Reef safe wrasses?

[mues]

Hello again all,

Looking ahead to stocking a couple more fish in the coming weeks and am thinking possibly a wrasse or two in the mix. Wondering what kind of wrasse will be suitable for my tank and completely open to suggestions.

150 gal display 60x24x24
current stock - clown pair and firefish pair
zoas, xenia, gsp, other soft corals are in the plans for the future


I know i run the inherent risk of not being able to keep invertebrates in the tank with them, but hoping I can feed them enough to minimize.

Edit: forgot to mention, sand bed is about 2 inches.

 

[Cell]

I'm pretty sure most fairy and cleaner wrasse are reef safe.

 

[mues]

I'm pretty sure most fairy and cleaner wrasse are reef safe.

any idea if these do well in pairs? really unsure on where my stocking is going to take me. i know I'd like to put some type of bristletooth tang in at some point, but trying to fill some space

 

[JoJosReef]

I've got lots of inverts with my Halichoeres chrysus (which I suspect of occasionally bothering some snails like nerites and ceriths but never astraeas and trochus) and a Macropharyngodon bipartitis which I don't think bothers anything except pods.

Fairies and flashers are considered safe. Pink streaks might go after some worms, I think. Possums shouldn't be a problem.

Note, small inverts like sexy shrimp are always a risk, I think. I have one sexy that has been left alone and stays on its RFAs, but I've already said my goodbyes just in case.

Larger Halichoeres might be the most risky with snails and shrimp. Something like Halichoeres claudia or Halichoeres pallidus would be on the smaller side and very vibrant.

Leopards are totally worth it is you can get them healthy. Delightful fish. And they look great as females and males.

With a 150 you could look into Anampses and Coris wrasses, but @Slocke could advise you best on those and which would be lower risk!

 

[JoJosReef]

any idea if these do well in pairs? really unsure on where my stocking is going to take me. i know I'd like to put some type of bristletooth tang in at some point, but trying to fill some space

Fairies and flashers, I think, will always transition to male, so a pair of Cirrhilabrus of the same species might end up in a deathmatch. Same with Paracheilinus. Others can do better like Halichoeres (@i cant think had a pair of H. iridis) and pink streaks (@jkcoral has a pair if pinkies that are adorable).

 

[mues]

I've got lots of inverts with my Halichoeres chrysus (which I suspect of occasionally bothering some snails like nerites and ceriths but never astraeas and trochus) and a Macropharyngodon bipartitis which I don't think bothers anything except pods.

Fairies and flashers are considered safe. Pink streaks might go after some worms, I think. Possums shouldn't be a problem.

Note, small inverts like sexy shrimp are always a risk, I think. I have one sexy that has been left alone and stays on its RFAs, but I've already said my goodbyes just in case.

Larger Halichoeres might be the most risky with snails and shrimp. Something like Halichoeres claudia or Halichoeres pallidus would be on the smaller side and very vibrant.

Leopards are totally worth it is you can get them healthy. Delightful fish. And they look great as females and males.

With a 150 you could look into Anampses and Coris wrasses, but @Slocke could advise you best on those and which would be lower risk!

Thanks for the info! I was looking at a Yellow to pair with maybe a fairy of some sort. So many different types that it is confusing me for sure. Had a Lunare in a FOWLR that I loved, so really want to add some of that personality in this mixed reef if I can.

 

[i cant think]

Fairies and flashers, I think, will always transition to male, so a pair of Cirrhilabrus of the same species might end up in a deathmatch. Same with Paracheilinus. Others can do better like Halichoeres (@i cant think had a pair of H. iridis) and pink streaks (@jkcoral has a pair if pinkies that are adorable).

I also had a pair of pinkies - and before that, they were in a trio.

The radiants paired for a while until I introduced a Hawkfish that wiped the male out. They can pair for a while but it’s best to have an older male and then introduce a young female. I do plan to eventually try pairing my young female before or during the transitional phase so we’ll see how that goes if it occurs.

 

[jkcoral]

Hello again all,

Looking ahead to stocking a couple more fish in the coming weeks and am thinking possibly a wrasse or two in the mix. Wondering what kind of wrasse will be suitable for my tank and completely open to suggestions.

150 gal display 60x24x24
current stock - clown pair and firefish pair
zoas, xenia, gsp, other soft corals are in the plans for the future


I know i run the inherent risk of not being able to keep invertebrates in the tank with them, but hoping I can feed them enough to minimize.

Edit: forgot to mention, sand bed is about 2 inches.

With a tank that size you have plenty of options. The list of possible options is probably easier to narrow down based on price. Pretty much any fairy is going to add good movement. It just comes down to what colors you like, what temperament, and price.

As a general rule of thumb, you want to avoid pairs of wrasses, but you can mix different wrasses if carefully selected.

You could go to a website like Live Aquaria and just browse and see what catches your eye, then write them down and people in the wrasse thread can help to make sure you don’t have too many issues mixing!

 

[steveschuerger]

I’m partial to these

 

[Slocke]

I don't advise pairing wrasse. It is far safer to get two different species as a pair may get along for a time but will eventually fight probably. For being reef (invert) safe it is pretty easy to categorize

Reef safe:

1. Fairies - Cirrhilabrus
2. Flashers - Paracheilinus
3. Leopards - Macropharyngodon
4. Possums - Wetmorella
5. Pencils - Psedudojuloides (but very difficult)
6. Lined wrasse - Pseudocheilinus (but aggressive)
7. Pink streak
8. Gold nugget

Mostly reef safe:

1. Pigs - Halichoeres (the smaller species are much safer)
2. Tamarins - Anampses (difficult)

 

[SaltyT]

Agree with the others that keeping wrasses in "pairs" is not recommended, wrasses by nature do not form pair bonds so pairing them rarely works out.

Some good recommendations have already been made so the only thing I'll add is make sure your tank is well covered if there are any gaps or holes in your lid a wrasse will find them and jump.

 

[mues]

I don't advise pairing wrasse. It is far safer to get two different species as a pair may get along for a time but will eventually fight probably. For being reef (invert) safe it is pretty easy to categorize

Reef safe:

1. Fairies - Cirrhilabrus
2. Flashers - Paracheilinus
3. Leopards - Macropharyngodon
4. Possums - Wetmorella
5. Pencils - Psedudojuloides (but very difficult)
6. Lined wrasse - Pseudocheilinus (but aggressive)
7. Pink streak
8. Gold nugget

Mostly reef safe:

1. Pigs - Halichoeres (the smaller species are much safer)
2. Tamarins - Anampses (difficult)

How would something like this look? Not trying to overload, but they all seem to stay fairly small. Would they all get along if I introduced a tang down the road?

 

[Slocke]

How would something like this look? Not trying to overload, but they all seem to stay fairly small. Would they all get along if I introduced a tang down the road?

That should work out great. Though there are somewhat more peaceful alternatives to both the blue head and the melanarus. This chart does a good job of estimating fairy wrasse aggression

 

[i cant think]

That should work out great. Though there are somewhat more peaceful alternatives to both the blue head and the melanarus. This chart does a good job of estimating fairy wrasse aggression

Obviously, the chart has exceptions every so often but I’d say that is definitely a good indicator to what you’re doing and how it should go.

How would something like this look? Not trying to overload, but they all seem to stay fairly small. Would they all get along if I introduced a tang down the road?

I’d personally swap out the Blueheaded Fairy as they can be difficult to add other wrasses later down the road (and generally, after you get 2-3 you’ll want a whole group of them).

Good alternatives to the Bluehead include;
Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Indo variant)
Cirrhilabrus brunneus

I’d also add in a few more flashers and smaller fairies to the mix however you wouldn’t have to do that straight away and can put them in with groups of 2-3 once your first lot are established.

 

[mues]

Thanks for all the help guys! Pretty good idea of routes to go now.

Next step is trying to secure my overflows before I get them.... little clownfish decided to be a recluse last night... Will be fun trying to get him out.