Help Me Pick A Wrasse!

Christmas, Solar Fairy, Pintail, Rhomboid, Choat’s are all beautiful & not aggressive.
Christmas wrasses are 5 species as said above;
Thalassoma trilobatum (Nasty, Big and yet so pretty)
Halichoeres ornatissimus (Pretty and moderately sized yet Hawaii was the main export so they’re not seen commonly anymore)
Thalassoma purpureum (Nasty, Big and so Pretty)
Halichoeres biocellatus (Small, Pretty and Peaceful)
Halichoeres cosmetus (Small, Pretty and moderately peaceful)

As you can see, there’s 2 genera which holds species called “Christmas Wrasses”.

Solar Fairy Wrasse, which do you mean? There’s 3.
Cirrhilabrus chalasai (Chalasai’s Fairy)
Cirrhilabrus solorensis (Solar Fairy)
Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus (Red Head Fairy)

These are most definitely not peaceful. I have a very boisterous Aquamarinus which is the most peaceful out of the 3. I wouldn’t keep these in a tank less than 4 foot due to how boisterous they are - he absolutely battered my Roseafascia.
 
Any flasher wrasse would be a good fit. Wouldn't break the bank and they're hardy. Next would be one of the fairy wrasses. Use the chart @felda001 linked. Wrasses are my favorite - I currently have ten but at one time was up to fourteen.
10? Is that it? I’m at 21 including ones at the LFS.
 
Christmas wrasses are 5 species as said above;
Thalassoma trilobatum (Nasty, Big and yet so pretty)
Halichoeres ornatissimus (Pretty and moderately sized yet Hawaii was the main export so they’re not seen commonly anymore)
Thalassoma purpureum (Nasty, Big and so Pretty)
Halichoeres biocellatus (Small, Pretty and Peaceful)
Halichoeres cosmetus (Small, Pretty and moderately peaceful)

As you can see, there’s 2 genera which holds species called “Christmas Wrasses”.

Solar Fairy Wrasse, which do you mean? There’s 3.
Cirrhilabrus chalasai (Chalasai’s Fairy)
Cirrhilabrus solorensis (Solar Fairy)
Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus (Red Head Fairy)

These are most definitely not peaceful. I have a very boisterous Aquamarinus which is the most peaceful out of the 3. I wouldn’t keep these in a tank less than 4 foot due to how boisterous they are - he absolutely battered my Roseafascia.
Did you mean Halichoeres claudia in place of Halichoeres cosmetus?
 
You have to remember they all have their own personalities, sometimes you can get what is supposed to be a peaceful wrasse and it turns out to be aggressive and sometimes you can get what is supposed to get what is supposed to be a more aggressive wrasse and it turns out to be peaceful
 
Morning All,
Looking for my first wrasse, I've been reading over some posts and the number of wrasses is mind boggling. So please help me! The only Wrasse I would not add is a Six line, had one in the past and he was a nightmare. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes: Would really like one that is snail, shrimp safe and could add more Wrasses in the future. About my tank -
69G Display w/ Sump
Sand Bed (Reef Flakes)
Net Cover
Mixed reef but SPS Dominant
1 Clownfish
1 Yasha w/ Pistol
Many Snails

Thanks much!
I would go for yellow coris.
 
Did you mean Halichoeres claudia in place of Halichoeres cosmetus?
Nope! I’ve seen Cosmetus as Christmas wrasses, Claudia makes 7 as I know there’s a 6th I’m forgetting
 
common names are such crapshoot many times. Try to use Scientific name if you can when give recommendations like @i cant think unless the common name is unambiguous.
 
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Add these wrasses and you just cant miss
Any of the flasher wrasses. Pict the color and cost you are willing to pay. I would not go for the the rare 1000 dollars wrasse yet. Pick them small and young and they will grow in your tank to become beautiful. There are a number of them and they are all going to be about the same except the color.
McCosker
McCoskeri2018051501.jpg
McCoskeri2018051801resized.jpg

Yellow Fin
YellowfinFlasher2018071602.jpg


Easy, you can't miss Fairy wrasses
Lubbock
LubbockFairyB2019052801.jpg


Peaceful but harder to keep Halichoeres, the very best of this genus
The Radiant wrasse Halichoeres iridis. Female in front and male in the back
RadiantWrasse2021012302.jpg
RadiantWrasse2021031901.jpg


Pick one of the Leopard wrasse species and get 2 or 3 of the same species. These are a little more difficult to get establish, similar to the Radiant wrasse

Meleagris Leopard:
Female
MeleagrisLeopard2019062401.jpg

Male
MeleagrisLeopard2020090502Male.jpg

Nuptial display
MeleagrisLeopard2020122701Male.jpg
MeleagrisLeopard2020122606MatingDance.jpg



Or the Black Leopard:
Female
BlackLeopardWrasse2019041801Resized.jpg

Male
BlackLeopardWrasse2020051601 - Copy.jpg

Nuptial display
BlackLeopardWrasse2021012102.jpg
 
10? Is that it? I’m at 21 including ones at the LFS.
Hah! Beat me to it.

Wrasses are seductive. You get your first, then the obsession begins. My downfall started with a Bipartitus Leopard, then in the following order over the last 10months:
• Black Leopard
• Jewel ‘Leopard’
• Yellow Tail Tamarin
• China Tamarin
• Radiant
• Twistii Tamarin
• Eightline Flasher
• Guinea Fowl Leopard
Still have more planned, but royally POed the wife to the point she placed a moratorium on them until further notice. She’s like The Pink Panther’s Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus whenever my 3yo son says the word wrasse
IMG_7527.gif
 
I have a Melanurus. Love his color and how active he is. Constantly swimming and pecking at everything. He eats everything I put in the tank - unfortunately this includes snails and hermit crabs.
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm leaning towards adding Paracheilinus mccoskeri for my first unless this doesn't seem like a solid choice.
Add at least 2 flasher wrasses. You will like the P. flavianalis
 
Mature Possum wrasse and Halichoeres chrysus in my 40 breeder.

Possum was mean and tempermental. Killed a few finned tank mates. (Rare apparently) Calmed down with a true perc pair and the chrysus were added.

The yellow will not let you feed LPS. “Oh benepets LPS pellets! My favorite!”

Both worth it.

I love wrasses. Any upgrade will include several more.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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