Can someone ID this fish please.
Fish Id - wrasse
- Thread starter IL Dreamer
- Start date
This is a female, transitioning male Paracheilinus mccoskeri. The way you can tell that appart from the carpenteri is the lines, on Carpenteri they have 2 middle lines between their 2 main lines marking the dorsal and lower line. Whilst Mccoskeri only has 1 middle line.
Fairy wrasse- Im thinking either Marjorie or Mccosker
OP
OP
Followup question. This is a fairly new 90 gallon tank (4 months old) with the Mccoskeri, a Foxface and 2 saltwater mollies (who have already spawned in the tank) in it. It will be a predominantly softie tank.
I'd like to add a few more wrasses and am confused on the male/female mix. I'd read that you have to be careful with multiple males but is that male wrasses or male Paracheilinus? IE can I add a male Cirrhilabrus and a male Halichoeres or do I need to stick to female wrasses from here on out?
I'd like to add a few more wrasses and am confused on the male/female mix. I'd read that you have to be careful with multiple males but is that male wrasses or male Paracheilinus? IE can I add a male Cirrhilabrus and a male Halichoeres or do I need to stick to female wrasses from here on out?
Marjorie Fairy Wrasses are rarely seen in the hobby and also, Mccoskeri is not a fairy, instead it’s a Flasher.
Flasher wrasses are in the Paracheilinus genus whilst Fairy Wrasses are in the Cirrhilabrus genus. This is most certainly not a Cirrhilabrus species.
Often males have higher fins and more vibrant colors. Im sure other traits but these are the ones I know of
Ahhh- Flasher- yes
You can add males of other genera as well as males of different species that aren’t similar.
When it comes to makes of the same species, they tend to fight to the death and generally do poorly.
honestly, in most species the males look like completely different fish to the females.
I mean, this is a female Cirrhilabrus lubbocki - bottom and here are males of both variants - Top two. This photo also shows I have several Cirrhilabrus in the same tank with no issues as C. naokoae can be seen in the photo with my Cebu lubbocki.
A better way to say what wrasses will work is if you get a list of say 30-40 species (I know it’s not impossible to name 30/40 wrasses… I can name 30-40 Cirrhilabrus alone haha). Then we can sort through the good and the bad ones
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OP
OP
Ones I've looked at so far are:
Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Cirrhilabrus Exquisitus
Cirrhilabrus Katoi
Paracheilinus Carpenteri
Halichoeres marginitus
Halichoeres Chrysus
Halichoeres chloropterus
My invert crews is currently various types of snails (wasn't planning on shrimp or crabs). Was thinking of breeding some feeder shrimp in my sump if needed.
Other fish that I'm looking to add down the road:
Marine Betta
2 Engineer gobies
Midas Blenny
Maybe a pair of clowns to play in my leathers but probably last
Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Cirrhilabrus Exquisitus
Cirrhilabrus Katoi
Paracheilinus Carpenteri
Halichoeres marginitus
Halichoeres Chrysus
Halichoeres chloropterus
My invert crews is currently various types of snails (wasn't planning on shrimp or crabs). Was thinking of breeding some feeder shrimp in my sump if needed.
Other fish that I'm looking to add down the road:
Marine Betta
2 Engineer gobies
Midas Blenny
Maybe a pair of clowns to play in my leathers but probably last
I’d personally avoid Halichoeres chloropterus due to risk of aggression and also they don’t remain that vibrant green throughout their whole life, males supposedly go brown and white.
Scottorum is another Id avoid and like the chloropterus, they tend to dull with age and also get aggressive.
Katoi is an alright one to go for but again, there is risk of slightly elevated aggression compared to others in that genus.
Exquisitus is a perfect pick though, this guy remains peaceful and won’t be a risk to the flasher in terms of aggression.
Carpenteri is too close to the Mccoskeri and likely won’t work long term. I would avoid this and go for something more along the lines of Rubricaudalis, Cyaneus ect… for a second flasher.
^^ agree, but I will recommend avoiding C. Katoi with flashers. I've had to remove a few belligerent Katoi's from client's tanks over the years.
I’ve not had much personal experience with katoi but from what I’ve seen I have had a couple lucky specimens with around 3 nasty ones (I have cared for 5 total from what I remember) so definitely agree with avoiding them
Easier way of telling them apart is McCosker’s has one extended dorsal fin ray, Carpenters has 4
I've probably removed half a dozen over the years and a couple members of my reef club said theirs turned nasty after they became established. It's a shame because they're such a pretty wrasse.I’ve not had much personal experience with katoi but from what I’ve seen I have had a couple lucky specimens with around 3 nasty ones (I have cared for 5 total from what I remember) so definitely agree with avoiding them
Actually this isn’t always true for 2 reasons;
First off, the females do not have extended dorsal rays, only the males truly shows these. If you look at a female, you will see their dorsal fin is not as ‘big’ as a male due to the dorsal rays not being noticeable.
Secondly, the extended dorsal rays are rather delicate IME. They can easily be ‘broken’. My previous flasher only had 2 extended dorsal rays but it was obvious he could grow a 3rd, when he passed I gently lifted his dorsal and he only had 1 filament. I will say though, mine was a hybrid and not a full breed of Paracheilinus.
It really is, I’m still waiting for the perfect wrasse but so far all the wrasses I’ve seen that I like follow the same pattern of aggressive tendencies.
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