Care level: “easy”

Camaronero

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Good afternoon,
After weeks of research, I reached the conclusion to stock my WB 25 with just 1 wetmorella (whichever type of the 3 is available when I’m ready) and MAYBE one other nano fish (pink streaked wrasse IF my LFS can get ahold of some)..... So fish list is complete. Thanks you all for the great advice/info.
I’m bothering y’all today with a concern: the 3 wetmorella are labeled as “easy” on Liveaquaria and most online vendors; which I think isn’t the case due to their scape/pod requirements. Am I gonna go down the same path with my “easy” coral picks? Here we go:
F3441A8B-D76E-41A6-BEF8-162D7C474DC9.png

3206C120-FE62-4EB8-8B78-42EBEC9FC03C.png

Voila. Here are my coral picks (999 other options but if I had to pick 2 corals it would be these). Both are “easy” soft corals.......
•Knowing that unique color/shape variants in corals means higher price, does it also mean higher/modified care requirements when compared to their more readily available family (like let’s say a green nepthea frag or your more basic rhodactis)??????
Hope everyone who reads/replies has a great rest of the day!
 

HudsonReefer2.0

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Good afternoon,
After weeks of research, I reached the conclusion to stock my WB 25 with just 1 wetmorella (whichever type of the 3 is available when I’m ready) and MAYBE one other nano fish (pink streaked wrasse IF my LFS can get ahold of some)..... So fish list is complete. Thanks you all for the great advice/info.
I’m bothering y’all today with a concern: the 3 wetmorella are labeled as “easy” on Liveaquaria and most online vendors; which I think isn’t the case due to their scape/pod requirements. Am I gonna go down the same path with my “easy” coral picks? Here we go:
F3441A8B-D76E-41A6-BEF8-162D7C474DC9.png

3206C120-FE62-4EB8-8B78-42EBEC9FC03C.png

Voila. Here are my coral picks (999 other options but if I had to pick 2 corals it would be these). Both are “easy” soft corals.......
•Knowing that unique color/shape variants in corals means higher price, does it also mean higher/modified care requirements when compared to their more readily available family (like let’s say a green nepthea frag or your more basic rhodactis)??????
Hope everyone who reads/replies has a great rest of the day!
I’m a fan of the Tanaka also plectranthias inermis. Great choice on the koji wada. Fan of stereonepthea. Pablo from Matine Farmers is great. Don’t have coralimorphs aka mushrooms in my reef. But I know @Fatmike92 loves them. Can give u options.
 

Fatmike92

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Good afternoon,
After weeks of research, I reached the conclusion to stock my WB 25 with just 1 wetmorella (whichever type of the 3 is available when I’m ready) and MAYBE one other nano fish (pink streaked wrasse IF my LFS can get ahold of some)..... So fish list is complete. Thanks you all for the great advice/info.
I’m bothering y’all today with a concern: the 3 wetmorella are labeled as “easy” on Liveaquaria and most online vendors; which I think isn’t the case due to their scape/pod requirements. Am I gonna go down the same path with my “easy” coral picks? Here we go:
F3441A8B-D76E-41A6-BEF8-162D7C474DC9.png

3206C120-FE62-4EB8-8B78-42EBEC9FC03C.png

Voila. Here are my coral picks (999 other options but if I had to pick 2 corals it would be these). Both are “easy” soft corals.......
•Knowing that unique color/shape variants in corals means higher price, does it also mean higher/modified care requirements when compared to their more readily available family (like let’s say a green nepthea frag or your more basic rhodactis)??????
Hope everyone who reads/replies has a great rest of the day!
Beautiful picks!!

I love my st Thomas shroom and hope to
Build it more with other variants and colors from the st Thomas family

But as for price meaning harder. No.

I would say it usually means harder to source, more color, more uniqueness, slow growing, or all the above! especially for shrooms. The more bounce the more money!

Now I’m no expert but I have quite a few higher end mushrooms and only ever lost 2. (1 to a Yuma attack and 1 disappeared lol) so if I can do it you can!

some of these mushrooms grow like weeds or aren’t as pretty so they are cheap. Wouldn’t mind the st Thomas being a weed…

its a mushroom so I would say low light / low flow and you should be good to go.

hopefully that answers your question

(thanks @HudsonReefer2.0)
 

Steve and his Animals

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Having kept all 3, I think Wetmorella nigropinnata is the easiest, which is good given it's the most common species. All three species are not easy, given how shy they are it is sometimes difficult to convince them to eat and then trust you enough so you'll see them once in awhile.

I've trained nigropinnata to eat from my fingers.

The few albofasciata I've had were so small and shy I never got them to eat and they eventually died.

W. tanakai seems to be somewhere between the two, I've had some never eat like albofasciata, and I've had others eat day one. Tanaka's' still seem to be more shy than nigropinatta, though they seem to come in the largest of the 3, which could be a plus in terms of hardiness.
 

Tamberav

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The one thing with that Nepthea is it will melt easily if stung. That mushroom would take it out if they touch.
 
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Camaronero

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I’m a fan of the Tanaka also plectranthias inermis. Great choice on the koji wada. Fan of stereonepthea. Pablo from Matine Farmers is great. Don’t have coralimorphs aka mushrooms in my reef. But I know @Fatmike92 loves them. Can give u options.
WOW. Looked at pics of the Stereonepthea and I think I’m gonna be daydreaming about if for a while; INSANELY beautiful specimen. Hope you can get your hands on one if you don’t already have one I’ll keep an eye out for a frag if they’re ever available. Also thanks for the heads up on Marine Farmers + the reference... can’t thank you enough!
 
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Camaronero

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Beautiful picks!!

I love my st Thomas shroom and hope to
Build it more with other variants and colors from the st Thomas family

But as for price meaning harder. No.

I would say it usually means harder to source, more color, more uniqueness, slow growing, or all the above! especially for shrooms. The more bounce the more money!

Now I’m no expert but I have quite a few higher end mushrooms and only ever lost 2. (1 to a Yuma attack and 1 disappeared lol) so if I can do it you can!

some of these mushrooms grow like weeds or aren’t as pretty so they are cheap. Wouldn’t mind the st Thomas being a weed…

its a mushroom so I would say low light / low flow and you should be good to go.

hopefully that answers your question

(thanks @HudsonReefer2.0)
Thanks for the vital input¡ Had a thought in the back of my head that their odd shape would mean adding a bit more flow- I was definitely overthinking. Also, 100% wouldn’t mind it growing like a weed; it’s the ONLY colonizing soft coral that I would consider owning. I really like the blue base w/ red “arms” and I’ve seen multiple Yuma with that coloration, but in the end the st Thomas rhodactis seem to be a bit less fragile from what I’ve read.
Thank you again, hope you have a good evening.
 
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Camaronero

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Having kept all 3, I think Wetmorella nigropinnata is the easiest, which is good given it's the most common species. All three species are not easy, given how shy they are it is sometimes difficult to convince them to eat and then trust you enough so you'll see them once in awhile.

I've trained nigropinnata to eat from my fingers.

The few albofasciata I've had were so small and shy I never got them to eat and they eventually died.

W. tanakai seems to be somewhere between the two, I've had some never eat like albofasciata, and I've had others eat day one. Tanaka's' still seem to be more shy than nigropinatta, though they seem to come in the largest of the 3, which could be a plus in terms of hardiness.
You sir are the real MVP. You literally just cleared up ALL the confusions/concerns I was having when researching the wetmorellas... The albofasciata is easily my favorite of the three (actually my favorite fish of all time and the reason I got into the hobby) but I’ll definitely have to wait on it for another larger aquarium and feel more comfortable/experienced. The tanakas’s’ seem to be IMPOSSIBLE to find unless I order one from Dr Reefs (gamble). I’m likely gonna end up going with a single Wetmorella nigropinnata since my LFS has them come in more often compared to the other two (They actually had a thriving pair last time I visited). I’ll try to keep a healthy pod population in case I receive a finicky eater, have as many hiding spots/crevices as possible so please wish me luck¡ Also What are your top diet choices for them¿
The info you just gave me is PRICELESS. I hope you know I have reached peace of mind so THANK YOU x999999
 
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Camaronero

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The one thing with that Nepthea is it will melt easily if stung. That mushroom would take it out if they touch.
Thanks for the heads up. Will I be ok placing these two on the opposite sides of the tank? I’m guessing I should closely monitoring the st Thomas growth so it don’t bother anything as it grows/multiplies¿
 

Steve and his Animals

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You sir are the real MVP. You literally just cleared up ALL the confusions/concerns I was having when researching the wetmorellas... The albofasciata is easily my favorite of the three (actually my favorite fish of all time and the reason I got into the hobby) but I’ll definitely have to wait on it for another larger aquarium and feel more comfortable/experienced. The tanakas’s’ seem to be IMPOSSIBLE to find unless I order one from Dr Reefs (gamble). I’m likely gonna end up going with a single Wetmorella nigropinnata since my LFS has them come in more often compared to the other two (They actually had a thriving pair last time I visited). I’ll try to keep a healthy pod population in case I receive a finicky eater, have as many hiding spots/crevices as possible so please wish me luck¡ Also What are your top diet choices for them¿
The info you just gave me is PRICELESS. I hope you know I have reached peace of mind so THANK YOU x999999
I actually don't think they are finicky eaters if they recognize dead things as food, that's what matters. Sometimes you have to start them on something like live pods or live brine shrimp, then wean them off as they start to trust you. In general, quarantine them in something small, quiet, relatively low light, with minimal hiding spots so they are forced to see you, and thaw food out in your hand so they learn to associate your hand with it. Wrasses are smart, so if they can overcome their fear it will be a piece of cake getting them to eat different foods, it's that initial step that is hardest.
 

Steve and his Animals

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You sir are the real MVP. You literally just cleared up ALL the confusions/concerns I was having when researching the wetmorellas... The albofasciata is easily my favorite of the three (actually my favorite fish of all time and the reason I got into the hobby) but I’ll definitely have to wait on it for another larger aquarium and feel more comfortable/experienced. The tanakas’s’ seem to be IMPOSSIBLE to find unless I order one from Dr Reefs (gamble). I’m likely gonna end up going with a single Wetmorella nigropinnata since my LFS has them come in more often compared to the other two (They actually had a thriving pair last time I visited). I’ll try to keep a healthy pod population in case I receive a finicky eater, have as many hiding spots/crevices as possible so please wish me luck¡ Also What are your top diet choices for them¿
The info you just gave me is PRICELESS. I hope you know I have reached peace of mind so THANK YOU x999999
Also I've gotten tanaka's' occasionally when ordering from places that just sell them as "Possum wrasse," others will label them with species name or include "yellow-banded" which are definitely nigropinnata.
 
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Camaronero

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I actually don't think they are finicky eaters if they recognize dead things as food, that's what matters. Sometimes you have to start them on something like live pods or live brine shrimp, then wean them off as they start to trust you. In general, quarantine them in something small, quiet, relatively low light, with minimal hiding spots so they are forced to see you, and thaw food out in your hand so they learn to associate your hand with it. Wrasses are smart, so if they can overcome their fear it will be a piece of cake getting them to eat different foods, it's that initial step that is hardest.
Makes sense a lot of sense. If my LFS already has them eating prepared foods do you think I would still have to feed them live food during quarantine (out of precaution) since it will undergo transportation stress¿ How small are we talking for a quarantine set up and more or less what was the average time it took you for them to trust you¿ Also, I’m planning on stocking it alone or with MAYBE 1 other nano tank mate (not including inverts), will it have a big effect on it’s shyness?
 

Steve and his Animals

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Makes sense a lot of sense. If my LFS already has them eating prepared foods do you think I would still have to feed them live food during quarantine (out of precaution) since it will undergo transportation stress¿ How small are we talking for a quarantine set up and more or less what was the average time it took you for them to trust you¿ Also, I’m planning on stocking it alone or with MAYBE 1 other nano tank mate (not including inverts), will it have a big effect on it’s shyness?
If they're already readily eating, I don't think live food is necessary, although a tank full of pods can never hurt. Variety is what's important, as with any fish. In terms of QT, it depends on what you have on hand. You can probably do it in as small as 5-10 gallons if you're comfortable with your process. What matters is consistency. I treat all my fish prophylactically, so I try (key word: try) to keep up with a semi-strict water change and medication schedule.

Time-to-trust is different from fish to fish, even in the same species. For example, I have a marine betta that eats from my fingers and follows me when I'm near the tank. I'm trying to do the same with another for my boss so he can have a similar experience with his favorite fish, but it's much more stubborn and acts more like a typically nocturnal marine betta. The trick is to a few have decorations that provide good hiding places, but still somewhat force the fish to watch you while they hide. This lets them think without panicking to find a place to hide.

For stocking, I find keeping any fish alone will make it act differently. For shy fish, this usually makes them hide more. This effect is usually called dithering. The thinking is "hey, there's no other fish around, so there must be something scary nearby, I probably shouldn't come out of hiding." Keeping shy fish with gentle but sort of "mindless" fish helps them think there's no danger nearby. Young chromis are great at this. So are the common cardinals, like pajamas and Banggais. I think your choice of a pink-streak wrasse isn't a bad one, as they are supposedly outgoing for such a small wrasse, but I have no personal experience with them.
 

Tamberav

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Thanks for the heads up. Will I be ok placing these two on the opposite sides of the tank? I’m guessing I should closely monitoring the st Thomas growth so it don’t bother anything as it grows/multiplies¿

Ya that is what I would do. If you are doing just those two corals (will be amazing since they can grow into real colonies) then it should be easy to keep them apart.
 
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Camaronero

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If they're already readily eating, I don't think live food is necessary, although a tank full of pods can never hurt. Variety is what's important, as with any fish. In terms of QT, it depends on what you have on hand. You can probably do it in as small as 5-10 gallons if you're comfortable with your process. What matters is consistency. I treat all my fish prophylactically, so I try (key word: try) to keep up with a semi-strict water change and medication schedule.

Time-to-trust is different from fish to fish, even in the same species. For example, I have a marine betta that eats from my fingers and follows me when I'm near the tank. I'm trying to do the same with another for my boss so he can have a similar experience with his favorite fish, but it's much more stubborn and acts more like a typically nocturnal marine betta. The trick is to a few have decorations that provide good hiding places, but still somewhat force the fish to watch you while they hide. This lets them think without panicking to find a place to hide.

For stocking, I find keeping any fish alone will make it act differently. For shy fish, this usually makes them hide more. This effect is usually called dithering. The thinking is "hey, there's no other fish around, so there must be something scary nearby, I probably shouldn't come out of hiding." Keeping shy fish with gentle but sort of "mindless" fish helps them think there's no danger nearby. Young chromis are great at this. So are the common cardinals, like pajamas and Banggais. I think your choice of a pink-streak wrasse isn't a bad one, as they are supposedly outgoing for such a small wrasse, but I have no personal experience with them.
Wish you the best of luck with the marine beta¡ That situation makes me wonder if nocturnal fish can be turned diurnal (to an extent).
I have an untouched 10 gallon, so I’ll have to get that up and running for when I feel comfortable with the water parameters. Very interesting introduction and explanation on the term dithering, I don’t think I would ever of thought of that so thanks. Is it limited to only fish that help with the timidity of both wrasse (I read the pink-streak wrasse is shy at first) or do you think having a group of 3-5 sexy shrimp and a peaceful medium sized shrimp (Pederson’s OR white spot anemone) could be of help¿

Can’t thank you enough for these very informative responses¡
 
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Camaronero

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Wish you the best of luck with the marine beta¡ That situation makes me wonder if nocturnal fish can be turned diurnal (to an extent).
I have an untouched 10 gallon, so I’ll have to get that up and running for when I feel comfortable with the water parameters. Very interesting introduction and explanation on the term dithering, I don’t think I would ever of thought of that so thanks. Is it limited to only fish that help with the timidity of both wrasse (I read the pink-streak wrasse is shy at first) or do you think having a group of 3-5 sexy shrimp and a peaceful medium sized shrimp (Pederson’s OR white spot anemone) could be of help¿

Can’t thank you enough for these very informative responses¡
Actually scratch that. The medium sized shrimp would have to be a Pederson’s cleaner (Ancylomenes pedersoni) since it can still thrive without an anemone present and I’d like to not experience any anemone dilemmas.
 
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