The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

saltyhog · Mar 1, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
QM has had them, so places that use them can get them.

Thanks! My LFS does use them and is going to try and order one for me!

Edit : Yikes they said about $500 with their normal mark up! I guess I'll wait a little longer.

jimmyzhou · Mar 1, 2018

mrtian97 said:
Which type of wrasse that is the least jumper?

Flame wrasse 10 jump in one month lolz

Renton777 · Mar 2, 2018

Sharing a few recent pictures of my wrasses

J Rog · Mar 2, 2018

sil40sx said:
Wow, I wish the one I saw in my LFS is as bright red as this. I need this in my tank

Awesome! I love mine as well

Thomashtom · Mar 2, 2018

Hi here is my broomtail wrasse. Thanks Tom

ascheff · Mar 3, 2018

Hello wrasse people,

I'm in need of your advice. My tank, a 59” x 27.5” x 19.5” 160 gallon total volume, is wrasse dominated, with plenty of inverts and corals, including zoas, SPS, LPS, gorgonia and Clams. I have been getting away so far with only a mix of different snails, a Hector's Goby and somewhat recently two short-spine urchins as my only herbivores.

Although I certainly don't have an algae problem and I'm not really after a spotless algae free tank, there are some patches of algae that is a bit unsightly as the inverts don't travel around all that much. I have been thinking of adding one herbivorous fish, but I can't decide on what. I want my wrasses to remain the star attractions, so don't want any compatibility issues with the current and any future wrasses and would prefer something smallish, under 5", maybe 6" max. Also also don't want issues with my corals and clams. Lastly I need at least some filamentous algae to keep my Hector's Goby fat and healthy. Any suggestions?

I've narrowed it down to Ctenochaetus tangs, perhaps tominiensis or truncatus, but worry about aggression. I've read from @eatbreakfast that they may be especially problematic with Macropharyngodon wrasses, so I worry about my lapillus pair.

My other option is a blenny, perhaps Ecsenius or Salarias. I've always liked the Ecsenius personalities and quite like E. pictus. they remain small and I don't expect compatibility issues, but might be a problem with my corals and especially clams. Perhaps not if well fed? Salarias on the other hand get bigger, and from what I read also aggressive, and again might be an issue with corals and clams.

Is there anything else I should consider? What do other people keep in wrasse dominated mixed reefs to control algae?

Current fish list: Cirrhilabrus lubbocki , C.isosceles , C.lineatus, C. katherinae, Paracheilinus mccoskeri , P.piscilineatus, Macropharyngodon (Halichoeres) lapillus (pair), Halichoeres marginatus, H.lecoxanthus, Wetmorella tanakai, Pseudocheilinops ataenia, Elactinus oceanops, Koumansetta hectori, Gramma loreto, Pterapogon kauderni, Nemateleotris magnifica, Doryrhamphus excisus

ascheff · Mar 3, 2018

Please also excuse that this question is a bit off topic, but I feel the people in this thread will probably relate more to my situation. I fear the people in the Tang Lover's Thread might lead me astray

eatbreakfast · Mar 3, 2018

Do you know what kind of algae it is? With the urchins, snails, andbhectori you have avgood smattering of algae eaters. If there is an algae in the tank that those guys don't eat, then any of the proposed species likely won't either.

Abhishek · Mar 3, 2018

As @eatbreakfast said .. is it only algae control for whichbyou want the tang or you would love to keep the species ?
I keep a kole tang along with Macrophryngdons , Anampses and Halichoeres . I would say a kole tang is pretty mild natured and I would always get a smaller one and introduce way later after my wrasses have settled in . As a general rule of thumb , I keep tangs the last species to be introduced which helps with their aggression .

Regards,
Abhishek

HairyGary · Mar 3, 2018

My Whitetail has been a model citizen so far and does not stop grazing.

becks · Mar 3, 2018

My peacock wrasse red colour is fading, she’s no longer a vibrant red and it looks like she’s loosing some of the white spots on her black belly - or atleast it appears she is.

Other than that She’s healthy and nice chunky

saltyhog · Mar 3, 2018

I have had a Purple Tang which did present any problems with my wrasses which included Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus, Macropharyngodon and Halichoeres species. I re-homed it only because it was aggressive with my Gold Rim tang which I much prefer.

ascheff · Mar 3, 2018

Thanks for the input everyone.

eatbreakfast said:
Do you know what kind of algae it is? With the urchins, snails, andbhectori you have avgood smattering of algae eaters. If there is an algae in the tank that those guys don't eat, then any of the proposed species likely won't either.

It is just normal run of the mill hair algae. It mostly annoys me where it sits in between coral, and when pieces come loose and get stuck in my gorgonians. If mostly inverts should be able to do as good as a herbivorous fish, I might opt to boost their numbers a bit and see if getting more coverage will give me better results.

Abhishek said:
is it only algae control for whichbyou want the tang or you would love to keep the species ?

I have nothing against tangs, but no great attraction either, so would be mostly a functional choice. Given the choice I'd much rather add another wrasse, or some other interesting smaller cryptic fishes.

HairyGary said:
My Whitetail has been a model citizen so far and does not stop grazing.

I had a look at Ctenochaetus flavicauda, which I know as the Whitetail Bristletooth, but personally cannot justify the cost. Good to know that members of the genus can be well behaved if I were to go this route.

saltyhog said:
I have had a Purple Tang which did present any problems with my wrasses which included Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus, Macropharyngodon and Halichoeres species.

Unfortunately a Purple Tang, while a very striking fish, get much too big for my liking, and will look out of place with my mostly smaller fishes.

eatbreakfast · Mar 3, 2018

ascheff said:
Thanks for the input everyone.

It is just normal run of the mill hair algae. It mostly annoys me where it sits in between coral, and when pieces come loose and get stuck in my gorgonians. If mostly inverts should be able to do as good as a herbivorous fish, I might opt to boost their numbers a bit and see if getting more coverage will give me better results.

I have nothing against tangs, but no great attraction either, so would be mostly a functional choice. Given the choice I'd much rather add another wrasse, or some other interesting smaller cryptic fishes.

I had a look at Ctenochaetus flavicauda, which I know as the Whitetail Bristletooth, but personally cannot justify the cost. Good to know that members of the genus can be well behaved if I were to go this route.

Unfortunately a Purple Tang, while a very striking fish, get much too big for my liking, and will look out of place with my mostly smaller fishes.

My recommendation would be to add a few emerald crabs. None of your wrasses will eat them, and they are one of the best behaved crabs out there. Or a seahare, the single best algae eater.

ascheff · Mar 3, 2018

eatbreakfast said:
My recommendation would be to add a few emerald crabs. None of your wrasses will eat them, and they are one of the best behaved crabs out there. Or a seahare, the single best algae eater.

Thank you. I actually had one Emerald crab some time ago, and have to agree that he was always munching away on algae. He was quite big and I lost two smaller fishes without a trace, and as a process of elimination got rid of him. Looking for a few smaller ones might actually be a good idea. Too small and the marginatus might go after them though. He started dismembering my porcelain crabs when he got bigger, so had to quickly relocate them.

I thought about a sea hare too, but I know they are ravenous algae eaters, and I probably won't be able to sustain one for very long. I might look at getting one temporarily and pass him on to someone else when he is done.