40 Breeder Stocking/Compatability Question

[MrMarth]

Hey All,
I'm still in the process of planning my stock list for a 40 Breeder I set up a couple months ago. My proposed list is as follows:

• (2) Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse - Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
• (1) Flasher Wrasse - Species TBD
• (1) Mystery Wrasse - Pseudocheilinus ocellatus
• (1) Sharknose Goby "“ Elacatinus evelynae

Is a 40 Breeder pushing it for a Mystery Wrasse? Any comments or suggestions on the other fish are very welcome as well. I'll admit I don't have much knowledge on the Sharknose Goby in particular.

The tank is well cycled at this point and is supporting some LPS and Montipora caps for coral as well as a healthy supply of pods.

The CUC is entirely snails (w/ a couple bristleworms and brittle stars).

• >100 Dwarf Cerith Snails
• ~20 Nassarius Snails
• ~15 Cerith Snails
• ~20 Nerite Snails

The tank also has Red Grape macroalgae, Ulva macroalgae, and a single Red Mangrove growing in the display. I don't have any refugium attached at the moment. The protein skimmer is a CPR Bak-Pak 2R+w/ Rio 600RV.

Again, any comments/questions/concerns are more than welcome.

 

[DustyReefer]

First the 40 is too small for an adult mystery, and you'll more than likely see aggression between the wrasses in that small of a tank, especially from the mystery wrasse. Second that is quite the clean up crew you've got there haha, that is quite a lot of snails. Um also you said that you have a mangrove in your display, does that mean there is no top? because I'd be worried about jumpers being that IMO wrasses have a higher tendency to jump than other fish.

 

[MrMarth]

Thanks for the input on the wrasses!

Right now I don't have a lid on it. I plan on making a rim of eggcrate around the edge (so I can cut around the skimmer return and the mangrove) with a light plastic mesh covering the remaining space. I haven't used the eggcrate before (I don't like how much light it cuts down) but the mesh works great for my other tank.

 

[nanoreefer1000]

40 is fine for a mystery, the problem with it is that it will destroy your other wrasse
Otherwise the list is fine

 

[haynesw]

To me, the tank is way too small for that group of fish.

 

[nanoreefer1000]

5 fish, one is around 4 inches full grown, one is around 2 inches and the rest are around 3 inches. Plenty big.

 

[rssjsb]

Are you planning to put 1/4" mesh on top of the egg crate? Wrasses can jump through shockingly small holes, so I wouldn't leave even one square of the egg crate uncovered.

I would also avoid the mystery wrasse. I'm not sure where the lubbock's fairy stands on the aggression/territoriality scale, but they could also be a problem for the flashers you want to add. I think flashers are generally smaller and less aggressive than fairies, so they could get picked on.

I think you might be better off picking one type of flasher wrasses and then getting a small group of them. Carpenters and McCoskers are pretty widely available and very pretty.

And I agree that is an enormous cleanup crew. I don't have that many snails in my 185.

 

[MrMarth]

I plan on covering the eggcrate as well. I just wanted it as a sturdy rim to attach the mesh/screen.

What are some alternatives to the Lubbock's and Flasher wrasse for active tankmates if I wanted to keep the Mystery Wrasse?

Alternatively, if I went with only smaller Flasher wrasses, how many should I get? Should I stick to one species (I'm assuming yes)? Are there any recommendations besides Carpenter's and McCosker's?

The Dwarf Cerith aren't very substantial in my CuC. They only get to 1". I admit that it's a strong CuC though.

 

[rssjsb]

You might want to start a new thread on mixing different types of flasher or fairy wrasses. I think it's fine to do that, but there are lots of wrasse experts around who will know the answers to your compatibility questions.

I'm far from an expert and have only ever kept McCosker's flashers and one pyle's fairy wrasse (not at the same time). Lost all of them to jumping eventually, including the pyle's, who got through a tiny gap between the eurobrace and the side of my bird-net frame when I failed to get the frame realigned properly after moving it to feed.

 

[MrMarth]

I'm sorry to hear about the losses. I got my practice with a jumper with a twinspot hogfish in another tank. He/she would try to jump at least once a week.

 

[Ambition]

I think you may find the tank more interesting if you get a variety of fish instead of one bottom/rock work dwelling fish and the rest open water. Maybe adding something along the lines of a royal gramma or chalk basslet which will be in the open, but not darting around.

If I did a 40B I would do something along the lines of this (purely example, not saying you should follow this exactly):
2x Flasher wrasses (male and female pair as two males will kill each other in such a small tank)
1x Goby (most likely a watchman for the symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp)
1x Basslet (royal gramma, chalk bass, or an assessor)

Then maybe a tailspot blenny.