Wrasse Resort

[SaltyT]

** In Feb 2024 this tank’s front seam failed only 3 wrasses survived and are in a temporary 75g **


Hi All!

I've been on here for awhile and decided it's finally time to create a tank thread. I won't bore you with a back story on how I got into the hobby or when I setup my first tank yada, yada so I'll just skip right to my current tank. I have a RSR 425XL that's been running for almost 2 years. l started the tank with 60Ibs of cherry primo live rock from Live Rock n Reef and 20lbs or so of CaribSea life rock arches. I planned on having wrasses that bury so my sand is a nice mix of Fiji pink and Special grade.

Here are a few pics of its humble beginnings....

Several different macro algae popped up all over the live rock within a few weeks. One of my favorite things about setting up a reef tank is watching your live rock come to life!

Every time I get gulf live rock I get some cirolanid isopod hitchhickers. This time was no exception, but I was able to remove most of them daily in my filter socks. However, about 4 months in I had a large isopod attach itself to my H. chrysus (aka yellow wrasse) but I was able to manually remove the isopod from her. I never saw another one after that, thankfully! This guy was also a hitchhiker that came in as a tiny fella but quickly grew and had a taste for ricordea. His name is Sump Crab.

The ugly phase.... Around this time I got tired of the macro algae invasion so I picked up a Kole tang.

Despite the Kole tang's best efforts, all he managed to do was rip the algae into pieces which clogged up my MP40s and spread the algae throughout the tank. I ended up removing the Kole tang. The pink macro in this pic was really pretty and it loved being in the flow of my MP40.

After the Kole tang was gone I picked up a Copperband. Even though she had a voracious appetite she kept losing weight to what I suspect was internal parasites. I pulled her into QT a few times and tried oral metronidazole in her food (I must've had the dose right bc she wouldn't eat it) and 4 rounds of prazi, but sadly she eventually withered away

And of course here are a few early pics of some of my wrasses!

P. attenuatus (aka diamond tail flasher), C. jordani (aka flame wrasse), C. exquisitus (aka exquisite wrasse), H. biocellatus (aka red-lined wrasse) and M. negrosensis (aka black leopard)

My tank no longer has all of this macro algae. I ended up adding 3 mexican turbo snails - Moe, Curly and Larry. They ate all of it.

Thanks for looking! More to come....

 

[Dcal]

Love the macro look but understand why you got rid of it lol

Gorgeous tank regardless!

Whats your stocking list lookin like?

 

[jhuntstl]

That is the live rock of my dreams! Sooo much life. Wish you could have kept the macro, but I'd imagine it could be tough to deal with in time. Those mexican turbos almost feel like cheating in this hobby.

Looking forward to more updates!

 

[SaltyT]

Love the macro look but understand why you got rid of it lol

Gorgeous tank regardless!

Whats your stocking list lookin like?

Thanks! The macros were very pretty, but they made coral placement in the rock work nearly impossible. They did however provide a haven for my copepods to reproduce like crazy!

My current wrasses:
A. neoguinaicus - china pearl
C. brunneus - dusky fairy
M. negrosensis - black leopard


My other fish:
One spot foxface
Lamarck's angel
Lawnmower blenny

 

[SaltyT]

That is the live rock of my dreams! Sooo much life. Wish you could have kept the macro, but I'd imagine it could be tough to deal with in time. Those mexican turbos almost feel like cheating in this hobby.

Looking forward to more updates!

LOL! I had some terrible wiry red turf algae that became my nemesis! The tiniest piece of that stuff could attach itself anywhere in the tank and spread. Those turbos rid my tank of that devil plant!

 

[Dcal]

femininus pics?????

 

[SaltyT]

femininus pics?????

I don't take pics as often as I should LOL This is the only pic of her on my computer. I'll break out the camera this weekend (she's sooo fast) and get some updated pics ;Snaphappy

 

[LRT]

Awesome im in for sure

 

[Dcal]

If i end up getting one down the road itll be the only thing in my camera roll lol

currently got a yellow coris in my 90 and got bit by the wrasse bug... what other ones should/could I add

 

[SaltyT]

If i end up getting one down the road itll be the only thing in my camera roll lol

currently got a yellow coris in my 90 and got bit by the wrasse bug... what other ones should/could I add

The addiction is real! LOL besides the yellow wrasse, what other fish do you have?

 

[Dcal]

3 inch sailfin and convict tangs, mandarin, chalk bass and 3 chromis. Tanks been up for almost year and no new stock since feb and got everything dialed in.

Was planning upgrade winter but sailfins growing at a manageable rate so might hold off til spring. Also looking to get yellowtail tamarin when upgrade is up and established so dont want to hinder that addition.

Red coris wrasse is also a fav

 

[SaltyT]

3 inch sailfin and convict tangs, mandarin, chalk bass and 3 chromis. Tanks been up for almost year and no new stock since feb and got everything dialed in.

Was planning upgrade winter but sailfins growing at a manageable rate so might hold off til spring. Also looking to get yellowtail tamarin when upgrade is up and established so dont want to hinder that addition.

Red coris wrasse is also a fav

Nice! A. meleagrides is a beautiful wrasse! The red coris I would pass on. Stunning fish, but so destructive. Once they get decent sized they’re capable of eating small fish.

 

[Dcal]

Nice! A. meleagrides is a beautiful wrasse! The red coris I would pass on. Stunning fish, but so destructive. Once they get decent sized they’re capable of eating small fish.

bummer
have you seen this dude's bird wrasse pair? I think he sold them

What is a Fair Price

I'm sad to say that after 4+ years it's time to part with my amazing Bird Wrasses. They are fat, healthy, beautiful, and tame (they eat out of your hand). I will only sell the pair together. The question is, how much should I sell the pair for? They are approximately 8" from nose to tail...

www.reef2reef.com

Whats your feeding routine? sorry for question bombardment

 

[SaltyT]

bummer
have you seen this dude's bird wrasse pair? I think he sold them

What is a Fair Price

I'm sad to say that after 4+ years it's time to part with my amazing Bird Wrasses. They are fat, healthy, beautiful, and tame (they eat out of your hand). I will only sell the pair together. The question is, how much should I sell the pair for? They are approximately 8" from nose to tail...

www.reef2reef.com

Whats your feeding routine? sorry for question bombardment

I did see his pair! His tank is amazing!

I nerd out about wrasses so needless to say I enjoy talking about them I feed 3-4 times a day. They get mysis daily and LRS fish frenzy every other day. I also add a bottle of pods every 4 months just bc I like my wrasses chunky.

 

[Dcal]

I did see his pair! His tank is amazing!

I nerd out about wrasses so needless to say I enjoy talking about them I feed 3-4 times a day. They get mysis daily and LRS fish frenzy every other day. I also add a bottle of pods every 4 months just bc I like my wrasses chunky.

idk how i it took me so long to start noticing how awesome wrasses are and awesome thank you

 

[Devaji]

Hey @SaltyT glad to see your build thread.
tanks is looking great. I am starting to get in a wrasses for my RS650P you where a huge help in making my fish list for my wrasse dom. system.

pull out the camera and show us your wrass...oh I mean wrasses
i really want to find a ear muff if you got I line on one let me know

 

[Devaji]

Oh how was the H. iridis - radiant wrasse its on my list. its listed as expert are they bad shippers or hard to get eating?

I tried two leopards but sadly both did not make it not sure I want to try again. wish they where better shippers my suppler says less than 25% make it to the end users tank.

 

[SaltyT]

Oh how was the H. iridis - radiant wrasse its on my list. its listed as expert are they bad shippers or hard to get eating?

I tried two leopards but sadly both did not make it not sure I want to try again. wish they where better shippers my suppler says less than 25% make it to the end users tank.

They're very poor shippers, but otherwise they're as hardy as any other halichoeres wrasse. It was a long road to get my radiant. I could never find one locally so I had to go the shipping route and every time I tried one they were either DOA or died within a day or 2 of shipping. TSM Aquatics had some last year so I tried them and was finally successful. They packed her so well that she had zero signs of stress when I got her. She ate as soon as I put her in the DT and never hid. I've had her a year now. I recommend TSM Aquatics and Reef Pro for more delicate wrasse species both of these vendors really know their stuff when it comes to properly packing a delicate shipper.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Yesssss!!!!! I’m SO HAPPY you decided to create a thread for all your beautiful wrasses!! I’m subscribed!

 

[LRT]

Thanks! The macros were very pretty, but they made coral placement in the rock work nearly impossible. They did however provide a haven for my copepods to reproduce like crazy!

My current wrasses are:
H. melasmapomus - earmuff
H. biocellatus - red-lined
H. iridis - radiant
H. melanurus - melanurus
M. negrosensis - black leopard
P. attenuatus - diamond tail flasher
P. lineopunctatus - line spot flasher
C. rhomboidalis - rhomboid fairy
C. johnsoni - johnson's fairy
C. earlei - earl's fairy
A. femininus - blue striped tamarin

My other fish:
One spot foxface
Lamarck's angel - she's on her final warning
Lawnmower blenny

I have a heavy bioload so I have a big Tunze skimmer and do frequent water changes.

Can we see the Johnsons and Earls?
I've been contemplating picking up the rhomboid pair for tank 2.
Are all these wrasse housed together?
On Edit my bad I missed the fts with pretty much all of them in it
Whats the water volume on the 425?
I have a shallow 80 with 24x48 foot print im seriously considering doing all wrasses in it!