'Pairing' Wrasses: That's Not How Any of this Works!

[eatbreakfast]

When I asked about multiple peacock wrasses, I was told they rarely transition to male so keeping multiples is ok

...not that they rarely transition, they just don't do it as readily as fairy, flasher, and Halichoeres wrasses.

 

[becks]

Oh I see

 

[Phil Cusimano]

I'm no expert on wrasses, I've only kept a pair of single wrasses in my reef aquarium at any one time, and I'm sure there can be exceptions to every rule. However, as stated by the author and a known fact that Wrasses are indeed protogynous hermaphrodites for certain. Additionally, when it comes to marine fish and corals for everything thing we know about them that can fill volumes, there is at least that much that we don't know about marine fish and corals. Just food for thought. I'm in the Author's camp on this one people.

 

[evolved]

Darn, I was hoping to try a harem of 4 Leopard Wrasses one day. Would a single specimen be "happy" going it alone?

Leopards can be the exception. Being more tolerant of one another in haremic settings.

Right, that's the small exception here, but still not without risk. Leopards are more tolerant, but in the instances when the males are not, they tend to quickly eliminate their conspecifics. Therefore, if you really desire a harem of wrasses, know what you're doing, and are willing to mitigate the risk with close & continued observation, Leopards are your best shot.

In writing the article, I elected to leave this level of detail out, in effort not to give any false impressions or extensions.

 

[Phil Cusimano]

I wouldn't risk it, marine ornamental fish are just too precious, a harem of leopard wrasses could go terribly wrong. continuous observation would a must. My two cents for what it's worth.

 

[Nick James]

Thanks for the information. I have no problem having one, just thought if they would be happier I can do 3-4 juvi females in a 220 with a large refugium supplementing bugs.

I wasn't aware that the females would/may eventually change even though there was still another male in the tank. Learned something new and glad I did.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Just bumping this article again for those who may not have seen it.

 

[laga77]

What about Dragon Wrasses? They live in pairs in the wild. I have a 6 inch and a 4 inch in separate tanks and would love to put them together.

 

[eatbreakfast]

What about Dragon Wrasses? They live in pairs in the wild. I have a 6 inch and a 4 inch in separate tanks and would love to put them together.

Dragon wrasses are indeed the exception of a pair forming wrasse in the wild. However, I would be extremely cautious of trying it in aquaria. Dragon wrasses can be quite aggressive to wrasses that are closely related to them. So if the pairing up doesn't go well, one of them will get severely injured, likely even killed.

 

[laga77]

Dragon wrasses are indeed the exception of a pair forming wrasse in the wild. However, I would be extremely cautious of trying it in aquaria. Dragon wrasses can be quite aggressive to wrasses that are closely related to them. So if the pairing up doesn't go well, one of them will get severely injured, likely even killed.

Thanks, your reply pretty much sums up what I have been reading. Comes down to a crap shoot.

 

[evolved]

Dragon wrasses are indeed the exception of a pair forming wrasse in the wild. However, I would be extremely cautious of trying it in aquaria. Dragon wrasses can be quite aggressive to wrasses that are closely related to them. So if the pairing up doesn't go well, one of them will get severely injured, likely even killed.

Agree to all of that, but I'd also like to point out another common name for the Dragon wrasse is the Rock mover wrasses - for good reason! They can rearrange a lot of your aquascape, unless your rocks are huge or glued down well.
Not a good species for a reef tank for all of these reasons.

 

[revhtree]

Agree to all of that, but I'd also like to point out another common name for the Dragon wrasse is the Rock mover wrasses - for good reason! They can rearrange a lot of your aquascape, unless your rocks are huge or glued down well.
Not a good species for a reef tank for all of these reasons.

I had no idea. That's one to stay clear of for me.

 

[Dragonreef202]

Thanks for that reading material. I have 1 melanurus wrasse and looking to add more wrasses. I'll take my time to make sure it's compatible with the one in the tank

 

[evolved]

Thanks for that reading material. I have 1 melanurus wrasse and looking to add more wrasses. I'll take my time to make sure it's compatible with the one in the tank

And for that, you want: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.28/

 

[Mini Coop]

@Diesel

 

[Diesel]

@Diesel

Hey there.
Hunter is here the expert
I know you can do trio's on wrasse but not all of them.

 

[evolved]

I know you can do trio's on wrasse but not all of them.

With the exception of a few genera, aquarists are better off if they don't.

 

[Mini Coop]

With the exception of a few genera, aquarists are better off if they don't.

McCoskers or carpenters flashers are ok?

 

[eatbreakfast]

McCoskers or carpenters flashers are ok?

Keeping multiple species of flasher is a great way to keep them, but stick with one specimen per species. Females usually transition into males, and males of the same species are more aggressive with each other than with males of another species.

 

[evolved]

Keeping multiple species of flasher is a great way to keep them, but stick with one specimen per species. Females usually transition into males, and males of the same species are more aggressive with each other than with males of another species.

All of that ^, plus it's really hard to find females flashers for sale that are truly female. Most sold as such are not.