The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

Brian wea · Feb 25, 2016

Boy or girl?

Djbrandriff150 · Feb 25, 2016

jackson6745 · Feb 25, 2016

Just a cool shot to share

IMG_6550 by rich colombo, on Flickr

JakeK · Feb 26, 2016

If I plan to stock a tank with 2 wrasse, with one for sure being a fairy wrasse, does the second wrasse need to be another fairy wrasse for the both of them to maintain their coloration or can the second be a flasher wrasse?

Chrisfish · Feb 26, 2016

I know the 6 line wrasse isn't as fancy as some of those out there but I love my Sophy! What a sweet face and personality.

evolved · Feb 26, 2016

Brian wea said:
Boy or girl?

Female-ish; it's a difficult species to judge the onset of transitional male.

JakeK said:
If I plan to stock a tank with 2 wrasse, with one for sure being a fairy wrasse, does the second wrasse need to be another fairy wrasse for the both of them to maintain their coloration or can the second be a flasher wrasse?

Does not need to be another Cirrhilabrus; a Paracheilinus will do fine.

BfishLpond78 · Feb 27, 2016

Male or Female Pintail?

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1456633403.667569.jpg

And a flame wrasse for fun [emoji13]

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1456633436.557049.jpg

eatbreakfast · Feb 28, 2016

BfishLpond78 said:
Male or Female Pintail?

Male pintail. Females have a rounded tail that is opaque.

bonomo53 · Feb 28, 2016

So my flames fin got nipped to the bone by a Midas blenny. Got rid of the blenny but now i noticed my carpenters flasher that is half a size just swim up to the flame and bite the cut. The flame just continued swimming like nothing happened. Should i try to catch the flame and quarantine or should i just leave him alone. He is eating very well.

drstratton · Feb 28, 2016

bonomo53 said:
So my flames fin got nipped to the bone by a Midas blenny. Got rid of the blenny but now i noticed my carpenters flasher that is half a size just swim up to the flame and bite the cut. The flame just continued swimming like nothing happened. Should i try to catch the flame and quarantine or should i just leave him alone. He is eating very well.

If you can catch it, I would! Especially if the other fish are going after it.

eatbreakfast · Feb 29, 2016

bonomo53 said:
So my flames fin got nipped to the bone by a Midas blenny. Got rid of the blenny but now i noticed my carpenters flasher that is half a size just swim up to the flame and bite the cut. The flame just continued swimming like nothing happened. Should i try to catch the flame and quarantine or should i just leave him alone. He is eating very well.

A degree of chasing and biting is normal. If the flame wrasse seems unbothered by it then I wouldn't remove it. However, if the damage gets worse or the flame wrasse begins hiding, then I would take action.

MIKE NY · Feb 29, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
A degree of chasing and biting is normal. If the flame wrasse seems unbothered by it then I wouldn't remove it. However, if the damage gets worse or the flame wrasse begins hiding, then I would take action.

X2...Joe I find trying to catch it would just stress it out weakening it's immune system. If it's acting normal and still eating well leave it alone, but maybe supplement its diet with vitamins.

bonomo53 · Feb 29, 2016

Thanks for the help.. I've been soaking food in selcon, hopefully it helps heal it up faster.

Djbrandriff150 · Mar 1, 2016

Ok all experts need some help on adding a few new fishy. Right now I have to flame wrasses that are female. one yellow corse. One exquisite one cleaner and two yellow tangs. 150 reef tank....

eatbreakfast · Mar 1, 2016

Djbrandriff150 said:
Ok all experts need some help on adding a few new fishy. Right now I have to flame wrasses that are female. one yellow corse. One exquisite one cleaner and two yellow tangs. 150 reef tank....

Let us know what fish you have in mind and we will let you know if it works.

With what you have already there shouldn't be too much of an issue adding fish, particularly if you use a social acclimation box.

Djbrandriff150 · Mar 1, 2016

Fairys. Looking for ideas like a golden of a lineatus? Some along those types color rarity

demolitionman · Mar 3, 2016

I need some help. I've been reef keeping for about 15 years. All my life I've considered most wrasses easy to keep. Outside of pencil wrasses and leopards, they are pretty basic I thought.

Until now.

I've gone without a tank for a couple of years while moving stuff around and most recently set up a 55 gallon (last year, it's established).

I CAN'T KEEP A WRASSE.

I've got several other healthy and thriving fish, but every time I buy a wrasse it goes bad fast, and I need some help to figure out why.

1) I bought an Orange Back Fairy wrasse online. Came in looking healthy but not interested in eating and lethargic. It died after a few days. I figured it was internal parasites.

2) I bought a Lubbock Fairy wrasse at LFS. Healthy, thriving, hungry and active. Ate everything and swam everywhere. Was great for about 10 days then gone one morning and never returned.

3) Ordered a 2nd Lubbock Fairy wrasse and a Flasher Wrasse online. Both came in looking okay. 2nd day the Lubbock is missing. At the end of the 2nd day my flasher swimming while dead, like a blind fish trying to do gymnastics. Swim bladder I guess.

This whole time I've had other species alive and happy. What gives?

Do you think these are coincidences? Just bad luck? Or is there something I'm missing, maybe something that a wrasse would be more sensitive to than another fish?

NOTE: I have both a 2.5" fine sand bed and a net top.

eatbreakfast · Mar 3, 2016

demolitionman said:
I need some help. I've been reef keeping for about 15 years. All my life I've considered most wrasses easy to keep. Outside of pencil wrasses and leopards, they are pretty basic I thought.

Until now.

I've gone without a tank for a couple of years while moving stuff around and most recently set up a 55 gallon (last year, it's established).

I CAN'T KEEP A WRASSE.

I've got several other healthy and thriving fish, but every time I buy a wrasse it goes bad fast, and I need some help to figure out why.

1) I bought an Orange Back Fairy wrasse online. Came in looking healthy but not interested in eating and lethargic. It died after a few days. I figured it was internal parasites.

2) I bought a Lubbock Fairy wrasse at LFS. Healthy, thriving, hungry and active. Ate everything and swam everywhere. Was great for about 10 days then gone one morning and never returned.

3) Ordered a 2nd Lubbock Fairy wrasse and a Flasher Wrasse online. Both came in looking okay. 2nd day the Lubbock is missing. At the end of the 2nd day my flasher swimming while dead, like a blind fish trying to do gymnastics. Swim bladder I guess.

This whole time I've had other species alive and happy. What gives?

Do you think these are coincidences? Just bad luck? Or is there something I'm missing, maybe something that a wrasse would be more sensitive to than another fish?

NOTE: I have both a 2.5" fine sand bed and a net top.

Some of it may be coincidental. But a qt protocol may help. Out of curiosity and to better help diagnose the situation, what are the other fish in the tank? Is there an anemone in the tank? Have you successfully added other fish since you tried adding wrasses? Also, check for stray voltage.