I always keep a halichoeres wrasse in my tanks for this reason - great coral pest control :)
But I want mandariiiiins. I don't want them getting outcompeted by the wrasses. It's a big tank but I can't dump pods in it everyday.
LOL totally get it. Sounds like the six line and Mel may have to be evicted before the mandarins move in. There’s lots of beautiful fairies and flashers to take their place. Some of my personal favorite fairies are pintails, exquisites, rhomboids, and hoodeds. Throw in a few flashers like McCoskers, Linespot, and Filamented and you’ll have a peaceful wrasse gang with lots of color and movement… and they’ll leave your pods for your mandarins :)
Considering you have a melanurus and a sixline, you really can’t have many wrasses at all.I am in the process of finishing out my fish stocking and am at the "semi-aggresive bit" which for this tank is just wrasses. 120g mixed reef, 150lbs of rock, 29g sump. 30xish flow, some nems, cuc consists of mostly larger snails (trochus, astrea, nassarius, turbo), hermit crabs (mostly there as snacks for the melanarus and valentini) and a trio of urchins. Tank stays pretty clean with little work, only major pest is zoa eating aterinas. I would like some suggestions since there are so many options. I currently have a large melanarus (4-5") who has been in the tank for 2 years. I just finished qting a lobbacks and a 6 line (both under 1.5"). I would like to add 2 more medium (melanarus sizeish) or 3-4 smaller wrasses before i add the dottyback and damsels.
I only got the 6 line because I figured hed be able to hold his own with the mela (he is). Current plan is to ditch both and keep the Lubbock's, then add fairys and flashers to keep it simple. This is a peaceful tank and I'd like it to remain so.Considering you have a melanurus and a sixline, you really can’t have many wrasses at all.
I would ditch the Melanurus and sixline. Then I’d get a couple of other peaceful wrasses. I assume you like the sixline due to its pattern?
Why not hunt yourself one of these brutes?
Trade in the sixline and get the smaller 10x more peaceful Pseudocheilinops ataenia. That is assuming you have a low activity tank currently, these guys do terribly with aggression and need to be added into a lower stocking tank to then establish into a higher stocking tank.
Then to replace the melanurus, get yourself a smaller more peaceful Halichoeres. I know that these can outcompete mandarins however, generally these guys don’t peck the rocks nearly as much. I would personally get a Halichoeres leucoxanthus, this was my female (I know it’s not the best photo).
And then for some more up in the water column activity, get yourself a Cirrhilabrus species. I personally love Cirrhilabrus lubbocki - I have both variants of this species and they have gotten along for the previous two years :)
You can see 4 from my wrasse gang in my 4’ tank in this photo and the two lubbocki’s are that ‘line’ of purple. The indo variant is on the left and the Cebu is on the right.
Update, The 6 line has been removed to a friend's tank, the melanarus is in a food coma from finding the trap first, seeing him go to bed mid day was hilarious. While grabbing water today one of the fish Id been waiting on (qt at the lfs) I picked this guy up and was Identified on here as an orange back fairy. This guy seems the definition of peaceful so far. Currently also letting a trio of pintail fairies sit at the other lfs in town, 1 being a "supermale tricolor sailfin." I understand this is just a subjective hobby term but any thought on these guys? Still 2 weeks before i pick them up.Considering you have a melanurus and a sixline, you really can’t have many wrasses at all.
I would ditch the Melanurus and sixline. Then I’d get a couple of other peaceful wrasses. I assume you like the sixline due to its pattern?
Why not hunt yourself one of these brutes?
Trade in the sixline and get the smaller 10x more peaceful Pseudocheilinops ataenia. That is assuming you have a low activity tank currently, these guys do terribly with aggression and need to be added into a lower stocking tank to then establish into a higher stocking tank.
Then to replace the melanurus, get yourself a smaller more peaceful Halichoeres. I know that these can outcompete mandarins however, generally these guys don’t peck the rocks nearly as much. I would personally get a Halichoeres leucoxanthus, this was my female (I know it’s not the best photo).
And then for some more up in the water column activity, get yourself a Cirrhilabrus species. I personally love Cirrhilabrus lubbocki - I have both variants of this species and they have gotten along for the previous two years :)
You can see 4 from my wrasse gang in my 4’ tank in this photo and the two lubbocki’s are that ‘line’ of purple. The indo variant is on the left and the Cebu is on the right.
I would only get one of the females, that trio will likely wind up as 3 males anyway unfortunately.
To clarify of the other 2 (besides the super) one is male, 1 female. So
I would just get the female, that way you have her the longest time you can and she will transition to male eventually anyway.
Okay then so now we have a Lubbock's, orange back, and a female pintail. Will update when new wrasses arrive in town for advice.
What size is your tank? I am getting my adorned, McCosker's, and cleaner wrasse next week from Dr. Reef. I also currently have a 6-line in my qt. He is making me nervous a bit. I have a 125g and I am planning on adding him last. I bought him against better judgment, but he was only $15 and I couldn't pass up on him. I had two 6-lines previously and they were model citizens for the most part. But I still don't trust them because of their reputation. My plan is to not add him until the other 3 are settled and establish themselves for a good 2-3 months. Wondering what you think.
You have plenty of tank. Mine is 80g system, 65g DT. I have a rohmboid wrasse, cleaner wrasse, 6 line and pintail fairy wrasse. Just lost my yellow coris after several years. I have like 8 other fish too including a saphire damsel, mandarin and indigo dottyback. I have abundant rock and caves so all my fish have sleep spots and areas to hide. I have no aggression issues but I made sure to have top swimmers like a fang blenny, mid tank swimmers and bottom cruisers.
I am getting a sapphire damsel too.
I just got him last week. Surprisingly my dottyback was the only one not happy with him but it was only minor bickering for couple days. Everyone is happy again in the reef. Dotty has the bottom and the damsel is hanging in the upper 3rd. I always thought they had spectacular color.I am getting a sapphire damsel too.
