calling all wrasses lovers. lets stock my RS 300 XL

[Devaji]

so I se this tank up to be a seahorse tank. but i fell like I travel to much to feed 3X a day.
i decided to change direction and do a LPS reef. with focus on achthos ( if I can afford them ) and other meat corals.

the tank is 36x 23.6x 22 so 80 gal total volume.
be ordering a llid in the next cpl of days. was not gonna use one on the seahorse tank. but now wrasse tank. def, need one.

I also have a IM 200 peninsula in the works for a FOWLR so it will be nice to have a reef.

I love wrasses my RS 650P ( before the tear down due to the dreaded seam failure was a wrasses system.
anyway help me stock this tank with wrasses maybe a few other fish to.

sadly I dont have the budget for the super spendy wrasses so no super males here or rare fish and that OK as they dont live that long anyway.

here are my thoughts so far.

flashers:
McCosker’s a classic for me. love this fish.



Halichores
melanurus -another classic that I just love.
Radiant -love this one, if i can get one that eating and healthy its on the list.
adorned or ear muff really love the ear muff. such a beauty always wanted one.
yellow- if I dont go with a Midas blenny its on the list. yet another classic that's beautiful easy to get ans does well.




Cirrhilabrus
Exquisite
tri colored fairy -lubbocki on the fence with this one. some I like others are meh.
splendid pintail
blue throat

of course there are ton more wrasses I love and would like to have. felt these would be a good hardy and beautiful mix.

all this is dependent on what I can get shipped in. closes LFS in around 2hrs each way. that why no leopards

other fish
midas blenny
pirple firefish


thoughts?

 

[JoJosReef]

@Slocke @i cant think @Crabby48

Btw, optimal to feed wrasses 3+ times per day. My autofeeders go off 4x per day and I feed manually in-between as well.

That's a lot of Halichoeres wrasses for a 3ft tank. The others tagged above may be able to tell you if they will be compatible.

C. cyanogularis, is quite high on the fairy wrasse aggression scale if I'm not mistaken. The pintail on the other hand is on the very low end and may not do well in a tank with an aggressive fairy. Again, those tagged above can advise better.

For a peaceful tank, I might go radiant + earmuff+ yellow + McCosker (debatable if 3ft length is enough for a flasher) + exquisite + pintail + lubbocki + replace blue throat for a Rubriventralis complex like a rubeus or maybe a different complex like a bathyphilus?

The Wrasse Guy - Mixing Cirrhilabrus

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 “complexes”: groupings of very closely related species

www.thewrasseguy.com

I can't imagine life without a leopard.

 

[Devaji]

@Slocke @i cant think @Crabby48

Btw, optimal to feed wrasses 3+ times per day. My autofeeders go off 4x per day and I feed manually in-between as well.

That's a lot of Halichoeres wrasses for a 3ft tank. The others tagged above may be able to tell you if they will be compatible.

C. cyanogularis, is quite high on the fairy wrasse aggression scale if I'm not mistaken. The pintail on the other hand is on the very low end and may not do well in a tank with an aggressive fairy. Again, those tagged above can advise better.

For a peaceful tank, I might go radiant + earmuff+ yellow + McCosker (debatable if 3ft length is enough for a flasher) + exquisite + pintail + lubbocki + replace blue throat for a Rubriventralis complex like a rubeus or maybe a different complex like a bathyphilus?

The Wrasse Guy - Mixing Cirrhilabrus

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 “complexes”: groupings of very closely related species

www.thewrasseguy.com

I can't imagine life without a leopard.

yes I have that booked marked. i guess it was not a mixing question but more of what you do you thread.
the blue through was a later addition to the list. not attached just looked cool

IDK just thinking aloud here
dont get me wrong I love love a lepard or two just seems like they dont ship well and dont QT well.

 

[Slocke]

flashers:
McCosker’s a classic for me. love this fish.

I’d consider at least one more as they will display more that way.
I believe the blue or filamented would be best as they are small, cheap, and gorgeous.

Halichores
melanurus -another classic that I just love.

They are more aggressive. Also I do prefer the dusky though the melanurus is probably prettier as a female the dusky is an incredible male.

Radiant -love this one, if i can get one that eating and healthy its on the list.

A great choice and more peaceful

adorned or ear muff really love the ear muff. such a beauty always wanted one.

The earmuff is hard to find

yellow- if I dont go with a Midas blenny its on the list. yet another classic that's beautiful easy to get ans does well.

Another peaceful one but susceptible to uronema

Cirrhilabrus
Exquisite
tri colored fairy -lubbocki on the fence with this one. some I like others are meh.
splendid pintail
blue throat

I’d cut this as it is the most aggressive. Consider a rubiventralis conplex. My favorite is C rubeus or C naoko

of course there are ton more wrasses I love and would like to have. felt these would be a good hardy and beautiful mix.

all this is dependent on what I can get shipped in. closes LFS in around 2hrs each way. that why no leopards

other fish
midas blenny
pirple firefish


thoughts?

 

[Slocke]

Whoops @JoJosReef
You said all I said already!

And definitely get a leopard

 

[JoJosReef]

Whoops @JoJosReef
You said all I said already!

And definitely get a leopard

Just the fairy part! Good idea to swap out the melanurus for a dusky. That's on my list for the next upgrade.

 

[Lavey29]

I have the same tank and have the following stock:

Rohmboid wrasse
6 line wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Coral beauty
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Indigo dottyback
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Mandarin
2 fire shrimp
3 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
Serpent starfish
Orange starfish
Bunch of scarlet hermits and snails
3 tuxedo urchins

Tank has been up 3 years with most of the above stock. Recently lost my yellow coris wrasse due to age.

 

[crabgrass]

I just got a melanurus and fell in love with it. So far it gets along with everyone, and hasn’t gone after inverts yet. I do feed 5x a day (frozen 2x and auto feeder on dry 3x). It eats everything, including Nori and appears to be hungry all the time. It will literally greet humans and follow them around the tank (assuming wanting food)

I have a 4’ tank - if I wanted to add 1 more wrasse to the tank, is there a good suggestion for one that would be compatible with the Melanurus? Preferably of the hardier variety as well.

 

[Slocke]

I just got a melanurus and fell in love with it. So far it gets along with everyone, and hasn’t gone after inverts yet. I do feed 5x a day (frozen 2x and auto feeder on dry 3x). It eats everything, including Nori and appears to be hungry all the time. It will literally greet humans and follow them around the tank (assuming wanting food)

I have a 4’ tank - if I wanted to add 1 more wrasse to the tank, is there a good suggestion for one that would be compatible with the Melanurus? Preferably of the hardier variety as well.

I suggest a fairy or flasher. I’ve noted my suggestions for fairies below.

 

[Devaji]

I’d consider at least one more as they will display more that way.
I believe the blue or filamented would be best as they are small, cheap, and gorgeous.

They are more aggressive. Also I do prefer the dusky though the melanurus is probably prettier as a female the dusky is an incredible male.

A great choice and more peaceful

The earmuff is hard to find

Another peaceful one but susceptible to uronema

I’d cut this as it is the most aggressive. Consider a rubiventralis conplex. My favorite is C rubeus or C naoko

I thought about the dusty I thought they get bigger then the melanurus?
yeah the ear muffs are hard to find and $$

also was thiking 2X flashers would be better just did not know if I had the room. did not want to get greedy....haha
hence this thread

I really do love the leopards all em' I know there harder tho. the one I tried last less than a day. sad.

I have the same tank and have the following stock:

Rohmboid wrasse
6 line wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Coral beauty
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Indigo dottyback
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Mandarin
2 fire shrimp
3 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
Serpent starfish
Orange starfish
Bunch of scarlet hermits and snails
3 tuxedo urchins

Tank has been up 3 years with most of the above stock. Recently lost my yellow coris wrasse due to age.

post a tank pic or vid we would love to see it.
no angels for me in this one. the 200 isgoing to be an angel and butterfly FOWLR. so the smaller tank is all reef safe fish so I can get some acanthos, torches and other meats my all time fav. corals.

 

[Devaji]

I just got a melanurus and fell in love with it. So far it gets along with everyone, and hasn’t gone after inverts yet. I do feed 5x a day (frozen 2x and auto feeder on dry 3x). It eats everything, including Nori and appears to be hungry all the time. It will literally greet humans and follow them around the tank (assuming wanting food)

I have a 4’ tank - if I wanted to add 1 more wrasse to the tank, is there a good suggestion for one that would be compatible with the Melanurus? Preferably of the hardier variety as well.

such cool fish right!

 

[Lavey29]

I thought about the dusty I thought they get bigger then the melanurus?
yeah the ear muffs are hard to find and $$

also was thiking 2X flashers would be better just did not know if I had the room. did not want to get greedy....haha
hence this thread

I really do love the leopards all em' I know there harder tho. the one I tried last less than a day. sad.


post a tank pic or vid we would love to see it.
no angels for me in this one. the 200 isgoing to be an angel and butterfly FOWLR. so the smaller tank is all reef safe fish so I can get some acanthos, torches and other meats my all time fav. corals.

Some angels are ok in reef tanks as long as you make sure they get sponge in their food. Then they leave your corals alone. I had a nice pin tail fairy wrasse to that aged out few months back. All the current fish get along fine. Key is to have enough caves in your scape so fish can have their own space especially at night. Utilitarian fish like a 6 line are great for pests too.

 

[i cant think]

so I se this tank up to be a seahorse tank. but i fell like I travel to much to feed 3X a day.
i decided to change direction and do a LPS reef. with focus on achthos ( if I can afford them ) and other meat corals.

Feeding requirements for wrasses tends to be somewhat controversial as some feed once a day, others say twice a day and some say 3-4 times a day. I personally find that it’s less to do with how often and instead more to do with how much nutrients are in the food. If it’s less then you’ll want to do more feedings every day but if there’s more you’ll likely find you can do 1 feeding a day.

the tank is 36x 23.6x 22 so 80 gal total volume.
be ordering a llid in the next cpl of days. was not gonna use one on the seahorse tank. but now wrasse tank. def, need one.

I also have a IM 200 peninsula in the works for a FOWLR so it will be nice to have a reef.

I love wrasses my RS 650P ( before the tear down due to the dreaded seam failure was a wrasses system.
anyway help me stock this tank with wrasses maybe a few other fish to.

sadly I dont have the budget for the super spendy wrasses so no super males here or rare fish and that OK as they dont live that long anyway.

here are my thoughts so far.

flashers:
McCosker’s a classic for me. love this fish.

As said above, I would do one or two more of these, they add so much to a tank. Yes Cirrhilabrus have very similar behaviours but I’ve found my Flashers to be more personable than my fairies.
I would add one or two from this list (Yes it has some slightly more speedy ones as males but females tend to be cheaper);
- Paracheilinus attenuatus
- Paracheilinus cyaneus
- Paracheilinus rubricaudalis
- Paracheilinus flavianalis
- Paracheilinus filamentosus
The wrasses above should all get along with the Mccoskers, I’ve found even when mixing complexes Paracheilinus tend to not mind too much.

Halichores
melanurus -another classic that I just love.

As said above, this is a fairly boisterous species. If you go for it then add him last, if you add him early then chances are he won’t accept other Halichoeres easily. This boils down to the complex of platyglossus being somewhat more boisterous.

Radiant -love this one, if i can get one that eating and healthy its on the list.

Great choice as said above. I’m a huge supporter of Iridis as they’re too nice. I had a pair short term, unfortunately the male died due to bullying from a Hawkfish. If you plan a wrasse dominant tank, avoid the Lyretail Hawkfish. It’s the worst fish I’ve ever had.
I’d love to pair mine up again but I’m waiting until I upgrade before getting a second.

adorned or ear muff really love the ear muff. such a beauty always wanted one.

Both great choices! Earmuff can be hard to find but if you look for them, one will appear.

yellow- if I dont go with a Midas blenny its on the list. yet another classic that's beautiful easy to get ans does well.

I personally find the yellow to be quite bland compared to the Silver Belly (Halichoeres leucoxanthus). Either one is a great choice

Cirrhilabrus
Exquisite
tri colored fairy -lubbocki on the fence with this one. some I like others are meh.
splendid pintail

All great choices. I absolutely recommend going for a lubbocki. They’re the best bang for buck wrasse you’ll ever get. They’re so colourful that their price makes no sense!
I loved mine a ton when I had him.

Pintail is another great choice, get him in first or very early. They’re a species that don’t cope too well to established, highly active tanks.
But again, they’re just stunning with their colours and that lanceolate tail they have.

of course there are ton more wrasses I love and would like to have. felt these would be a good hardy and beautiful mix.

all this is dependent on what I can get shipped in. closes LFS in around 2hrs each way. that why no leopards

If I’m honest, leopards do best shipped with sand in the bag. This is how I get leopards home from 1-2 hour long travels. I managed it twice - once with a Blue Star Leopard, and again with a Gold Nugget Wrasse. I’ve also managed it with other poorly shipping species like some Halichoeres, Paracheilinus etc. The best way of doing it is with sand in the bag, they then don’t seem to mind longer journeys as they aren’t battering themselves against the bag to sleep in the sand.

other fish
midas blenny
pirple firefish


thoughts?

Great selection, just one thought though… why not more?

 

[slingfox]

I have the same tank and have the following stock:

Rohmboid wrasse
6 line wrasse
Blue streak cleaner wrasse
Coral beauty
Orange anthia
Springerie damsel
Indigo dottyback
Purple firefish
Midas blenny
Mandarin
2 fire shrimp
3 acropora crabs
2 emerald crabs
Serpent starfish
Orange starfish
Bunch of scarlet hermits and snails
3 tuxedo urchins

Tank has been up 3 years with most of the above stock. Recently lost my yellow coris wrasse due to age.

I recently several wrasse from
@Dr. Reef and they all are alive a month and half later. The exception was Leopard Wrasse---I only ordered one but they shipped me two since they often don't do well in transit. One died within an hour but the second one has fattened up and is doing really well eating frozen food as well as nori.

 

[Devaji]

Feeding requirements for wrasses tends to be somewhat controversial as some feed once a day, others say twice a day and some say 3-4 times a day. I personally find that it’s less to do with how often and instead more to do with how much nutrients are in the food. If it’s less then you’ll want to do more feedings every day but if there’s more you’ll likely find you can do 1 feeding a day.

when i had my others wrasses they did great with 2-3X a day. that is great info to know

As said above, I would do one or two more of these, they add so much to a tank. Yes Cirrhilabrus have very similar behaviours but I’ve found my Flashers to be more personable than my fairies.
I would add one or two from this list (Yes it has some slightly more speedy ones as males but females tend to be cheaper);
- Paracheilinus attenuatus
- Paracheilinus cyaneus
- Paracheilinus rubricaudalis
- Paracheilinus flavianalis
- Paracheilinus filamentosus
The wrasses above should all get along with the Mccoskers, I’ve found even when mixing complexes Paracheilinus tend to not mind too much.

I had a filamentous years ago beautiful fish for sure.

As said above, this is a fairly boisterous species. If you go for it then add him last, if you add him early then chances are he won’t accept other Halichoeres easily. This boils down to the complex of platyglossus being somewhat more boisterous.

Great choice as said above. I’m a huge supporter of Iridis as they’re too nice. I had a pair short term, unfortunately the male died due to bullying from a Hawkfish. If you plan a wrasse dominant tank, avoid the Lyretail Hawkfish. It’s the worst fish I’ve ever had.
I’d love to pair mine up again but I’m waiting until I upgrade before getting a second.

I am so excited to have this wrasse been dreaming of one for years!

Both great choices! Earmuff can be hard to find but if you look for them, one will appear.

I would be happy with either, the earmuff would be my 1st choice. but would be pleased with either.

I personally find the yellow to be quite bland compared to the Silver Belly (Halichoeres leucoxanthus). Either one is a great choice

i'll look into the silver belly.not sure i know that one. thanks.

All great choices. I absolutely recommend going for a lubbocki. They’re the best bang for buck wrasse you’ll ever get. They’re so colourful that their price makes no sense!
I loved mine a ton when I had him.

that one is a beauty for sure. I belive there is two color morphs correct? what region is that of from?

Pintail is another great choice, get him in first or very early. They’re a species that don’t cope too well to established, highly active tanks.
But again, they’re just stunning with their colours and that lanceolate tail they have.

yes I reminder my pinetail being shy at 1st. he was a early addition too, but once he felt fomfortable he was swimming all over the tank.

If I’m honest, leopards do best shipped with sand in the bag. This is how I get leopards home from 1-2 hour long travels. I managed it twice - once with a Blue Star Leopard, and again with a Gold Nugget Wrasse. I’ve also managed it with other poorly shipping species like some Halichoeres, Paracheilinus etc. The best way of doing it is with sand in the bag, they then don’t seem to mind longer journeys as they aren’t battering themselves against the bag to sleep in the sand.

yeah I was wacking one of my QT guy unboxing vidio from fish from Africa that's how they shipping sand sleeping wrasses I was impressed. what is this not the standard?? he said it help his survival rate alot.

Great selection, just one thought though… why not more?

thank would be quite stocked no? only 80 gal. RS 300 XL 36"x 23" x22 "
oversized skimmer, filter roller and UV so i have a robust filtration but dont want to overstock the tank. that said i do like the look of a full tank just not overstocked if that makes since.

I do have a couple more just encase I cant get the wrasses but would prefer wrasses my fav. fishes!

thanks so much for the detailed response.

 

[i cant think]

when i had my others wrasses they did great with 2-3X a day. that is great info to know


I had a filamentous years ago beautiful fish for sure.


I am so excited to have this wrasse been dreaming of one for years!


I would be happy with either, the earmuff would be my 1st choice. but would be pleased with either.


i'll look into the silver belly.not sure i know that one. thanks.


that one is a beauty for sure. I belive there is two color morphs correct? what region is that of from?

Yep, there are 2 variations of Lubbock, I had both cohabitating in my 4’ tank together. The top one was my Cebu variant and the bottom was the Indo variant.

Out of the two I’d say that the Cebu variation was my favourite due to the much more subtle colours.

yes I reminder my pinetail being shy at 1st. he was a early addition too, but once he felt fomfortable he was swimming all over the tank.


yeah I was wacking one of my QT guy unboxing vidio from fish from Africa that's how they shipping sand sleeping wrasses I was impressed. what is this not the standard?? he said it help his survival rate alot.


thank would be quite stocked no? only 80 gal. RS 300 XL 36"x 23" x22 "
oversized skimmer, filter roller and UV so i have a robust filtration but dont want to overstock the tank. that said i do like the look of a full tank just not overstocked if that makes since.

I do have a couple more just encase I cant get the wrasses but would prefer wrasses my fav. fishes!

thanks so much for the detailed response.

No problems! It’s what we’re here for, to share knowledge

 

[Devaji]

OK got the fish list from my QT guy. going to QT fish this time. well I guess i should say I am paying someone to do it.
I really thought about HTTM W/ H2o2 dip. might do that some day. IDK I would need alot of stuff.

anyway looking like we are going Cebu for this order. sadly no radiant wrasses on the list.

I can get the pintail but thinking of taking it off the list as i hope to have maybe 4 Hailchoeres so thinking it might to timid, even if got in the 1st order.

anyone have a carpenters & a Mccorskers in the same tank? I love the yellow fin carpenters but I *think that only comes from Aus? or am I way off there and that an adult make?

they seem to be pretty similar in color other than there bottom fin. I am trying to find side by side phots of these together. I am liking the idea of more flashers aleast 2 maybe 3.


can get an cubu EXQUISITE really on the fence about that one. thinking I might pass for other fish i like more. I like the fiji color morph better.

so at this point I am thinking 3 flashers 4 hailchoers 2 fairy and a midas blenny?

do we think 4 Hailchoers will be OK together in the tank?