Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus and Wetmorella

rushbattle · Dec 7, 2016

I was hoping for some help in choosing a selection of fish for my 66 gallon reef. The dimensions are 32x24x20. It will be a mixed reef with a 7.5 gallon rubble filled refugium. I plan to feed small amounts of phyto to keep the pod production up in the system and feed twice a day with high quality frozen foods like Reef Gumbo and Reef Frenzy. The tank has a mesh cover, so nobody can jump out. I have a skimmer, and will run carbon, GFO (if needed), and light the refugium with a powerful LED fixture to grow Chaetomorpha, or another macroalgae for nutrient export.

Like the title implies, I would like to focus on small and peaceful wrasses. Does anyone want to help with which of the Cirrhilabrus would work well in a tank with other peaceful wrasses? I am hoping to have two or three Paracheilinus and two or three Wetmorella. Here is a list so you can see :

Wetmorella nigropinnata or
Wetmorella tanakai or
Wetmorella albofasciata (Which of these do you prefer, just one or two, or all three?)

Paracheilinus sp. (All are options, but need to narrow it down for space concerns. It is high priority to have at least one or two.)

Cirrhilabrus sp. (Need help here on who would get along with the others, hoping to have at least a few specimens.)

Other tankmates that I am interested in are the following:

Lysmata amboinensis (Cleaner Shrimp)
Any of the Stonogobiops (Shrimp Gobies) with a pistol shrimp
Elactinus oceanops (Neon Goby)
Small Blenny (suggestions?)
Nemateleotris exquisita (Exquisite Firefish)
Koumansetta rainfordi (Rainford's Goby)
Gramma loreto (Royal Gramma)
Serranus tortugarum (Chalk Bass)

Any problems with the other tankmates? I have had some pretty rude Blennies before, anyone have an idea on a peaceful but fun Blenny that is small?

I realize that the list includes more fish than could possibly be healthy in this size tank, but I wanted to get feedback about which subset of fish you find interesting and potential incompabilities that I hadn't considered yet.

Suggestions, either for individual fish, sets of fish, or a whole stocking list proposal, would be greatly appreciated! Also, don't limit your suggestions to the options above, if you think of fish that might be good for this situation please let us know that as well!

Thanks in advance!

Rybren · Dec 7, 2016

You can read up on wrasses in Evolved's guides up in the stickies.

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

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/cirrhilabrus-complexes-inferiority-need-not-apply.17/

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/pairing-wrasses-thats-not-how-any-of-this-works.3/

I have 10 wrasses in my tank, but the guides will explain it all better than I can.

eatbreakfast · Dec 8, 2016

In a tank your size, sticking to the smaller Cirrhilabrus sp, such as the lunatus complex, rhomboidalis, rubeus would be best.

Stigmatura blenny would fit what you're looking for.

rushbattle · Dec 8, 2016

Rybren said:
You can read up on wrasses in Evolved's guides up in the stickies.

Thanks, they are great articles! I've read all of Hunter's articles a few times. After reading them I'm often surprised at his, and eatbreakfast's responses so I asked about my specific situation.

eatbreakfast said:
In a tank your size, sticking to the smaller Cirrhilabrus sp, such as the lunatus complex, rhomboidalis, rubeus would be best.

Stigmatura blenny would fit what you're looking for.

Thanks for the quick response! The lunatus complex is the same as the C. johnsoni complex from the graphic in Hunter's article? I saw Lemon Tyk's writeup about the lunatus group also. So just for clarification, you mean the species listed in Lemon's list or Hunter's, or both?

When you mention the C. rhomboidalis, does your recommendation include the rest of the rubrimarginatus group or just C. rhomboidalis alone? The same for C. rubeus, does that include the rest of the rubiventralis group or just C. rubeus and C. africanus specifically?

Thanks for the E. stigmatura reccomendation! I will definitely try to find one as they seem to be exactly what I am looking for!

eatbreakfast · Dec 8, 2016

rushbattle said:
Thanks, they are great articles! I've read all of Hunter's articles a few times. After reading them I'm often surprised at his, and eatbreakfast's responses so I asked about my specific situation.

Thanks for the quick response! The lunatus complex is the same as the C. johnsoni complex from the graphic in Hunter's article? I saw Lemon Tyk's writeup about the lunatus group also. So just for clarification, you mean the species listed in Lemon's list or Hunter's, or both?

When you mention the C. rhomboidalis, does your recommendation include the rest of the rubrimarginatus group or just C. rhomboidalis alone? The same for C. rubeus, does that include the rest of the rubiventralis group or just C. rubeus and C. africanus specifically?

Thanks for the E. stigmatura reccomendation! I will definitely try to find one as they seem to be exactly what I am looking for!

Johnsoni/lunatas complex are synonymous, so any of those species.

The rhomboidalis only, the other species in the rubrimarginatus complex will outgrow your tank.

Rubeus and joanalleni would bo fine. Some of the other species in the complex can behave aggressively.

rushbattle · Dec 8, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
Johnsoni/lunatas complex are synonymous, so any of those species.

The rhomboidalis only, the other species in the rubrimarginatus complex will outgrow your tank.

Rubeus and joanalleni would bo fine. Some of the other species in the complex can behave aggressively.

Perfect, thanks!

rushbattle · Dec 8, 2016

Any thoughts on C. katoi? I thought it might be a decent fit.

eatbreakfast · Dec 8, 2016

rushbattle said:
Any thoughts on C. katoi? I thought it might be a decent fit.

They can be on the aggressive side for a Cirrhilabrus.

rushbattle · Dec 8, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
They can be on the aggressive side for a Cirrhilabrus.

Thanks again!

evolved · Dec 8, 2016

rushbattle said:
The lunatus complex is the same as the C. johnsoni complex from the graphic in Hunter's article? I saw Lemon Tyk's writeup about the lunatus group also. So just for clarification, you mean the species listed in Lemon's list or Hunter's, or both?

I did my stuff before lemon published his articles. Admittedly, I need to go back and harmonize my stuff with his.

rushbattle said:
Any thoughts on C. katoi? I thought it might be a decent fit.

I tired one; removed. Was an absolute terror. Which was disappointing, as it was a unicorn species for years for me prior to being collected.

I don't have much else to add from what's already been said, but you could also consider the lubbocki complex for Cirrhilabrus. Be mindful though that some species in it are way too aggressive for you.

rushbattle · Dec 8, 2016

evolved said:
I did my stuff before lemon published his articles. Admittedly, I need to go back and harmonize my stuff with his.

I tired one; removed. Was an absolute terror. Which was disappointing, as it was a unicorn species for years for me prior to being collected.

I don't have much else to add from what's already been said, but you could also consider the lubbocki complex for Cirrhilabrus. Be mindful though that some species in it are way too aggressive for you.

Thanks Hunter! If you get time, would you mind pointing out the species within the lubbocki complex that are peaceful? Appreciate all of the input from everyone!

evolved · Dec 9, 2016

rushbattle said:
Thanks Hunter! If you get time, would you mind pointing out the species within the lubbocki complex that are peaceful? Appreciate all of the input from everyone!

Of those available, it's limited to either lubbocki or flavidorsalis.

rushbattle · Dec 9, 2016

evolved said:
Of those available, it's limited to either lubbocki or flavidorsalis.

I was wondering about C. flavordorsalis, but LADD has C. lubbocki as a semi-aggressive species. I think I trust your evaluation more than those folks. In any event, I think I might like C. flavordorsalis better anyhow. Thanks for all of your help!

rushbattle · Dec 9, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
Stigmatura blenny would fit what you're looking for.

@eatbreakfast , do you (or anyone else!) have any experience with ORA bred Escenius gravieri (Red Sea Mimic Blenny)? I had forgotten about that neat looking fish and I am wondering if it is similar in temperament to E. stigmatura. I think it might be worth taking a shot, I prefer cultured specimens where possible.

evolved · Dec 9, 2016

rushbattle said:
I was wondering about C. flavordorsalis, but LADD has C. lubbocki as a semi-aggressive species. I think I trust your evaluation more than those folks. In any event, I think I might like C. flavordorsalis better anyhow. Thanks for all of your help!

lubbocki can sometimes be pretty feisty. The norm is pretty mild, but there are exceptions.

eatbreakfast · Dec 9, 2016

rushbattle said:
@eatbreakfast , do you (or anyone else!) have any experience with ORA bred Escenius gravieri (Red Sea Mimic Blenny)? I had forgotten about that neat looking fish and I am wondering if it is similar in temperament to E. stigmatura. I think it might be worth taking a shot, I prefer cultured specimens where possible.

It's similar, but a little bolder.