Wrasse Resort

[SaltyT]

Did you make it to the frag swap yesterday?

No, I just got back in town last night. Did you get some good stuff?

 

[jhuntstl]

No, I just got back in town last night. Did you get some good stuff?

Bummer. We're gonna have to meetup at the next one!

Ya I did pretty good! Picked up a Red Dragon, BC Aquaticman, Poletti Yellow tip, and JF Fox Flame. But it's always the most fun just chatting with the other hobbyists.

 

[Soren]

Whitebelly wrasse (Halichoeres leucoxanthus) spam, since the larger one has decided to be out during the day (received a week ago and hiding until today):

(These fish are kind of hard to catch in a good picture under the low lighting of the QT, but at least they are both out of the sand and active)

 

[SaltyT]

Whitebelly wrasse (Halichoeres leucoxanthus) spam, since the larger one has decided to be out during the day (received a week ago and hiding until today):

I know H. chrysus gets all the glory as far a yellow wrasses go, but I think leucoxanthus is awesome!
Just look at what a stunner yours will be as a terminal male

edit: this is not my pic

 

[Soren]

I know H. chrysus gets all the glory as far a yellow wrasses go, but I think leucoxanthus is awesome!
Just look at what a stunner yours will be as a terminal male

That is what I am hoping for! I have three right now (~2", ~2.5", ~3") with 2 in my 10g QT about to head to my 75g QT and 1 in my 30g tank at work.

I liked the characteristics of H. chrysus but did not want a fish that was almost all yellow. When I discovered H. leucoxanthus I immediately decided which wrasse I wanted and hope to have a small group of them in my 125 reef eventually. The white belly makes these fish very beautiful, IMO, though I do like H. chrysus as well.

The largest one already shows some of the terminal male color striping on the face.

Now I just need to keep practicing my photography after inspiration from your picture!

 

[SaltyT]

That is what I am hoping for! I have three right now (~2", ~2.5", ~3") with 2 in my 10g QT about to head to my 75g QT and 1 in my 30g tank at work.

I liked the characteristics of H. chrysus but did not want a fish that was almost all yellow. When I discovered H. leucoxanthus I immediately decided which wrasse I wanted and hope to have a small group of them in my 125 reef eventually. The white belly makes these fish very beautiful, IMO, though I do like H. chrysus as well.

The largest one already shows some of the terminal male color striping on the face.

Now I just need to keep practicing my photography after inspiration from your picture!

They'll eventually all turn male in your 125 and will loose their tolerance for each other. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Soren]

They'll eventually all turn male in your 125 and will loose their tolerance for each other. Just something to keep in mind.

I'm definitely glad for the advice. Do they always all turn male as they get older?
I will probably only add 2 to the 125 initially and see how things go. Since I will also have a 125g macroalgae display sump to move one into if aggression develops, I have this as a long-term back-up plan (assuming I will be able to catch one then...).

 

[SaltyT]

I'm definitely glad for the advice. Do they always all turn male as they get older?
I will probably only add 2 to the 125 initially and see how things go. Since I will also have a 125g macroalgae display sump to move one into if aggression develops, I have this as a long-term back-up plan (assuming I will be able to catch one then...).

Yes, halichoeres wrasses eventually end up becoming males in our tanks. They don't transition as fast as fairy and flasher wrasses do so you've got some time... unless you're like @Crabby48 all of his wrasses transition fast.

 

[Crabby48]

I know H. gets all the glory as far a yellow wrasses go, but I think leucoxanthus is awesome!
Just look at what a stunner yours will be as a terminal male

edit: this is not my pic

Agree my lfs gets more leucoxanthus in then Chrysus.

Yes, halichoeres wrasses eventually end up becoming males in our tanks. They don't transition as fast as fairy and flasher wrasses do so you've got some time... unless you're like @Crabby48 all of his wrasses transition fast.

Wish I could keep them all female much longer. Fairy’s as males have a poor attitude. They can’t make up their mind if they want to be jerks or cry on the sand bed and waste away. Ugh.

@Soren I recommend a fish trap if fish are food driven. Let them skip a meal and they go in for food. My wrasse will swim in a blender for food even if you warm them first. Enjoy them while it last and maybe you will get lucky and never have a problem

 

[SaltyT]

My wrasse will swim in a blender for food even if you warm them first.

That's hilarious and oh so true! That's why I have guards on my MP40s, not for nems!

 

[Soren]

@Soren I recommend a fish trap if fish are food driven. Let them skip a meal and they go in for food. My wrasse will swim in a blender for food even if you warm them first. Enjoy them while it last and maybe you will get lucky and never have a problem

That is my plan if/when needed. I'm still debating whether to only include one and avoid the need to remove when it turns male or stick with my plan and include 2-3 and remove when turned male and aggressive. I have other tank options to separate them, but still don't like an intentional plan that requires re-homing, even if it is after a year(s).

That's hilarious and oh so true! That's why I have guards on my MP40s, not for nems!

I did not know this for sure for wrasses, but I am already designing and 3D-printing guards for my wavemakers to eliminate the likelihood of fishes blending through them. My 30g desk tank has the first trial guard installed to prevent the odd chance that a small cleaner goby would swim too close and get sucked through...

(This works for the time being, but redesign was needed for a few quirks that did not play out in actuality as well as I hoped in the initial design.)

 

[SaltyT]

That is my plan if/when needed. I'm still debating whether to only include one and avoid the need to remove when it turns male or stick with my plan and include 2-3 and remove when turned male and aggressive. I have other tank options to separate them, but still don't like an intentional plan that requires re-homing, even if it is after a year(s).


I did not know this for sure for wrasses, but I am already designing and 3D-printing guards for my wavemakers to eliminate the likelihood of fishes blending through them. My 30g desk tank has the first trial guard installed to prevent the odd chance that a small cleaner goby would swim too close and get sucked through...

(This works for the time being, but redesign was needed for a few quirks that did not play out in actuality as well as I hoped in the initial design.)

Guards are must IMO for wrasses.

As long as you're giving your wrasses another good home to go to don't feel guilty about rehoming them. I give away my wrasses to good homes sometimes.

 

[Crabby48]

I almost watched a lineatus get broadcasted through the tank. He wanted to grab a chunk of food stuck on mp40 guard and over shot it fighting the current. He never went to close after that. You can tell he knew it was a bad idea but went for it anyway.

@Soren it’s a hard decision but don’t feel bad re homing a fish to a good home that doesn’t work out like saltyT mentioned. Your plan isn’t a bad one but be ready if it doesn’t work.

 

[Soren]

Guards are must IMO for wrasses.

As long as you're giving your wrasses another good home to go to don't feel guilty about rehoming them. I give away my wrasses to good homes sometimes.

Thanks for advice. I don't feel guilty, just want the best plan for reasonably low stress for the fishes involved. Since I have multiple tanks, it is likely that the only way I'll rehome a wrasse is if I end up with one in each tank and still try (or continually try) to keep a group in the main 125 display.

I almost watched a lineatus get broadcasted through the tank. He wanted to grab a chunk of food stuck on mp40 guard and over shot it fighting the current. He never went to close after that. You can tell he knew it was a bad idea but went for it anyway.

@Soren it’s a hard decision but don’t feel bad re homing a fish to a good home that doesn’t work out like saltyT mentioned. Your plan isn’t a bad one but be ready if it doesn’t work.

Thanks also for advice. I'm not opposed to rehoming unless it is used as an escape route for poor planning or bad choices. Guilt does not play a significant role in my plan since I am trying to do a lot of research and careful planning, but I do want a plan that reasonably limits stress on the fishes so may only include 1 wrasse for the long-term rather than a group knowing I'll have to rehome to alleviate aggression.

Considering that H. leucoxanthus is typically in groups in the wild and knowing I prefer it that way, I may still give the group a go and see how things turn out over time since I have ready alternative plans if I do end up with aggression.

 

[fishguy242]

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Good morning Salty!

 

[danieyella]

I think my melanurus is losing his mind.

He just swims laps around this fixture most of the day now....

 

[ELECTROMAN789]

@SaltyT. Will the brunneus fairy wrasse eat bristle worms and pyramid snails? I saw this on a site, but only one and it might have been the "dusky" melanarus wrasse.

Thanks for the time.

 

[SaltyT]

@SaltyT. Will the brunneus fairy wrasse eat bristle worms and pyramid snails? I saw this on a site, but only one and it might have been the "dusky" melanarus wrasse.

Thanks for the time.

Hi! No the brunneus fairy wrasse won't eat bristle worms or pyramid snails. None of the fairy wrasses will.
Melanurus wrasses and marginatus wrasses (aka dusky) could eat pyramid snails and small bristle worms, but larger bristle worms will likely be ignored.

 

[Crabby48]

Hi! No the brunneus fairy wrasse won't eat bristle worms or pyramid snails. None of the fairy wrasses will.
Melanurus wrasses and marginatus wrasses (aka dusky) could eat pyramid snails and small bristle worms, but larger bristle worms will likely be ignored.

Agree but also seems to depend on how hungry they are. Mine don’t like the taste and will only bite them in half of hungry. I think bristle worms live if cut in two pieces