All About Reef Safe Wrasses in Aquaria

[Marvollo]

I just lost my Fairy, he jumped when I forgot to put my mesh lid back on from maintenance

 

[AZReef13]

sorry to hear that.

 

[canadianeh]

Any flasher, except P. octataenia would work.
For Cirrhilabrus, any complex with the "A" or "B" label:

Cirrhilabrus Complexes: Inferiority Need Not Apply (1st Revision)

Cirrhilabrus, the “Fairy Wrasses”, are one of the most elegant, active, and colorful reef fish. Their appeal in a reef tank is common to many, but not all have a well-rounded understanding of the compatibility amongst them. Enter the notion of...

www.reef2reef.com

How about pair of Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse(Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis)? Will they work with yellow corris and melanarus wrasse in 3ft 55 gallons tank?

 

[evolved]

How about pair of

Per the first post, I advocate against pairs of anything.

Will they work with yellow corris and melanarus wrasse

Species compatibility is okay, but

3ft 55 gallons tank

Per the Cirrhilabrus chart, I recommend 75g min for rhomboidalis.

 

[canadianeh]

Per the first post, I advocate against pairs of anything.

Species compatibility is okay, but

Per the Cirrhilabrus chart, I recommend 75g min for rhomboidalis.

Thanks!

I am going to get one melanarus wrasse this weekend. I plan to QT it using Melafix for 3 days and for 11 more days just for observation. Total of 2 weeks. Plan to use 10 gallons tank with sand. Is my plan okay? Is this fish risky during QT?

 

[evolved]

am going to get one melanarus wrasse this weekend. I plan to QT it using Melafix for 3 days and for 11 more days just for observation. Total of 2 weeks. Plan to use 10 gallons tank with sand. Is my plan okay? Is this fish risky during QT?

Halichoeres are pretty easy to QT. That being said, I am not very comfortable with your plan. It's essentially a 2 week observation only, which isn't enough time for some things to manifest that could already be present. Melafix doesn't offer a whole lot, except against some mild bacterial infections.
I'd suggest you take some time to review the sticky index on the Fish Disease forum.

 

[Kyle T.]

How would you compare Halichoeres timorensis to other in the genus as far as temperament and reef compatibility?

Also, I noticed since getting back into the hobby that LiveAquaria has deemed H. iridis as expert only. Has something changed over the past 5 years?

 

[canadianeh]

Halichoeres are pretty easy to QT. That being said, I am not very comfortable with your plan. It's essentially a 2 week observation only, which isn't enough time for some things to manifest that could already be present. Melafix doesn't offer a whole lot, except against some mild bacterial infections.
I'd suggest you take some time to review the sticky index on the Fish Disease forum.

I read some QT methods and I choose not to medicate with copper for few reasons: I am not experienced with medication and may likely kill the fish, I don’t want to stress the fish and end up kill the fish, and medication will not 100% rid of disease. Therefore, I choose to observe and use “easy on the fish” medication and get them to eat before they go to DT. I know there is TTM method, and again it may add stress to the fish and also doesn’t guarantee 100% of disease free fish.

 

[SaltyT]

Also, I noticed since getting back into the hobby that LiveAquaria has deemed H. iridis as expert only. Has something changed over the past 5 years?

H. iridis is a poor shipper so I think that’s why they changed it to expert only. I haven’t gotten one to live past 2 days after shipping.

 

[evolved]

How would you compare Halichoeres timorensis to other in the genus as far as temperament and reef compatibility?

Some past discussion of the the species here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/timor-wrasse.616987/
I found it be to pretty mild in temperament, but middle-of-the-road for a Halichoeres on having an invert appetite.

Also, I noticed since getting back into the hobby that LiveAquaria has deemed H. iridis as expert only. Has something changed over the past 5 years?

H. iridis is a poor shipper so I think that’s why they changed it to expert only. I haven’t gotten one to live past 2 days after shipping.

Pretty much that - it doesn't often ship well.
If you find one locally in good condition, you should fair fine with it.

 

[AcanthurusRex]

After seeing photos of @OrionN P. octataenia I think I would like to add one. Will it get along with a C. Exuisitus already in the tank, RSR525 60x22x22. Any others that might play nice?
I do have a pair of Bimacs that keep the exquisite wrasse in check. Any wrasse additions need to be a bit on the tough side. I am thinking that several wrasses might distribute their attention.

 

[NautiTang]

Hello all,
I plan to start a large tank (10'-12') build in a few years, and would love to have several different flasher wrasse (among others) 4 or 5, i have a read in a couple places that they sometimes don't get along with anthias. But Hunter and TJ didn't seem concerned when a similar question was posed. Would it be best if the anthias (largeish group of 20 give or take) were added first or the flashers (4 or 5ish different ones)?

Thanks for your thoughts

I've been doing a lot of wrasse reading lately trying to decide which ones I will attempt to keep. I would also like to have some anthias, I saw something that suggested the they wouldn't get along. What is your opinion on this? I have a 180 gallon tank I would like to add maybe 4 dispar anthias, a C. lubbocki, C. exquisitus, C. isosceles and maybe a blue star leopard. I currently have a desardini tang, a yellow tang, 2 clowns, carpenters wrasse, a mandarin, purple firefish, helfrichi firefish, and a watchman goby.

Anthias and wrasses usually coexist well.

Agree with TJ (above); it's usually not a problem.

 

[canadianeh]

@evolved Is it normal for Royal Falsher Wrasse to lay on its side? He is eating like a pig, but has been prefer to hang on the bottom and sometime lay on its side since my Melanarus wrasse woke up and came out from the sand? I have bare bottom 10 gallons QT tank with a tupperware of sand which the melanarus sleeps during the night? I don't see any aggression from melanarus.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Hello all,
I plan to start a large tank (10'-12') build in a few years, and would love to have several different flasher wrasse (among others) 4 or 5, i have a read in a couple places that they sometimes don't get along with anthias. But Hunter and TJ didn't seem concerned when a similar question was posed. Would it be best if the anthias (largeish group of 20 give or take) were added first or the flashers (4 or 5ish different ones)?

Thanks for your thoughts

Mixing anthias and wrasses has never been a problem for me. Ive mixed lyretails, flavvogutatus and randalli with flashers (mccoskers and linespot), pencil, leopard and tamarin wrasses. I would however imagine if you tried mixing some of the more difficult and touchy anthias species with the more assertive planktivores like the scotts fairy wrasse and the likes, that they may bully the anthias. So i guess it depends on what species you're mixing. But normally is fine if you select wisely.

 

[NautiTang]

Mixing anthias and wrasses has never been a problem for me. Ive mixed lyretails, flavvogutatus and randalli with flashers (mccoskers and linespot), pencil, leopard and tamarin wrasses. I would however imagine if you tried mixing some of the more difficult and touchy anthias species with the more assertive planktivores like the scotts fairy wrasse and the likes, that they may bully the anthias. So i guess it depends on what species you're mixing. But normally is fine if you select wisely.

Thank you very much for your experiences. I aasnhoping to hear this.

 

[scdigby]

i already posted this pic in the wrasse lovers thread, but here's a shot of my Lineatus Fairy Wrasse.
Favorite wrasse ever!

 

[Zionas]

Beautiful fish!

 

[scdigby]

Beautiful fish!

Thank you! He's only about a year old now.

 

[Zionas]

Hope he lasts quite a few more years for you. How big was he when you got him?

 

[alton]

A friend had a Pintail and Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse together, so I decided to try it and no aggression what so ever