The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Slocke]

Alright. Ready to get hurt again.

Let’s talk leopard ( meleagris). Instead of shipping we will be going LFS and watch it eat/check for mouth injury)

Bought this acclimation box. https://a.co/d/gygxq82

For leopard, put near the bottom with sand in the bottom inch?

Yep but this will work too!

 

[JoJosReef]

Question for all the wrasse lovers...

Setting up a new tank (48x24) and I'm contemplating what wrasse I would like. A few I'm drawn to

-mystery wrasse
-radiant wrasse
-earmuff wrasse
-the leopard wrasses

I don't care for the fairy wrasses and don't want a six line. The tank will have a mandarin, so he needs to get along with that ( I have read the mystery wrasse may beat up a mandarin).

Id love to hear some thoughts!

Other than the Mandarin, what else will you have in the tank? Radiant would be excellent. Any of the leopards would be excellent if you can get them in good health. I have a pair of pink streaks hanging out doing their thing and they are very cute.

 

[Ross]

Other than the Mandarin, what else will you have in the tank? Radiant would be excellent. Any of the leopards would be excellent if you can get them in good health. I have a pair of pink streaks hanging out doing their thing and they are very cute.

Pair of clowns, Midas blenny, flameback ángel, purple tang, lavender tang, and whatever wrasse i decide on. Nothing super aggressive. I would probably look at adding the wrasse after the angel and before the tangs.

 

[i cant think]

Pair of clowns, Midas blenny, flameback ángel, purple tang, lavender tang, and whatever wrasse i decide on. Nothing super aggressive. I would probably look at adding the wrasse after the angel and before the tangs.

I’d get the wrasses in fairly early - You’re going with a higher activity tank especially with 2 tangs. Wrasses don’t often acclimate the best with this type of system once it’s going.

I’d look at these genera;
Halichoeres
Anampses
Macropharyngodon
Xenojulis

And although I know you dont care for the fairies how about the Paracheilinus species? They add a ton of colour and activity to the top of the tank whilst the other species stay fairly low down.

 

[Ross]

I’d get the wrasses in fairly early - You’re going with a higher activity tank especially with 2 tangs. Wrasses don’t often acclimate the best with this type of system once it’s going.

I’d look at these genera;
Halichoeres
Anampses
Macropharyngodon
Xenojulis

And although I know you dont care for the fairies how about the Paracheilinus species? They add a ton of colour and activity to the top of the tank whilst the other species stay fairly low down.

Thanks! Those are lots of options, its pretty overwhelming.

I keep going back to the radiant and earmuff. How do yall feel about one vs the other? Any major differences, hardiness or difficulty to keep? Will a 1-2" sandbed be enough?

 

[JoJosReef]

Thanks! Those are lots of options, its pretty overwhelming.

I keep going back to the radiant and earmuff. How do yall feel about one vs the other? Any major differences, hardiness or difficulty to keep? Will a 1-2" sandbed be enough?

I would say so. I have a 1-2" sandbed and my Halichoeres chrysus yellow wrasse and Macropharyngodon bipartitis Blue Star Leopard are perfectly fine. The sand shifts a bit, so I think they have their own mounds they sleep in.

Is it Radiant + Earmuff or Radiant vs. Earmuff?

 

[Ross]

I would say so. I have a 1-2" sandbed and my Halichoeres chrysus yellow wrasse and Macropharyngodon bipartitis Blue Star Leopard are perfectly fine. The sand shifts a bit, so I think they have their own mounds they sleep in.

Is it Radiant + Earmuff or Radiant vs. Earmuff?

I would probably go with one or the other.

 

[i cant think]

I would probably go with one or the other.

Any reason specifically why you wouldn’t go for both?

 

[Ross]

Any reason specifically why you wouldn’t go for both?

Would they be compatible together?

I've quarantine a fair share of fish, including tangs and angels, but never wrasses. I'm a little gun shy to tackle quarantining two species that apparently don't ship well, on top of the issues with wrasses not tolerating most medications very well.

 

[OrionN]

Question for all the wrasse lovers...

Setting up a new tank (48x24) and I'm contemplating what wrasse I would like. A few I'm drawn to

-mystery wrasse
-radiant wrasse
-earmuff wrasse
-the leopard wrasses

I don't care for the fairy wrasses and don't want a six line. The tank will have a mandarin, so he needs to get along with that ( I have read the mystery wrasse may beat up a mandarin).

Id love to hear some thoughts!

May I ask why you are not interested in Fairy. They, along with flashers, are among the most colorful of all wrasses.
Of your list, I would consider remove the Mystery and add a China Wrasse, which is a beautiful, docile wrasse. Keep Leopards, Radiant and China wrasses in harem formation, and you will be reward with exceptionally interesting behaviors in addition to extremely beautiful colors.

 

[OrionN]

My baby Leucoxanthus. Only about 1.5 inch.

 

[Ross]

May I ask why you are not interested in Fairy. They, along with flashers, are among the most colorful of all wrasses.
Of your list, I would consider remove the Mystery and add a China Wrasse, which is a beautiful, docile wrasse. Keep Leopards, Radiant and China wrasses in harem formation, and you will be reward with exceptionally interesting behaviors in addition to extremely beautiful colors.

Thank you for the suggestion of the china wrasse. I just looked up the pictures of yours, they are awesome! Will definitely add this to the list to consider with the radiant and earmuff.

Are the chinas easier to get acclimated and eating than the others?

 

[OrionN]

Thanks

Thank you for the suggestion of the china wrasse. I just looked up the pictures of yours, they are awesome! Will definitely add this to the list to consider with the radiant and earmuff.

Are the chinas easier to get acclimated and eating than the others?

China Wrasse is not an easy wrasse but far from impossible. They are hardy and easy to get acclimated if they are in reasonable shape at the LFS. I got three, one died after 6-8 months because she got snout damage and it heal abnormal. She cannot open her mouth and can only eat tiny pieces of food. That was the reason she died. The other two did great.
I am no slouch in getting fish to live so your experience may or may not be the same.

 

[Slocke]

Would they be compatible together?

I've quarantine a fair share of fish, including tangs and angels, but never wrasses. I'm a little gun shy to tackle quarantining two species that apparently don't ship well, on top of the issues with wrasses not tolerating most medications very well.

Wrasse are more resistant to parasites then other fish but are more susceptible to copper. Either skip the copper or use a chelated copper like copper power.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Red is growing up

Lemmy made the trek over to play with the bad guys. Timor beat him up pretty good, but he's recovering nicely.

Also, Hardwicke has disappeared. RIP Jaws

 

[Slocke]

Red is growing up

Lemmy made the trek over to play with the bad guys. Timor beat him up pretty good, but he's recovering nicely.

Also, Hardwicke has disappeared. RIP Jaws

Red is so so pretty!!

 

[OrchidMiss]

Red is so so pretty!!

Knew you'd appreciate him

 

[Cool Ethan]

Knew you'd appreciate him

What is he?

 

[OrchidMiss]

What is he?

He is a red coris wrasse, coris gaimard

 

[Crabby48]

Red is growing up

Lemmy made the trek over to play with the bad guys. Timor beat him up pretty good, but he's recovering nicely.

Also, Hardwicke has disappeared. RIP Jaws

And there lies the secret. Go Red!