tonight, and the orange back is MIA. These fish barely came out, and I did not see any severe aggression. But I will be honest I don't know what happened.

How long did you QT for, and what (if anything) did you treat with?

If I were to use an acclimation box next time, could I add a flame wrasse to the exquisite in a 125 gallon tank?

Theoretically, yes.

Is there also a purple wrasse (besides the orange back) that would go with them nicely?

Also consider Cirrhilabrus latovittatus.

From the pictures I see of the Lubbock's, it looks like there is a lot of color variations? Is that so?

Yes, one from Bali, one from Cebu.

 

[Jim C]

How long did you QT for, and what (if anything) did you treat with?

Theoretically, yes.

Also consider Cirrhilabrus latovittatus.

Yes, one from Bali, one from Cebu.

Quarantined for a month. Treated with copper safe and prazipro. The mccoskers had white stringy poop, so also soaked food in metro using focus for 14 days straight.