China Wrasse

[Augie P]

Saw a really cool China wrasse At my LFS and was wondering if he would make a good addition to my 120 gallon reef. Can’t seem to find any info on them saying they aren’t reef safe but was wondering if anyone on here had any experience with them. Currently have a divided leopard and a radiant in the tank already. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys

 

[Flippers4pups]

@evolved ?

 

[evolved]

Anampses neoguinaicus
More here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.259894/

 

[ca1ore]

They are reef safe, mostly. Probably will make a try for CUC. @OrionN has a couple I believe. I tried a pair not long ago and neither would eat a thing and starved. If it’s eating at the LFS, go for it.

 

[evolved]

Sorry; meant to come back to this later and forgot.

They are reef safe, mostly. Probably will make a try for CUC.

Yes - once large they can pick at your CUC.

 

[OrionN]

One of my China wrasse is doing great. The other one have mouth injury and never fully recover from it. He cannot eat right, still living after almost 1 year but thin and not growing well.
The larger one is at 3.5 inches. I would consider them reef safe but they are not dull grown yet. Beautiful and unusual wrasse

 

[MIKE NY]

I had one as well and it lived for about 5 years before losing it. It was a model citizen with all other fish including other Tamarins. As with most Tamarins finding a healthy specimen and getting it start eating is the hard part. As mentioned crustaceans and snails maybe on the menu when they mature. Also if I remember the males will develop red on the anal fin.

 

[ca1ore]

I’m really tempted to try again. Hard to find lately though.

 

[TvanB1]

I have had mine for over a year now and its doing great. I have tried 3x previously. None of them have picked at any snails, shrimp, crabs, etc...
However, i’m not sure how long clams would last.
I have a ~150 gallon (48x31x24) and she seems to be happy in there for now. As mentioned above they are rather slow growing but I wouldn’t recommend them to anything under 120gal.
I cannot speak for behavior around other Anampses species, but they are moderately peaceful around other wrasses (Cirrhilabrus, Macropharyngodon, Paracheilinus, etc...).
They often come in with intestinal parasites/flagellates so it would be a good idea to soak food in general cure for a couple weeks. Mine started putting on weight after this. A few weeks in quarantine with a tupperware full of sand wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
They typically won’t eat for a couple days after arrival. Live blackworms, masstick, and baby brine shrimp have worked best for me to get them eating. Now she eats just about anything.
It is imperative that they are fed at least 2x a day with high quality foods. Often, without heavy feeding they slowly waste away.
No changes in sex so far and aggression is minimal. Still fat and happy as far as I can tell.

 

[cancun]

I love my China Wrasse....one of my favorite fish. I would say that are about in the same category as a Leopard as far as hardiness. Is he eating at the LFS?

 

[Augie P]

Awesome thanks everybody for the feed back!

 

[OrionN]

So did you get the China Wrasse? Is she doing well? I love mine. Unusual coloration.

 

[OrionN]

My Larger China Wrasse is turning male over the last few weeks. He start to color in. The color is still subtle. Face start to have blue green and pink, the tail and pelvic fins start to have pink-orange with blue in it and the anal fin start to turn orange. The black color receded. The China wrasse initial male is quite beautiful and unique. I tried multiple pictures before pick this one to post as it really show the change in color the best. He have been in my tank for about 1.5 years.

 

[OrionN]

My changing China Wrasse, Anampses neoguinaicusis. 5 inches and in my tank for 1.5 years.

A little better picture of the Anal and Caudal fins. Color is much easier to pick up by camera today

Color of the face and lines around eye. Look a lot darker and more defind in real life

6 months ago

 

[OrionN]

Update
My male China wrasse (the larger of the two). Turned male in my tank

 

[Rusticman]

I just picked one up today from my LFS. It’s a beauty and I must have it. There was also a leopard wrasse but I picked the china instead because I rarely see one.

 

[OrionN]

I just picked one up today from my LFS. It’s a beauty and I must have it. There was also a leopard wrasse but I picked the china instead because I rarely see one.

Good luck with her. Keep us update

 

[OrionN]

Male and Female China Wrasse. The Male 4.5 inches and the female 3.5 inches

 

[346700984]

Male and Female China Wrasse. The Male 4.5 inches and the female 3.5 inches

Hi! Looking for advice on pairing our 2 china wrasse.. We have had a big, healthy China wrasse in our reef tank for some time and have recently acquired a supposed female juvenile China wrasse. The new wrasse is currently in quarantine. The one we've had in our reef tank has pink coloration on the tail and pink/orange color on the anal fin, so we think it is a male. Any thoughts on how we should go about aquainting the 2 China wrasse after the new one does it's time in quarantine? Do you think that we should just add the female to the reef tank with the other China wrasse come time or would you suggest that we do anything special with them?

 

[i cant think]

Hi! Looking for advice on pairing our 2 china wrasse.. We have had a big, healthy China wrasse in our reef tank for some time and have recently acquired a supposed female juvenile China wrasse. The new wrasse is currently in quarantine. The one we've had in our reef tank has pink coloration on the tail and pink/orange color on the anal fin, so we think it is a male. Any thoughts on how we should go about aquainting the 2 China wrasse after the new one does it's time in quarantine? Do you think that we should just add the female to the reef tank with the other China wrasse come time or would you suggest that we do anything special with them?

I would have a trio of them for better success unless the tank is on the larger size. If you had just two and not enough spaces for the smaller juvenile to go into hiding then the larger male will start stressing the female out. I’m just going off of what I know from keeping other wrasses (Halichoeres, leopards, fairies). These certainly aren’t the easiest of wrasses, but aren’t the hardest either.