Magma / Cherry Wrasse Care & Price

In interest of sharing and learning... here's one article from LiveAquaria (https://www.liveaquaria.com/article/276/?aid=276) :

"f you want to keep more than one fairy wrasse, try maintaining a harem consisting of one male and several females. In order to avoid fighting between harem members, it is important to introduce them simultaneously or to add the females first. Then after the females have adjusted to the tank, add the more aggressive male. You are much more likely to have success in keeping groups of fairy wrasses if you place them in a larger aquarium (in small tanks even females may not get along or males may pester females to death)."

"There is one drawback to keeping male Cirrhilabrus on their own. While color loss in many reef fishes can be attributed to an improper diet, in male fairy wrasses chromatic changes are more often the result of a lack of social interactions with conspecifics. If these fishes are not kept together, the males color (and possibly his gender) will begin to revert back to that of the female. For example, it is not uncommon for male Scott's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus scottorum) to lose the bright red blotch on their sides (a chromatic feature of the male) if they are not housed with members of their own kind."

admittedly, not much is know or written about rather specific to magma wrasses except for a cross-sectional study of population and physical variances in males sample.

As for breeding \ spawning... fairy wrasses have been observed to spawn in captivity. the challenge is being able to collect the spawn and raising fries sufficiently. (https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/11/fish)

I have a room full of tanks so my thoughts were to attempt a harem and worst case scenario, I would separate them out between my tanks.
 
In interest of sharing and learning... here's one article from LiveAquaria (https://www.liveaquaria.com/article/276/?aid=276) :

"f you want to keep more than one fairy wrasse, try maintaining a harem consisting of one male and several females. In order to avoid fighting between harem members, it is important to introduce them simultaneously or to add the females first. Then after the females have adjusted to the tank, add the more aggressive male. You are much more likely to have success in keeping groups of fairy wrasses if you place them in a larger aquarium (in small tanks even females may not get along or males may pester females to death)."

"There is one drawback to keeping male Cirrhilabrus on their own. While color loss in many reef fishes can be attributed to an improper diet, in male fairy wrasses chromatic changes are more often the result of a lack of social interactions with conspecifics. If these fishes are not kept together, the males color (and possibly his gender) will begin to revert back to that of the female. For example, it is not uncommon for male Scott's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus scottorum) to lose the bright red blotch on their sides (a chromatic feature of the male) if they are not housed with members of their own kind."

admittedly, not much is know or written about rather specific to magma wrasses except for a cross-sectional study of population and physical variances in males sample.

As for breeding \ spawning... fairy wrasses have been observed to spawn in captivity. the challenge is being able to collect the spawn and raising fries sufficiently. (https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/11/fish)

I have a room full of tanks so my thoughts were to attempt a harem and worst case scenario, I would separate them out between my tanks.
Information like that has gone a long way of giving a false impression to people.

Females will transition into males whether a male is present or not, and males of the same species are intolerant of each other.

It's one thing to say you will be able to remove them when needed, it is quite another to be able to catch them.

Theadvice we are trying to give you is from extensive experience.
 
NYAquatic has a super-male for $350. Does 'super' actually mean anything in this context, or is it just a continuation of the annoying tendency to put super in front of everything? I'd be super-excited to know!
 
Fishy business have them also for 350. That’s a great price you paid.
Thinking about getting one of these but I’m worried about how them and flames would interact long term. But it’s on my list.
 
@NanoCrazed you should check out Hunter Hammond's macna talk on YouTube (hosted by brs). He goes over some of the misconceptions.
Probably the biggest one being the ability to keep them in pairs or harems. Iirc he actually had a breeding pair of wrasses (I think it was flame) but even there the female became male eventually.
A lot of this bad advice is perpetuated by stores; several different stores suggested I keep at least 2 so that one would become a male/terminal male. That if I didnt get 2 the male would revert to female. Or even getting 2 males would cause one to become female. In all these cases the store sells you 2.
The Scott's wrasse tends to get darker over time in captivity. It has nothing to do with becoming female. Some wrasses just do that in captivity over time (I think Naoko is another one) for unknown reasons.
 
Maybe a bowl of sand from the DT... some wrasses like to bed in them..
 
@NanoCrazed you should check out Hunter Hammond's macna talk on YouTube (hosted by brs). He goes over some of the misconceptions.
Probably the biggest one being the ability to keep them in pairs or harems. Iirc he actually had a breeding pair of wrasses (I think it was flame) but even there the female became male eventually.
A lot of this bad advice is perpetuated by stores; several different stores suggested I keep at least 2 so that one would become a male/terminal male. That if I didnt get 2 the male would revert to female. Or even getting 2 males would cause one to become female. In all these cases the store sells you 2.
The Scott's wrasse tends to get darker over time in captivity. It has nothing to do with becoming female. Some wrasses just do that in captivity over time (I think Naoko is another one) for unknown reasons.

Thanks! Will check it out...

Was of the thought that the ratio should be 3+ females to 1 male in order to keep the gender state... hence, my original intent to get 4-5 females / juvi to 1 male. Like betta sorority tanks that require 5+ females for stability and spread of aggression.

Just curious with the commentary on advice based on experience, has anyone ever attempt a full harem of 1 male with 3+ females?
 
Just curious with the commentary on advice based on experience, has anyone ever attempt a full harem of 1 male with 3+ females?
More than that. I tried a dozen C. ryuyuensis in an 11' tank. They were fine for a little while, but all transitioned and fought. After 3 years there are only 2 left.
 
More than that. I tried a dozen C. ryuyuensis in an 11' tank. They were fine for a little while, but all transitioned and fought. After 3 years there are only 2 left.
Bummer... :(

Well then -- I'm gonna save a lot of money! Magmas don't come cheap...usually -- Nivekid excepted.
 
My Magma is doing great. Almost complete with the QT and ready for the display tank. I'll update when I add him to the tank.
 

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

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