Wrasse in a bare bottom

[jimk60]

I'm looking to obtain a wrasse that is reef safe for my bare bottom set up. My question is do they need a substrate to be happy? If not which ones are preferred.

 

[mr11]

Depends on the type of wrasse. What kind are you considering? Look at fairy and flasher wrasses, they don't need sand.

 

[Duke4Life]

I'm looking to obtain a wrasse that is reef safe for my bare bottom set up. My question is do they need a substrate to be happy? If not which ones are preferred.

Fairies and flashers don't and are great additions. 55g or bigger preferably for flashers and 75g+ for most fairies. Possums and the pink streak is another option and are great for smaller tanks.

 

[Blue Lip]

Some people add enough sand in a container to make a sand bed for wrasses. I saw a rock made of aragonite that was to hold sand for wrasses in a bare hottom tank.

 

[jimk60]

Thinking about a six line. I had one awhile back but he ended up in a power head for a skimmer after a week. He slept next to it and I thought it might have been do to no substrate to sleep in

 

[Maritimer]

IIRC, sixlines don't need a sandbed for napping either. They're absolutely gorgeous, but have a reputation for cantankerousness as well.

~Bruce, who's never kept a sixline, nor any of its congeners . . .

 

[jnw240reef]

Alternative reef makes the wrasse den. But I've found that they tend to kick most of the sand out of containers

 

[jcdeng]

pretty much only the not so reef safe wrasses will need a sandbed, you know, the ones that will eventually kill off all your CUCs.

 

[eatbreakfast]

As already mentioned, fairies, flashers, wetmorellas, and pink streak wrasse are reef safe and don't need a sandbed.

Sixlines and their congenerics don't need a sandbed, but spell trouble for cuc and can be mean as they mature.

pretty much only the not so reef safe wrasses will need a sandbed, you know, the ones that will eventually kill off all your CUCs.

There are also reef safe ones, such as the genus Pseudojuloides, that need a sandbed and won't eat cuc.