Bells flasher wrasse difference?
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SaltyT
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My understanding is that P. bellae is from the Marshall Islands and Palau and is replaced by its close relative P. filamentosus in Indonesia.
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musaabi
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Looks like the P. filamentosus is more orange with clear tail and more strips. No purple in the color
P. Bella has more red body and less striping with yellow and purple on the tail and more purple in the fins.
Ordering online and the vendor is having a hard time telling the difference since they put them all in the same tank.
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musaabi
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Crabby48
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Bells can be very orange. I have seen them dark red and then go very orange. Also seen them turn 3/4 blue all depending on mood. They were in qt tank so never got to settle.
My issue was adding to the display they would stress out and dead in a day or two. My tank is wrasse dominated and high energy so adding stress sensitive wrasse is tricky.
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the picture and info. Def plan on putting him in his own tank for a couple of weeks for observation and feeding. The seller states they’ve had him for over a month and is doing well. They’re gorgeous fish so excited to add it. Will be the first wrasse I introduce. Other fish I have in a reefer 350Few terrible pictures White lights no filter
1) captive bred yellow tang (not aggressive and super chill)
2) mocha storm and black storm clowns (hide in the back and leave fish alone unless they come near their “home”) (might get rid of although I’ve had them for over 3 years now)
3) baby blue mandarin still super small
4) Cuban basslet (swims out but never strays too far from the rock work. Picked on in the beginning but doing better and goes after food)
5) blotched anthia (I’ve seen him chase new fish such as Cuban basslet and a small golden rhomboid that I never found after releasing in the tank)
6) white tail bristle tooth tang (most active fish swimming everywhere and have seen him chase Cuban basslet away during feeding)
I plan to add a few more wrasses(hence wanting to get rid of the clowns)
1) golden rhomboid male or female, prefer something smaller so they can grow
2) lineatius wrasse (although all sellers seem to only have super males. Looking for a smaller female)
3) Madagascar flasher wrasse (again only seem to find super males only)
Plan to introduce in that order unless I can’t find a lineatius then it’ll be my last wrasse.
Including a picture of my tank and you can see most fish.
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
I would add the bells first and settle.
Young wrasse that would be young females ship, acclimate and deal with stress better. Also females will have better chance living together. Let them grow and watch them color up!
To be honest I would not add lineatus and rhomboid. Lineatus can be bullies and rhomboids are gentle. Also they are very closely related. They are all strikes. Also lineatus may be too much for bells.
I also recommend adding wrasse in groups. Helps to let them settle and can help spread out aggression. Think of wrasse like adding tangs.
Young wrasse that would be young females ship, acclimate and deal with stress better. Also females will have better chance living together. Let them grow and watch them color up!
To be honest I would not add lineatus and rhomboid. Lineatus can be bullies and rhomboids are gentle. Also they are very closely related. They are all strikes. Also lineatus may be too much for bells.
I also recommend adding wrasse in groups. Helps to let them settle and can help spread out aggression. Think of wrasse like adding tangs.
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
Oh and also a Madagascar flasher grow to 6”. They need big tanks once mature. Also I have found they don’t always deal with stress I will not try anymore in a 220
Not to be police just my opinion. It’s a lot of money and you may never see its true colors.
Not to be police just my opinion. It’s a lot of money and you may never see its true colors.
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
Good to know. Lineatius is not a must for me. I would much rather the Madagascar flasher which looks similar enough to the lineatius with a little more to it. I’ll contact the seller and see if he has a female bells to replace and if it’s easier for him to identify.
My LFS had a lineatius super male that was 4 inches already and decided not to because I didn’t want my biggest fish to be my first wrasse. Luckily I didn’t buy it because after visiting a week later, the wrasse looked terrible with 1 eye cloudy and coloring almost pale. Assume some type of bacterial infection. I appreciate the information! I’ll see the smallest Madagascar I can find and will always sell once it gets too big. I kind of like the idea of smaller fish that swim a whole lot so it looks more like a natural reef rather than a few huge fish. If I can’t get a smaller Madagascar I might settle for a candy basslet and some other smaller fish. Maybe another Cuban basslet that’s platinum instead of gold.
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
I think the bells as a female would be better but never got to try a female. Adding the male first you should be good.
Wrasse have a short life. Less than 10 years. If it’s full grown that might be an old wrasse that may only live a few years or so.
Thats it you got to try. Just don’t want you to drop money and have a bad unexpected problem.
Wrasse have a short life. Less than 10 years. If it’s full grown that might be an old wrasse that may only live a few years or so.
Thats it you got to try. Just don’t want you to drop money and have a bad unexpected problem.
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
Yeah I def appreciate it! They have the male bells listed at small <2 inches. But I would prefer a female. The male was listed for $1000 and on sale for $500 while the females are at $600 not on sale which is why I went with the male. I agree with you to about females. I would rather females and watch them transition to males and watch them grow rather than getting a full terminal male that will only live another year or 2.
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
Awesome rhomboid! I was considering the Earls but having a hard time pulling the trigger on $1k fish lol. $600 seems to be my comfort zone atm. Would you suggest getting a pair of candy basslets or just a single?2” rhomboid
You looking a more expensive wrasse. An earls. But wish I did a pair of cast basslets instead so you got my vote on the basslets
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
Prices are so inflated unfortunately.
My lfs added a pair of candy’s 6 years ago in his display tank. Ever since I wanted a pair. Problem is im addicted to wrasse and then a few tangs for grazers lol
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
I’m with you! I think wrasses are incredible and have so much diversity, hence me looking to add a few. But yeah prices are insane and sometimes I find them cheaper but then it’s like an online vendor I never heard of and has a very basic 2 hour doa policy which makes me a bit nervous for such an expensive fish. My 2 tangs are strictly for utility. Any other wrasses you suggest?
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
Ha all the wrasse lol. My love is for sand sleeping wrasse. Leopards are my true love.
Here is a basic chart to follow. Some wrasse just won’t get along no matter what. This is only for fairy. Flashers are similar behavior but need bigger tanks.
Some of the wrasse I have now
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musaabi
Well-Known Member
Awesome thanks for the chart and awesome looking tank! I considered Chianti leopard but I’m nervous since I always see leopards as “expert only” not that I don’t think I can have one but don’t want to kill one accidentally somehow.Ha all the wrasse lol. My love is for sand sleeping wrasse. Leopards are my true love.
Here is a basic chart to follow. Some wrasse just won’t get along no matter what. This is only for fairy. Flashers are similar behavior but need bigger tanks.
Some of the wrasse I have now
Crabby48
7500 Club Member
They are listed as expert because they need special care. They need to be held I a more natural stress free environment before shipping. They also can take a while before eating prepared foods. They can live off pods until they start eating and even baby brine shrimp can be hatched too. $20 for a hatchery and only need a desk lamp and little clean saltwater. I think any disease. They can carry takes over their immune system why people also see many deaths.
Once they are in a display and settle in they are great fish and are hardy. Males can be aggressive toward other male leopards.
I would recommend a place that properly qt’s or lfs that hold the fish for a week or two and see it eat mail order from a place that gets fish shipped across the world the world then ships to you is to much for them to deal with if not held proper.
Tiny leopards won’t normally eat prepared foods until they get to small size. Other than that a non stressed wrasse that is healthy will eat.
You can try a meleagris or blue star leopard. They can be found on cheaper side.
