Wrasses: Can I add another???

TriggerThis · Feb 11, 2014

Ok I have a 100gal reef tank

it has a 5" Deep Sand Bed

I have a Male Solon Fairy Wrasse and a sub adult Christmas wrasse

Everyone gets along perfect.

Others are Hippo Tang,Yellow Tang, B&W Clowns, and 5 very small chromis.

I am wanting to add one of the super colorful wrasses to the tank.

Like a carpenters or basically any of the fairy wrasses or flasher wrasses. And I also want a leopard wrasse one day.

Do you think the other wrasses will have a problem with another one in the tank?
Can you have too many wrasses?

YHSublime · Feb 11, 2014

So long as they don't look simialar, I think you'll be fine!

evolved · Feb 11, 2014

You should be fine, so long as you choose carefully.

This will help: All About Reef Safe Wrasses - 3reef Reef Aquarium Forum

BTW, "Red-lined wrasse" is a better common name for what you're calling a christmas wrasse.

CW from the OC · Feb 11, 2014

My 7 year old 6-line beat the absolute crap out of a larger solar and two larger leopards when I added them. I had to banish the 6-line to my daughters 28 nano.

evolved · Feb 11, 2014

CW from the OC said:
My 7 year old 6-line beat the absolute crap out of a larger solar and two larger leopards when I added them. I had to banish the 6-line to my daughters 28 nano.

Ah, but that's expected because it's a Pseudocheilinus wrasse.

A genus which is not to be mixed with other genera.

CW from the OC · Feb 11, 2014

/smacks self on head. LOL!

TriggerThis · Feb 11, 2014

evolved said:
You should be fine, so long as you choose carefully.

This will help: All About Reef Safe Wrasses - 3reef Reef Aquarium Forum

BTW, "Red-lined wrasse" is a better common name for what you're calling a christmas wrasse.

The red lined wrasse is getting other colors on him as he grows. In between the red green is showing and around his head.

Will read the link. Thanks!

trido · Feb 11, 2014

I have four wrasses in my 210.

tvoydan · Feb 11, 2014

I also have 4 wrasse in my 195. All seem to get along well. Lots of rock work for them to spend time inspecting.

Marshall O · Feb 12, 2014

trido said:
I have four wrasses in my 210.

tvoydan said:
I also have 4 wrasse in my 195. All seem to get along well. Lots of rock work for them to spend time inspecting.

Don't take this the wrong way, but without mentioning which wrasses, and how long they have been together, these really don't help the OP

There are too many different genera of wrasses, with different personalities between the genera and within them to generalize them.

And no, to answer your question, you can never have too many wrasses

(joking of course, but I am a wrasse addict myself!)

TriggerThis · Feb 12, 2014

I really like them, moderately priced, brightly colored, constant movement, and great personalities. I'm just worried about too many fish in the tank that basically eat the same things.
That competition could arise for feeding grounds or something when the pods all get wiped out lol.

wangspeed · Feb 13, 2014

I have 4 in my 90. Melanarus, red headed solon, labouti, and the king of the tank, the biggest red velvet fairy wrasse I have ever seen. My melanarus doesn't seem to care about the other fish much, and the fairy wrasses have an established pecking order. My red velvet is a little crazy though. He is aggressive to other fish when it comes to food, and I feed my tank heavily.

As far as personalities go, a flasher or fairy wrasse should be ok. Space wise, I'm not sure with the tangs.

TriggerThis · Feb 13, 2014

Interesting.
Unfortunately I have some bad news. My prized Solon fairy tried to jump from the tank last night for some reason and hit the light fixture hard. He's all jacked up now and in my hospital tank. Idk if he's gonna pull through.

evolved · Feb 13, 2014

A COMPLETELY covered tank is an essential requirement for keeping wrasses.

wangspeed · Feb 13, 2014

evolved said:
A COMPLETELY covered tank is an essential requirement for keeping wrasses.

Agreed. Even if there is some kind of canopy, I would keep mesh on the tank to keep it from being a hard hit.

I took my mesh off to service the tank and my Labouti tried to commit suicide. Took me a few minutes to find him too.

Marshall O · Feb 13, 2014

wangspeed said:
Agreed. Even if there is some kind of canopy, I would keep mesh on the tank to keep it from being a hard hit.

I took my mesh off to service the tank and my Labouti tried to commit suicide. Took me a few minutes to find him too.

Agreed. My 125 is covered with mesh tops. My lights are completely spotted with salt from wrasses hitting the tops and splashing. While feeding or doing maintenance, I have had my C. lubbocki, P. attenuatus, C. laboutei, & C. cf lanceolatus jump onto my carpet. IIRC my C. laboutei is the winner at about 6'!

ARNALDOLEX · Feb 13, 2014

you should be fine i have a 180 with 43 fish total from that my wrasses r
2 melanarus wrasse
2 leopard wrasses
male and female clown wrasse
6 line wrasse
coris wrasse

TriggerThis · Feb 13, 2014

evolved said:
A COMPLETELY covered tank is an essential requirement for keeping wrasses.

I have great news! This morning the solar was swimming around and eating like a pig. Last night he looked rough! Just laying on the sand breathing really hard.

And the tank is covered with netting but go figure it was when I was re arranging a power head and had the top off. Idk what could have scared him or what. I was working just below the water line.

eatbreakfast · Feb 13, 2014

I have had success with reviving a jumper by holding it face first in front of the return pipe with the water going over the gills, even after some time out of the water.

That is good news that he is making a seemingly complete recovery.

saltyhog · Feb 13, 2014

I have 7 wrasse in a 155 (72x24x21). Three Halichoerus (melanurus, claudia, chrysus), Two Cirrhilabrus (aurantidorsalis and lubbocki) and two Paracheilinus (mccoskeri and lineopunctatus). Absolutely no aggression unless you count the 4 1/2" melanurus displaying at the slightly smaller claudia when they're close to each other.