The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[BJrReef21]

Does anyone have a chart for what types of wrasses are compatible or just a good rule of thumb? Looking to add a good bit of wrasses in the near future.

 

[Crabby48]

Does anyone have a chart for what types of wrasses are compatible or just a good rule of thumb? Looking to add a good bit of wrasses in the near future.

Mixing fairy, flasher, Halichoeres are ok but some exceptions. No chart available as evolved that made the chart is no longer around.
Make a list and ask what everyone thinks.

 

[Crabby48]

Any love for P. Hemitaeniatus?

Great picture. iPhone makes it hard under reef lights to capture their color

 

[BJrReef21]

Mixing fairy, flasher, Halichoeres are ok but some exceptions. No chart available as evolved that made the chart is no longer around.
Make a list and ask what everyone thinks.

I have a 210 that’s been set up for a little over a year with only a yellow, blue and powder brown tangs as well as a porcupine puffer. Would like to add a yellow coris, royal flasher, carpenters, naoko’s, ruby long fin fairy, blue star leopard and a scarlet pin stripe. Too much? Compatible?

 

[Crabby48]

I have a 210 that’s been set up for a little over a year with only a yellow, blue and powder brown tangs as well as a porcupine puffer. Would like to add a yellow coris, royal flasher, carpenters, naoko’s, ruby long fin fairy, blue star leopard and a scarlet pin stripe. Too much? Compatible?

The pinstripe is in question and not positive with long fin. They are more agrressive along with naoko’s so I think it can work but wait for others.
Do you think your established tangs will be ok with it? I recommend breaking the wrasse up in a couple or few groups when adding but closer together. Everyone will have someone to push around vs everyone pushing one around. Acclimation boxes can help some and never hurts to have a trap handy.

 

[Crabby48]

I have a 210 that’s been set up for a little over a year with only a yellow, blue and powder brown tangs as well as a porcupine puffer. Would like to add a yellow coris, royal flasher, carpenters, naoko’s, ruby long fin fairy, blue star leopard and a scarlet pin stripe. Too much? Compatible?

@i cant think whats your thoughts on this bunch. A couple I don’t know much about

 

[sdreef]

I have a 210 that’s been set up for a little over a year with only a yellow, blue and powder brown tangs as well as a porcupine puffer. Would like to add a yellow coris, royal flasher, carpenters, naoko’s, ruby long fin fairy, blue star leopard and a scarlet pin stripe. Too much? Compatible?

Regarding the Ruby long fin, C. rubeus and Naoko's they are both part of the same fairy wrasse complex, so you may run the risk of a compatibility between those two fish specifically.

I can't comment on the scarlet pin stripe. Regarding the others they should be compatible. I find a social acclimation box to be important when introducing fairy and flasher wrasses into a system with active swimmers such as tangs and other wrasse. I would recommend adding the flasher's prior to the fairy wrasse. I would add fairy wrasse in sequence from least aggressive to more aggressive and use the chart to help select species from different complexes.

 

[saltyhog]

Beat me to it @sdreef.

Scarlet pin stripe wrasse is in the Pseudocheilinus genus and not recommended with other wrasses. If you choose to do one anyway it definitely should be last. Rubeus or Naoko's next to last (not both).

In a tank the size of yours you could have quite a few more wrasses if you choose wisely. I have 7 fairy wrasses, 3 flashers and a Halichoeres iridis in a 72x24x21....and I'm not through.

 

[saltyhog]

Oh and always use an acclimation box if possible when adding a wrasse to existing wrassses.

 

[BJrReef21]

Regarding the Ruby long fin, C. rubeus and Naoko's they are both part of the same fairy wrasse complex, so you may run the risk of a compatibility between those two fish specifically.

I can't comment on the scarlet pin stripe. Regarding the others they should be compatible. I find a social acclimation box to be important when introducing fairy and flasher wrasses into a system with active swimmers such as tangs and other wrasse. I would recommend adding the flasher's prior to the fairy wrasse. I would add fairy wrasse in sequence from least aggressive to more aggressive and use the chart to help select species from different complexes.

Thank you. That’s the chart I remember seeing somewhere before but couldn’t find it. Appreciate the feedback. Will use this chart to come up with a better list, possibly more. How long of a span should I wait between adding them? I plan to make a large order and could keep some in a temporary tank till I can add them to the main display.

 

[BJrReef21]

Beat me to it @sdreef.

Scarlet pin stripe wrasse is in the Pseudocheilinus genus and not recommended with other wrasses. If you choose to do one anyway it definitely should be last. Rubeus or Naoko's next to last (not both).

In a tank the size of yours you could have quite a few more wrasses if you choose wisely. I have 7 fairy wrasses, 3 flashers and a Halichoeres iridis in a 72x24x21....and I'm not through.

Thanks for the info. Will try and stay away from the pin stripe wrasse and add maybe another Halichoeres. Like the idea of adding more.

 

[homer1475]

When I had a long finned fairy, it was the most aggressive wrasse I have ever owned. Never again! It chased everyone, and I could not add another wrasse with it in the tank. Chased and nipped any other wrasse until it died or jumped.

 

[i cant think]

I have a 210 that’s been set up for a little over a year with only a yellow, blue and powder brown tangs as well as a porcupine puffer. Would like to add a yellow coris, royal flasher, carpenters, naoko’s, ruby long fin fairy, blue star leopard and a scarlet pin stripe. Too much? Compatible?

Well, with the tangs being some of the most aggressive in the family I personally wouldn’t risk it. However if you did the right steps there is a chance it could work. Here’s what I would do in order of introduction:
- Blue star leopard
- yellow “coris”
- both flashers
- naoko
- ruby longfin

I say this because I have two of the exact same species of fairy wrasse, both males in my 4’ tank with what is meant to be one of the most aggressive fairies (C. melanomarginatus). None of them fight, yes the odd flashing occurs but they never chase eachother it’s instead the Jade that keeps them in check.

After re-reading that, I’ve seen a puffer… I would ignore any wrasse that is less than 4” at max size. This includes:
- Angular flasher
- Carpenters flasher
- Possibly the naoko fairy

I cant say anything about the chart because all of my wrasses go completely against what it says, actually I think my whole stock goes against what the main “rules” of fish involve. It’s nothing about the species but instead the temperament of the fish. As I said I had a divebombing naoko that constantly swam and flashed at everything which was my favourite display. My naoko now is way calmer than the other, and it’s nothing to do with size because they both were at the same size.

 

[homer1475]

Hey @i cant think do you ever sleep?

Your on in the early morning when I am, and at late night when I'm on sometimes. lol

 

[homer1475]

Some of my stock breaks the laws too. I personally feel it comes down to each individual fish's personality.

I feel fish communities, are very similar to humans personalities. Some of us get along fine with each other, while others don't get along with anyone, and yet some get along with others that are like minded and personalities.

 

[i cant think]

Hey @i cant think do you ever sleep?

Your on in the early morning when I am, and at late night when I'm on sometimes. lol

Haha, yeah.

Some of my stock breaks the laws too. I personally feel it comes down to each individual fish's personality.

I feel fish communities, are very similar to humans personalities. Some of us get along fine with each other, while others don't get along with anyone, and yet some get along with others that are like minded and personalities.

I completely agree with you, I have had fish that never got along when I worked in a LFS but other times fish that weren’t meant to get along just ignored eachother. I kept a Koran Angel and a Blue face together just fine whereas I kept several wrasse that just didn’t get along even if they were on the opposite sides of the chart.

 

[homer1475]

Same here.

I've kept some wasses that were never supposed to be together, and completely ignore each other. Yet have kept some that should be absolutely fine together, and all heck breaks out.

Kind of like my current situation......

Red corris wrasse by all means shouldn't even look twice at a black leopard(never even looks at the melagris), but as soon as the black comes out of the sand, the red is on it.

 

[i cant think]

Same here.

I've kept some wasses that were never supposed to be together, and completely ignore each other. Yet have kept some that should be absolutely fine together, and all heck breaks out.

Kind of like my current situation......

Red corris wrasse by all means shouldn't even look twice at a black leopard(never even looks at the melagris), but as soon as the black comes out of the sand, the red is on it.

That’s what makes me fearful of adding my naoko and blue star leopard to the main display with a jade in there. I hope if I can remove the Jade my wrasse still get along with the tang and foxface keeping them in line. Hopefully if I ever do have to take out the Jade I will be able to add another Halichoeres (Possibly iridis if it was a juvenile).

 

[homer1475]

It's just odd as that is the only fish in my system that the red even bothers. Initially the red did chase the yellow corris, but that subsided rather quickly when the tank boss(yellow corris), put the red in it's place.

Even now that the red is nearly twice the size of the yellow, the red still leaves a large space between them.

 

[Bars]

Well that's a poor start of the new year
I saw the new leopard laying under the rockwork this morning, heavy breathing and very slowly. Red coloration on her belly and a big, white eye. Fins were all stiff as well. She kept rolling over, just laying on the sand. Couldn't even bury herself anymore.

I won't be picking up sand burying wrasses anymore from my LFS the day they get them in from the importer. Every single one of them died within a few days unfortunately.