All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[evolved]

Yellow wrasse, melanurus, and pintail... a reasonable combo? The latter two will be added to the DT after a 6-8 week quarantine. I may give the green wrasse to my friend who has a ginormous tank (the green wrasse would be upgrading).

Yes, that should be fine. There's a small risk with the melanurus if it happens to be on the aggressive side, but typically they are not.

There was a member of our reef club a couple of years ago that had a H. chloropterus that killed several fish in her tank before she could get it out.

Yeah, that sounds about right. Not a very kind species.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Don't feel bad, before I found the experts on here a few years ago I would have taken LA at their word.

There was a member of our reef club a couple of years ago that had a H. chloropterus that killed several fish in her tank before she could get it out.

Many thanks - do you think a yellow, melanurus, and pintail wrasse have a reasonable chance at a happy co-existence in a 105 gallon setup?

 

[saltyhog]

The yellow and the pintail are mild mannered in my limited experience (one of each). The melanurus might interact with the yellow but I bet it would be fine.

 

[Letterkenny]

Can I get some wrasses recommendations for my 130g? I like the looks and coloration of the red head solon fairy wrasse but curious if I should look at any others and if there are one or two other that I could get that would get along well. Thanks!

 

[mattzang]

i was going to plan my fairy list around an orangeback fairy wrasse, but i recently lost mine during a h2o2 bath. so now thinking i might go for a solorensis, but worried about it being not very nice. tank is a 4' 100 gallon and i do want some more peaceful fairy wrasses like pintail and hooded, is solorensis likely to be problematic?

 

[esther]

Thinking about adding an Orange Back Wrasse to my 220g with the following:

• Flame Wrasse
• Labout's Wrasse
• Lineatus Fairy Wrasse

Shouldn't be an issue, right?

 

[evolved]

Thinking about adding an Orange Back Wrasse to my 220g with the following:

• Flame Wrasse
• Labout's Wrasse
• Lineatus Fairy Wrasse

Shouldn't be an issue, right?

Should be fine, yes.

 

[evolved]

so now thinking i might go for a solorensis, but worried about it being not very nice. tank is a 4' 100 gallon

Yeah, that's a valid concern.

i do want some more peaceful fairy wrasses like pintail and hooded, is solorensis likely to be problematic?

It's a coin toss, but it's probably weighted against you.
I'd pick a different one.

 

[evolved]

Can I get some wrasses recommendations for my 130g? I like the looks and coloration of the red head solon fairy wrasse but curious if I should look at any others and if there are one or two other that I could get that would get along well. Thanks!

I can't really answer that, as the choice is personal based on what appeals to you, what you wish to spend, and what you can actually find available to purchase - all factors that are individual.
But I'm happy to give feedback on a list.

 

[mattzang]

Yeah, that's a valid concern.

It's a coin toss, but it's probably weighted against you.
I'd pick a different one.

would any other of the cyanopleura complex work or just the orangeback?

thank you as always!

 

[evolved]

would any other of the cyanopleura complex work or just the orangeback?

thank you as always!

True cyanopleura isn't too bad. And I've kept leutovittatus a long time ago and found it to be very mild, too (but there are contrary reports out there).

 

[Letterkenny]

I can't really answer that, as the choice is personal based on what appeals to you, what you wish to spend, and what you can actually find available to purchase - all factors that are individual.
But I'm happy to give feedback on a list.

Are there any rules of thumb such as with tangs? Such as you shouldn’t have two fairy wrasses, etc? Seem to be mainly drawn to those.

 

[evolved]

Are there any rules of thumb such as with tangs? Such as you shouldn’t have two fairy wrasses, etc? Seem to be mainly drawn to those.

I might suggest you start with the 1st post of this thread.

 

[Letterkenny]

Thoughts on a Melanurus Wrasse (male) and a Yellow-Flanked Fairy Wrasse (unknown gender)? Also, is this lid fine? I added liner for the gaps (for my QT tank).

 

[evolved]

Thoughts on a Melanurus Wrasse (male) and a Yellow-Flanked Fairy Wrasse (unknown gender)? Also, is this lid fine? I added liner for the gaps (for my QT tank).

They should be fine together.
The "gap fix" on that lid my not get the job done, as they could still push past it around the filter when jumping. Personally, I just cover gaps like that with masking tape on my QT.

 

[Letterkenny]

They should be fine together.
The "gap fix" on that lid my not get the job done, as they could still push past it around the filter when jumping. Personally, I just cover gaps like that with masking tape on my QT.

Yea I thought I lost the Melanurus wrasse this morning but turned out he buried himself in what little sand I put in QT.

 

[fuelman]

@evolved I'm sure you have been asked this a million times but I can't seem to find it in a search. I'm adding a 80g seapora acro's only tank to my 240g system so 48x24x16 tank size, it will be bare bottom can you recommend the best pest eating wrasse that doesn't need sand. Or if there are multiple that might coexist in a tank that size? Thanks!!!

 

[evolved]

80g seapora acro's

???

it will be bare bottom can you recommend the best pest eating wrasse that doesn't need sand.

Well, if you are willing to only have one wrasse in the tank, then this is potentially a good application for a sixline.
Otherwise, a pink streak could work nearly as well, but would allow other wrasses in the tank. However, none of the other genera that do not sleep in the sand are benthic feeders.
If you're willing to add a "sand box", then you open up the door to Halichoeres, which would allow a few different species.

 

[fuelman]

???

sorry about that.

 

[Letterkenny]

They should be fine together.
The "gap fix" on that lid my not get the job done, as they could still push past it around the filter when jumping. Personally, I just cover gaps like that with masking tape on my QT.

So it looks like my Melanarus is getting picked on in QT but I still haven’t witnessed it yet. The fins look to be picked at and not sure if it is my fairy wrasse or my diamond goby. Is it best to remove until they get to the DT?