The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Paul87]

Koi fairy wrasse, C. adornatus, would be my prime suspect, they are a pretty aggressive fairy toward other fairy and flashers, followed by the midas blenny. Most midas blennies are fine, but there are exceptions.

+1 on the Midas blenny. The one I tried was a major bully. My wrasses were terrified of him, as they should have been. He would land some brutal bites. He is no longer with me.

Maybe, maybe not. That's the thing with spinal injuries - sometimes they heal fine, other times they don't.

I lost my C. lineatus from a spinal injury. Not sure how he got it (I never witnessed bullying) but he passed that night. Here he was the day I noticed it. It was a sad day.

 

[UffnerReef]

+1 on the Midas blenny. The one I tried was a major bully. My wrasses were terrified of him, as they should have been. He would land some brutal bites. He is no longer with me.



I lost my C. lineatus from a spinal injury. Not sure how he got it (I never witnessed bullying) but he passed that night. Here he was the day I noticed it. It was a sad day.

Sorry you lost him- beautiful fish :-/ That is how my orange back is currently swimming.

 

[Paul87]

Sorry you lost him- beautiful fish :-/ That is how my orange back is currently swimming.

Yea, they are such a beautiful fish. I wouldn't ever try another unless I upgrade to a larger tank though. I'm not sure what can be done in terms of "fixing" a spinal injury in a fish. Possibly turn down the flow in the tank? Hope you're orange back is able to pull through if it is a spinal injury.

 

[mfinn]

I added my 2 female bipartitus wrasses to my display tank after 1-1/2 days in a acclimation box.
The 2 resident female meleagris didn't hardly even notice them. A couple times they swam by the box with the other 2 inside, but didn't react at all.
So I opened the doors on the acclimation box and it took a half day or so for the bipartitus wrasses to venture out. The other wrasses saw them out. Still no reaction.
I left the box inside the display tank and the bipartitus wrasses went back inside to sleep in the sand box the first night

So I figured everything was good.
But today I only saw the smaller of the 2 bipartitus after the lights came on. ( saw them both early this morning when the tank was dark).
And there were some issues.

The 2 meleagris always seemed to hang near the right side of the tank.
So when I opened the doors on the acclimation box I slid it to the left side, thinking they would find the rock pile to the left as unoccupied territory ( no wrasses) to claim.
And that seemed to work.
But today the smaller bipartitus just had to keep going to the other end of the tank.
The larger meleagris would have no part of it. It would really go after the smaller wrasse, but would stop about half way down the tank.
Once in a while the larger meleagris would make a tour through the left side of the tank, but always returned to the other end.
It must have happened a dozen times or more that I saw.
I hope the bipartitus learns where her territory is, soon.
As far as the bigger bipartitus, I don't know.
Plus I'll be glad when they get on the tanks schedule ( didn't learn the schedule in quarantine).
They have stuck to their own schedule. Up at 6:30-7am and in the sand by 2-2:30pm everyday.
I hate having to feed early to make sure the bipartitus

 

[eatbreakfast]

I added my 2 female bipartitus wrasses to my display tank after 1-1/2 days in a acclimation box.
The 2 resident female meleagris didn't hardly even notice them. A couple times they swam by the box with the other 2 inside, but didn't react at all.
So I opened the doors on the acclimation box and it took a half day or so for the bipartitus wrasses to venture out. The other wrasses saw them out. Still no reaction.
I left the box inside the display tank and the bipartitus wrasses went back inside to sleep in the sand box the first night

So I figured everything was good.
But today I only saw the smaller of the 2 bipartitus after the lights came on. ( saw them both early this morning when the tank was dark).
And there were some issues.

The 2 meleagris always seemed to hang near the right side of the tank.
So when I opened the doors on the acclimation box I slid it to the left side, thinking they would find the rock pile to the left as unoccupied territory ( no wrasses) to claim.
And that seemed to work.
But today the smaller bipartitus just had to keep going to the other end of the tank.
The larger meleagris would have no part of it. It would really go after the smaller wrasse, but would stop about half way down the tank.
Once in a while the larger meleagris would make a tour through the left side of the tank, but always returned to the other end.
It must have happened a dozen times or more that I saw.
I hope the bipartitus learns where her territory is, soon.
As far as the bigger bipartitus, I don't know.
Plus I'll be glad when they get on the tanks schedule ( didn't learn the schedule in quarantine).
They have stuck to their own schedule. Up at 6:30-7am and in the sand by 2-2:30pm everyday.
I hate having to feed early to make sure the bipartitus

If you feed close to the time the bipartitus go to bed, I've found this helps 'extend' the time they stay up.

 

[mfinn]

If you feed close to the time the bipartitus go to bed, I've found this helps 'extend' the time they stay up.

Yeah, I just have make a plan to be home and visible.
I think when they see me around the tank, they think there's a chance food will appear.

Also, will the aggressive female meleagris be that way with a female geoffroyi?

 

[Mike_J]

Who keeps cirrhilabrus roseafascia? I'm in love with this fish and am thinking about adding one to my wrasse collection. My current inhabitants include Cirrhilabrus lineatus, Cirrhilarbrus isosceles, Cirrhilabrus lunatus, Cirrhilabrus earlei, and a magma wrasse. I know the temperament of this fish but want opinions from real world reefers that keep it within their reef community. Anyone?

 

[evolved]

Also, will the aggressive female meleagris be that way with a female geoffroyi?

Probably, if not more so I'm afraid. Meleagris and geoffroy are closer related than meleagris and bipartitus.

Who keeps cirrhilabrus roseafascia? I'm in love with this fish and am thinking about adding one to my wrasse collection. My current inhabitants include Cirrhilabrus lineatus, Cirrhilarbrus isosceles, Cirrhilabrus lunatus, Cirrhilabrus earlei, and a magma wrasse. I know the temperament of this fish but want opinions from real world reefers that keep it within their reef community. Anyone?

I wouldn't do it; way too many horror stories with that species being a complete terror.
Some specimens are not bad and pretty mild, but it would not be worth the gamble for me.

 

[Mike_J]

Probably, if not more so I'm afraid. Meleagris and geoffroy are closer related than meleagris and bipartitus.

I wouldn't do it; way too many horror stories with that species being a complete terror.
Some specimens are not bad and pretty mild, but it would not be worth the gamble for me.

Thanks, I figured you'd say that.

 

[mfinn]

Probably, if not more so I'm afraid. Meleagris and geoffroy are closer related than meleagris and bipartitus.

That's disappointing.

If the meleagris turns male, does that change anything in regards to a female geoffroy being added?

 

[evolved]

That's disappointing.

If the meleagris turns male, does that change anything in regards to a female geoffroy being added?

It could change things, yes; but better or worse is the unknown question...

 

[mfinn]

It could change things, yes; but better or worse is the unknown question...

Ok thanks.
I am very happy that the current 2 meleagris are getting along. The larger female does show the smaller one who is boss every once in a while, but it's pretty mellow.
Hopefully the issues with the bipartitus works out.

One more Macropharyngodon I've had my eye on is the kuiteri.
LA has had a large in for a while now, but I would want a smaller one.
Any chance it would be able to stand up to a meleagris?

I also have been thinking maybe a small male Halichoeres chrysotaenia or even a small female melanurus.

 

[evolved]

One more Macropharyngodon I've had my eye on is the kuiteri.
LA has had a large in for a while now, but I would want a smaller one.
Any chance it would be able to stand up to a meleagris?

Being the most aggressive species (kuiteri) in the genus, you'd have the best chance.
Give it a bit of time though, and I bet you find your problematic meleagris lets up on the bipartitus.

I also have been thinking maybe a small male Halichoeres chrysotaenia or even a small female melanurus.

And the meleagris probably won't even give a second look.

 

[Ds04384]

What kind of inverts are not compatable with flasher wrasses?

 

[eatbreakfast]

What kind of inverts are not comparable with flasher wrasses?

Just about all of them.

 

[evolved]

Just about all of them.

You missed the "not" in his question.

The only inverts that would present a problem with a flasher would be any invert which could eat the flasher.

 

[Ds04384]

You missed the "not" in his question.

The only inverts that would present a problem with a flasher would be any invert which could eat the flasher.

I was thinking the other way around. Do they mess with anything?

 

[evolved]

I was thinking the other way around. Do they mess with anything?

As a pelagic zooplankton feeder, no.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I was thinking the other way around. Do they mess with anything?

I totally misread the question.

Pretty much all inverts will be safe from a flasher.

 

[Ds04384]

I totally misread the question.

Pretty much all inverts will be safe from a flasher.

Ok perfect. That's what I thought I was just wanting to confirm