Invert friendly wrasse?

[Wi1son]

I am looking for around 3 wrasses to put in a 75 gallon reef tank. I want fish that will show minimal aggression toward one another, as well as cuc members. I also plan on having a pistol shrimp, a pair of cleaner shrimp, and a clam of some sort (after the tank is more mature). I have not yet set up the tank, but just want to try and pre plan everything to minimize headaches . Oh and I would like at least one of the wrasses to be good at pest control.
Thanks for any suggestions .

 

[Phlynamjax]

Flasher, fairy and leopard wrasses.

 

[Phlynamjax]

Flasher, fairy and leopard wrasses.

 

[Wi1son]

Do you have any favorites that you would suggest? I am new to the whole saltwater side of the hobby.

 

[Reefer40b]

Any type of leopard wrasse is good, great personality

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Leopards are a bit of a challenge for all but the expert aquarist. Once established, they are great fish and super hardy. Getting them established is another story. They are horrible shippers and often will only eat micro fauna from rocks. (Copepods and other small crustaceans)

I would stick to any flasher, and the smaller fairy wrasse for a beginner. Here is a nice chart on fairies. I would stick to any of the ones in the A or B size range and green to yellow on aggression. The aggression is more towards other fairies and not fish outside of fairy wrasse. They do not tolerate aggressive tank mates. Also, only one per complex unless tank size is at least double recommended.

 

[nereefpat]

How about something like:

Carpenter's
Lubbock's

For a pest eater, one of the smaller and peaceful Halichoeres like chrysus, leucoxanthus, or biocellatus.

 

[dragon99]

Fairy wrasses for color, see chart above for mixing. My favorites are c. isosceles (pintail) and c. rhomboidalis (rhomboid). Flashers are great choice too.

For pest control hand down, halichoeres. I have a h. chrysus (yellow) and h. cosemetus (adorned). Neither bothers my cleaner shrimp.

Here's the adorned in action

 

[Wi1son]

Thanks for the suggestions, they will definitely help

 

[Jesterrace]

I am looking for around 3 wrasses to put in a 75 gallon reef tank. I want fish that will show minimal aggression toward one another, as well as cuc members. I also plan on having a pistol shrimp, a pair of cleaner shrimp, and a clam of some sort (after the tank is more mature). I have not yet set up the tank, but just want to try and pre plan everything to minimize headaches . Oh and I would like at least one of the wrasses to be good at pest control.
Thanks for any suggestions .

A Peaceful Fairy or Flasher Wrasse will work, or if you can find a healthy and active Leopard Wrasse that has been at your LFS for a few weeks (and feeding) would be a great choice as well. The key to Leopard Wrasses is picking the right one.

 

[Jesterrace]

Fairy wrasses for color, see chart above for mixing. My favorites are c. isosceles (pintail) and c. rhomboidalis (rhomboid). Flashers are great choice too.

For pest control hand down, halichoeres. I have a h. chrysus (yellow) and h. cosemetus (adorned). Neither bothers my cleaner shrimp.

Here's the adorned in action

H variety wrasses generally will pick off inverts though.

 

[Jesterrace]

Leopards are a bit of a challenge for all but the expert aquarist. Once established, they are great fish and super hardy. Getting them established is another story. They are horrible shippers and often will only eat micro fauna from rocks. (Copepods and other small crustaceans)

I would stick to any flasher, and the smaller fairy wrasse for a beginner. Here is a nice chart on fairies. I would stick to any of the ones in the A or B size range and green to yellow on aggression. The aggression is more towards other fairies and not fish outside of fairy wrasse. They do not tolerate aggressive tank mates. Also, only one per complex unless tank size is at least double recommended.

Yes and no on the Leopard Wrasses. There is a huge degree in variance on care with Leopard Wrasses depending on which individual you pick. I agree that ordering a Leopard Wrasse or getting one straight out of the shipping bag from your LFS is a HUGE gamble and if it doesn't ship well, good luck keeping it alive for any length of time. If on the other hand your LFS does a bulk order of them and you find one that is still there and active 2-3 weeks later, then said individual isn't really any more difficult to care for than a Melanurus. I did this with my Blue Star Leopard and it has proven to be pretty adaptable (crazy fish even loves seaweed). Obviously the selection method isn't the easiest or most desireable, I'm just saying it is possible to take a lot of the hassle factor out of owning a Leopard Wrasse if you pick the right one.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Yes and no on the Leopard Wrasses. There is a huge degree in variance on care with Leopard Wrasses depending on which individual you pick. I agree that ordering a Leopard Wrasse or getting one straight out of the shipping bag from your LFS is a HUGE gamble and if it doesn't ship well, good luck keeping it alive for any length of time. If on the other hand your LFS does a bulk order of them and you find one that is still there and active 2-3 weeks later, then said individual isn't really any more difficult to care for than a Melanurus. I did this with my Blue Star Leopard and it has proven to be pretty adaptable (crazy fish even loves seaweed). Obviously the selection method isn't the easiest or most desireable, I'm just saying it is possible to take a lot of the hassle factor out of owning a Leopard Wrasse if you pick the right one.

I have two leopards. One meleagris that I got eating frozen from an LFS. This is the prefered way to buy a leopard wrasse. Already conditioned to captivity and eating frozen foods. My other one is the soul survivor of a trio of negrosensis. One was DOA and the second one passed 24 hours after arrival. The third has been thru two rounds of API General Cure in QT and has been eating live baby brine shrimp and tiger pods for 2 weeks now. Its moved into my display and hasn't shown the first bit of shyness with the other fish.

They are a challenging fish, but once established they are super hardy.

 

[dragon99]

H variety wrasses generally will pick off inverts though.

Not necessarily, https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.28/
Some Halichoeres are better than others.

"H. chrysus “Canary Wrasse” or “Yellow Coris Wrasse” (*cringe*): First, I do not like the reference to “coris” this species can sometimes be commonly referred as, since it implies the species is a member of the Coris genus, which it is certainly not. Commonly available, inexpensive. Usually very peaceful and do not often pick on inverts at all. "

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Not as common and more expensive but also peaceful, crazy pretty and doesn't really touch inverts is the H. iridis or the radiant wrasse.

 

[Wi1son]

I think I am leaning toward the radiant wrasse, a canary wrasse (since my tank is to small for a yellow tang), and either a leopard wrasse if I can manage to find a food on and if not one of the fairy or flasher wrasses. I have heard for the flashers to show their true color that you need two different types of males. Is that true? Also should wrasses be added together? If added seperate should the lights be on or off? Or should I just use an acclimation box? Thanks in addvance

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I think I am leaning toward the radiant wrasse, a canary wrasse (since my tank is to small for a yellow tang), and either a leopard wrasse if I can manage to find a food on and if not one of the fairy or flasher wrasses. I have heard for the flashers to show their true color that you need two different types of males. Is that true? Also should wrasses be added together? If added seperate should the lights be on or off? Or should I just use an acclimation box? Thanks in addvance

Acclimation box always helps, but I haven't had any issues adding new fish so far.