Wrasse heavy stocking plan for 65g

gunit · Sep 20, 2014

So I'm trying to plan out my stock list and setup for my new 65g mixed reef tank I'm setting up. I'm likely going to do a large mix of corals (soft, LPS and SPS) and am thinking of going fairly wrasse heavy on the fish side. I also have a sump with a fuge that has lots of live rock that I plan on try to use for good copepod growth.

Top of my list for fish:

Leopard wrasse (or some species of Macropharyngodon)
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse (or some species of Cirrhilabrus)
Dusky Wrasse (or some species of Halichoeres)
Green Mandarin

Maybe:
Royal Gramma
Coris Wrasse
Blenny

I'll also have a Bangaii coming from my other tank.

So my questions are:

Any foreseeable issues with this stocking list?
How deep should my sand bed be? Is 2" safe or should I really be closer to 3"?
What are my chances actually getting the mandarin to survive with the wrasses?

saltyhog · Sep 20, 2014

You will never have enough pods for your Mandarin with the Dusky and/or the yellow coris wrasse in a tank the size of yours. Otherwise, I think it's a good plan. I wanted a Dusky but never could find one. Vrolik's wrasse is a Halichoeres that is beautiful and not quite as large as a Dusky.

gunit · Sep 20, 2014

Does the Vrolik also feed on copepods?

Marshall O · Sep 20, 2014

Halichoeres Wrasses should be considered competition for pods, as well as a Leopard Wrasse of course.

gunit · Sep 30, 2014

Thanks all!

I ended up getting a Exquisite this weekend that I had my LFS order from Quality Marine. Here "she" is:

I say "she" because that is what the owner of the LFS said, but I didn't think that females were normally this colorful. Anyway she seems to be pretty timid. She mostly stays in her chest/cave and will only come out briefly to eat a little. I've read that hiding in the first few days is somewhat normal (it is day 3 in QT), but this being my first wrasse it makes me nervous that she isn't out more during the day hours and isn't eating a ton.

Any recommendations for helping her settle in?

evolved · Sep 30, 2014

Time.

"She" is a transitional male.

Hopefully goes without saying, but the QT needs to be completely covered. And dimly lit can help with settling in as well.

gunit · Sep 30, 2014

I had a feeling that'd be the answer to both those questions [emoji1]

Should I try to feed super minimal (only what he'll dash out for in a couple minutes) until he is willing to come out and eat it up quickly? Or should I put a normal amount in and just leave so I'm not spooking him by watching?

evolved · Sep 30, 2014

I always feed like normal; it helps them adjust a bit too.

gunit · Nov 1, 2014

Slight change of plans for stocking and an update on the progress so far...

I decided to go with a Vrolik's wrasse whom just finished up his time in Quarantine. Here's a pic just before I moved him over to the main tank:

Also I broke down and decided to go with another fairy wrasse instead of a Leopard Wrasse because I've fallen in love with the look of the Lineatus Fairy Wrasse. I picked up a "Medium" Female/Juvenile from LiveAquaria.

Definitely a bit bigger than I expected for a "Medium" fish which was a nice surprise and more colorful than expected for a Female/Juvenile so I'm wondering if it might actually be a transitional male. Either way super happy with my new addition who seems to have settled in quickly to the QT tank and is already eating well 24 hrs in.

evolved · Nov 3, 2014

gunit said:
Definitely a bit bigger than I expected for a "Medium" fish which was a nice surprise and more colorful than expected for a Female/Juvenile so I'm wondering if it might actually be a transitional male.

Yes.