Wrasse compatiblity

[Reefingmama]

Hi, we are planning on upgrading our 120 into a 450g. We currently have a melanarius wrasse. He’s HUGE and VERY happy. Viciously eats anything we put in the tank, including pellets and nori. The thing is I LOVE wrasses and would really like a huge group of wrasses. I have a lot that are dream fish and my thought is to add a bunch of them to the big system and give them a month or two to establish and then add the melanarius after they settle. As of now, we can’t add any other wrasses without him attacking them. But he’s also been settled in the tank for 3 years. Thoughts on compatibility with this list? Anything I’m going to run into?

mystery wrasse
Leopard wrasse
Bells flasher wrasse
Pintail wrasse
Laboutes wrasse
Hooded flame wrasse
Naokos wrasse
McCoskers Wrasse
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse
Chaotis wrasse

 

[esquare]

I don't know a lot about Wrasse's but an Acclimation Box can be helpful when introducing new fish to an established tank.

 

[TheFunnyFarm]

Hi, we are planning on upgrading our 120 into a 450g. We currently have a melanarius wrasse. He’s HUGE and VERY happy. Viciously eats anything we put in the tank, including pellets and nori. The thing is I LOVE wrasses and would really like a huge group of wrasses. I have a lot that are dream fish and my thought is to add a bunch of them to the big system and give them a month or two to establish and then add the melanarius after they settle. As of now, we can’t add any other wrasses without him attacking them. But he’s also been settled in the tank for 3 years. Thoughts on compatibility with this list? Anything I’m going to run into?

mystery wrasse
Leopard wrasse
Bells flasher wrasse
Pintail wrasse
Laboutes wrasse
Hooded flame wrasse
Naokos wrasse
McCoskers Wrasse
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse
Chaotis wrasse

@i cant think @Slocke

These two are the wrasse gurus

 

[Slocke]

Hi, we are planning on upgrading our 120 into a 450g. We currently have a melanarius wrasse. He’s HUGE and VERY happy. Viciously eats anything we put in the tank, including pellets and nori. The thing is I LOVE wrasses and would really like a huge group of wrasses. I have a lot that are dream fish and my thought is to add a bunch of them to the big system and give them a month or two to establish and then add the melanarius after they settle. As of now, we can’t add any other wrasses without him attacking them. But he’s also been settled in the tank for 3 years. Thoughts on compatibility with this list? Anything I’m going to run into?

mystery wrasse

Can become very territorial. In the wild they will claim a peace of the reef and defend it ferociously. Some have success with no issues though.

Leopard wrasse

There are about a dozen species not just one. Sensitive at first and then becomes easier. Sometimes can be bullied by Halichoeres wrasse like a melanarus.

Bells flasher wrasse

Should do fine though I prefer the blue or filamented both in appearance and cost.

Pintail wrasse

Great

Laboutes wrasse

Can be more aggressive but in a big tank like yours.

Hooded flame wrasse

Great!

Naokos wrasse

Love them!

McCoskers Wrasse

Great

Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse

Great

Chaotis wrasse

This is a species of leopard and unfortunately the most sensitive and difficult of all the fairies.



I would strongly suggest using an acclimation box with the melanarus and any later additions. For wrasse I suggest I’ll post in another post but for now you have a great selection of flasher and fairy wrasse but you could easily add more.

 

[Reefingmama]

Can become very territorial. In the wild they will claim a peace of the reef and defend it ferociously. Some have success with no issues though.

There are about a dozen species not just one. Sensitive at first and then becomes easier. Sometimes can be bullied by Halichoeres wrasse like a melanarus.

Should do fine though I prefer the blue or filamented both in appearance and cost.

Great

Can be more aggressive but in a big tank like yours.

Great!

Love them!

Great

Great

This is a species of leopard and unfortunately the most sensitive and difficult of all the fairies.



I would strongly suggest using an acclimation box with the melanarus and any later additions. For wrasse I suggest I’ll post in another post but for now you have a great selection of flasher and fairy wrasse but you could easily add more.

Thank you! Yeah I’m a bit worried even with adding the more sensitive ones first (and letting them acclimate and feed etc ) when I add the melanarius I’m afraid it will go on a killing spree. I do have an acclimation box. I made the grave mistake of adding a leopard wrasse and my Mel literally tore him in half within 5 minutes of being in the tank AFTER using an acclimation box…..

 

[Reefingmama]

Thank you! Yeah I’m a bit worried even with adding the more sensitive ones first (and letting them acclimate and feed etc ) when I add the melanarius I’m afraid it will go on a killing spree. I do have an acclimation box. I made the grave mistake of adding a leopard wrasse and my Mel literally tore him in half within 5 minutes of being in the tank AFTER using an acclimation box…..

But that was in the 120. So maybe the big system will help a lot.

 

[Reefingmama]

Can become very territorial. In the wild they will claim a peace of the reef and defend it ferociously. Some have success with no issues though.

There are about a dozen species not just one. Sensitive at first and then becomes easier. Sometimes can be bullied by Halichoeres wrasse like a melanarus.

Should do fine though I prefer the blue or filamented both in appearance and cost.

Great

Can be more aggressive but in a big tank like yours.

Great!

Love them!

Great

Great

This is a species of leopard and unfortunately the most sensitive and difficult of all the fairies.



I would strongly suggest using an acclimation box with the melanarus and any later additions. For wrasse I suggest I’ll post in another post but for now you have a great selection of flasher and fairy wrasse but you could easily add more.

Any other wrasses that you would recommend that would get along with this group? I might leave out the Choitis.

 

[Slocke]

So for an actual wrasse selection you have to consider the other fish. If you stick with smaller, less aggressive fish then I suggest smaller, more peaceful wrasse and naturally if you are planning more large boisterous fish then you want similar wrasse. With wrasse never get two of the same species but rather a variety of species.

I'll just do the peaceful for now. I will give a quick overview and my suggestions/favorites:

Leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon): Leopards are generally very peaceful and very pretty (at least as females). The issue is they are sensitive and often struggle with shipping. I suggest 2-3 of these.

• M meleagris - white leopard: My favorite and on the easier side
• M bipartitus - blue star leopard
• M negrosensis - black leopard: Also very very pretty
• M choati - orange leopard: most difficult of them all sadly

Tamarin wrasse (Anampses): Tamarins are like leopards but bigger and unfortunately more sensitive. These will look impressive in your tank without being at all aggressive. They are also very very pretty! I suggest 1-2 of these.

• A neoguinaicus - china wrasse: easier then most but still difficult
• A meleagrides - yellowtail tamarin: same as above
• A twistii - yellow breasted wrasse: Same as above
• A lennardi - Lennardi's wrasse: very difficult but very very pretty
• A femininus - femininus wrasse: same as the lennardi

Flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus): Now onto something a lot easier! Flashers are flashy and though sometimes shy make great fish. I suggest 2-5 of these. They are all basically equally pretty and all easy moderate difficulty.

• P cyaneus - blue
• P filamentosus - filamented
• P attenuatus - diamond tail

Fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus): These guys range completely in terms of aggression but if you keep from having them too closely related you should be fine. You have a great group already but I suggest 3-7 of these and will only add:

• C exquisitus - exquisite fairy: A good addition with the 5 already on your list.

Pig wrasse (halichoeres): These are often seen as the pest eaters but there are some very pretty ones. They can be more boisterous though like your melanurus. I suggest 2-4 of these.

• H iridis - radiant wrasse
• H chrysus - yellow
• H marginatus - dusky
• H melasmapomus - earmuff

Lined wrasse (Pseudocheilinus): Little monsters but for some reason very popular. This is where your mystery wrasse belongs. The sixline is the most popular in this group. I suggest 0 of these.

Cleaner wrasse (Labroides): Only add if you have a lot of fish but a great fish if you can satisfy its need to eat off other fish. I suggest getting a captive bred one from biota or waiting till you have a lot of fish. I suggest 1 of these.

• L dimidiatus - blue streak cleaner

 

[Reefingmama]

So for an actual wrasse selection you have to consider the other fish. If you stick with smaller, less aggressive fish then I suggest smaller, more peaceful wrasse and naturally if you are planning more large boisterous fish then you want similar wrasse. With wrasse never get two of the same species but rather a variety of species.

I'll just do the peaceful for now. I will give a quick overview and my suggestions/favorites:

Leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon): Leopards are generally very peaceful and very pretty (at least as females). The issue is they are sensitive and often struggle with shipping. I suggest 2-3 of these.

• M meleagris - white leopard: My favorite and on the easier side
• M bipartitus - blue star leopard
• M negrosensis - black leopard: Also very very pretty
• M choati - orange leopard: most difficult of them all sadly

Tamarin wrasse (Anampses): Tamarins are like leopards but bigger and unfortunately more sensitive. These will look impressive in your tank without being at all aggressive. They are also very very pretty! I suggest 1-2 of these.

• A neoguinaicus - china wrasse: easier then most but still difficult
• A meleagrides - yellowtail tamarin: same as above
• A twistii - yellow breasted wrasse: Same as above
• A lennardi - Lennardi's wrasse: very difficult but very very pretty
• A femininus - femininus wrasse: same as the lennardi

Flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus): Now onto something a lot easier! Flashers are flashy and though sometimes shy make great fish. I suggest 2-5 of these. They are all basically equally pretty and all easy moderate difficulty.

• P cyaneus - blue
• P filamentosus - filamented
• P attenuatus - diamond tail

Fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus): These guys range completely in terms of aggression but if you keep from having them too closely related you should be fine. You have a great group already but I suggest 3-7 of these and will only add:

• C exquisitus - exquisite fairy: A good addition with the 5 already on your list.

Pig wrasse (halichoeres): These are often seen as the pest eaters but there are some very pretty ones. They can be more boisterous though like your melanurus. I suggest 2-4 of these.

• H iridis - radiant wrasse
• H chrysus - yellow
• H marginatus - dusky
• H melasmapomus - earmuff

Lined wrasse (Pseudocheilinus): Little monsters but for some reason very popular. This is where your mystery wrasse belongs. The sixline is the most popular in this group. I suggest 0 of these.

Cleaner wrasse (Labroides): Only add if you have a lot of fish but a great fish if you can satisfy its need to eat off other fish. I suggest getting a captive bred one from biota or waiting till you have a lot of fish. I suggest 1 of these.

• L dimidiatus - blue streak cleaner

Thank you so much! VERY helpful!

 

[Reefingmama]

So for an actual wrasse selection you have to consider the other fish. If you stick with smaller, less aggressive fish then I suggest smaller, more peaceful wrasse and naturally if you are planning more large boisterous fish then you want similar wrasse. With wrasse never get two of the same species but rather a variety of species.

I'll just do the peaceful for now. I will give a quick overview and my suggestions/favorites:

Leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon): Leopards are generally very peaceful and very pretty (at least as females). The issue is they are sensitive and often struggle with shipping. I suggest 2-3 of these.

• M meleagris - white leopard: My favorite and on the easier side
• M bipartitus - blue star leopard
• M negrosensis - black leopard: Also very very pretty
• M choati - orange leopard: most difficult of them all sadly

Tamarin wrasse (Anampses): Tamarins are like leopards but bigger and unfortunately more sensitive. These will look impressive in your tank without being at all aggressive. They are also very very pretty! I suggest 1-2 of these.

• A neoguinaicus - china wrasse: easier then most but still difficult
• A meleagrides - yellowtail tamarin: same as above
• A twistii - yellow breasted wrasse: Same as above
• A lennardi - Lennardi's wrasse: very difficult but very very pretty
• A femininus - femininus wrasse: same as the lennardi

Flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus): Now onto something a lot easier! Flashers are flashy and though sometimes shy make great fish. I suggest 2-5 of these. They are all basically equally pretty and all easy moderate difficulty.

• P cyaneus - blue
• P filamentosus - filamented
• P attenuatus - diamond tail

Fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus): These guys range completely in terms of aggression but if you keep from having them too closely related you should be fine. You have a great group already but I suggest 3-7 of these and will only add:

• C exquisitus - exquisite fairy: A good addition with the 5 already on your list.

Pig wrasse (halichoeres): These are often seen as the pest eaters but there are some very pretty ones. They can be more boisterous though like your melanurus. I suggest 2-4 of these.

• H iridis - radiant wrasse
• H chrysus - yellow
• H marginatus - dusky
• H melasmapomus - earmuff

Lined wrasse (Pseudocheilinus): Little monsters but for some reason very popular. This is where your mystery wrasse belongs. The sixline is the most popular in this group. I suggest 0 of these.

Cleaner wrasse (Labroides): Only add if you have a lot of fish but a great fish if you can satisfy its need to eat off other fish. I suggest getting a captive bred one from biota or waiting till you have a lot of fish. I suggest 1 of these.

• L dimidiatus - blue streak cleaner

Question, do you find that the softer wrasses, if they have time to acclimate, are comfortable with more active fish like tangs?

 

[Slocke]

Question, do you find that the softer wrasses, if they have time to acclimate, are comfortable with more active fish like tangs?

Depends on the tang but if you add the tangs later and/or use good acclimation you should be good. Though admittedly I don’t keep tangs.
@i cant think ?

 

[Reefingmama]

Depends on the tang but if you add the tangs later and/or use good acclimation you should be good. Though admittedly I don’t keep tangs.
@i cant think ?

I would definitely plan on adding them after all the wrasses are happy/healthy/eating.

 

[i cant think]

Question, do you find that the softer wrasses, if they have time to acclimate, are comfortable with more active fish like tangs?

If the wrasse are added first before any active or boisterous fish it tends to be that they are much better. But that tends to take months for them to acclimate before they can have much more active species with them IME.

An Acclimation box may also help them when you do have tangs and active species in there but it’s always best to add them first.

Much like Slocke, I don’t keep any large tangs (I do have a Ctenochaetus) but I do have experience adding fragile fairies/flashers to tanks with tangs and it doesn’t go well a lot of the time.

 

[i cant think]

Hi, we are planning on upgrading our 120 into a 450g. We currently have a melanarius wrasse. He’s HUGE and VERY happy. Viciously eats anything we put in the tank, including pellets and nori. The thing is I LOVE wrasses and would really like a huge group of wrasses. I have a lot that are dream fish and my thought is to add a bunch of them to the big system and give them a month or two to establish and then add the melanarius after they settle. As of now, we can’t add any other wrasses without him attacking them. But he’s also been settled in the tank for 3 years. Thoughts on compatibility with this list? Anything I’m going to run into?

mystery wrasse
Leopard wrasse
Bells flasher wrasse
Pintail wrasse
Laboutes wrasse
Hooded flame wrasse
Naokos wrasse
McCoskers Wrasse
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse
Chaotis wrasse

I don’t have much to say other than don’t try a choati until you have had experience with 2-3 other species of Macropharyngodon. This genus is a pain to acclimate and choati is the worst. Even wrasse geeks struggle with them still.

If I’m honest, I wouldn’t risk the Mel. I’d sell him on, you can always get another baby if you want one later but it would have to be the last wrasse or one of the last wrasse.

 

[Reefingmama]

If the wrasse are added first before any active or boisterous fish it tends to be that they are much better. But that tends to take months for them to acclimate before they can have much more active species with them IME.

An Acclimation box may also help them when you do have tangs and active species in there but it’s always best to add them first.

Much like Slocke, I don’t keep any large tangs (I do have a Ctenochaetus) but I do have experience adding fragile fairies/flashers to tanks with tangs and it doesn’t go well a lot of the time.

The good news is time is on our side. The new tank will be set up simultaneously as the old tank for a while and we have the luxury to go slow when adding livestock back in. The current 120 will be moved out of the way and kept running while the big tank is installed and stabilizing. So, if it does take several months for the wrasses to adjust, that’s ok. The tangs can happily stay in their current setup that they have been in for 3 years. That being said, we do plan to use acclimation boxes when we transfer fish from one to the other.