Addicted to Wrasses

[Reefing Newbie]

I am addicted to fairy and flasher wrasses now. My problem is deciding which ones and how many I can put in my tank. There is also the issue of not wanting all orange, red, and yellow fish in my tank. I need a balance in colors.

The tank will have:
2x Ocellaris Clowns
2x Pylei (may end up being one, there are two females that may both be going male. Not sure yet as one doesn't stick the pelvic fins out when I am around)
1x Black Cap Basslet
1x Yellow Watchman Goby
2x Damsels (yellowtail and neon)
1x Purple or PBT (keep going back and forth)

How many fairy wrasses can I keep in addition to what I have? Any on the list below that are easier to keep as pairs or trios? Please give me feedback on which ones would be better to get.

- C. rhomboidalis*
- C. rubrisquamis
- C. bathyphilus*
- C. aurantidorsalis
- C. exquisitus
- C. jordani
- C. condei

*Can only get one depending on price and availability of females.

TIA! I am too addicted to choose myself, otherwise I would get all of them. I just don't think all of them would fit.

 

[nonimmigrant]

How big is your tank Kyle? Is it the 125G? IMO, I'd get rid of the damsels and basslet if possible. The best of your list would be bathy, rubri, and rhomboid. I also like adornatus. Brad S may also have commentary.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

Yes the 125 gallon.

What would you suggest for blue fish? I was hoping the damsels would fit in to give me blue. I would prefer the blue fish be smaller. The black cap basslet can be switched to a royal gramma. Would it be possible to keep a pair or trio of the rubri? I would love to do that with the bathy, but I don't have the budget to buy that many of them.

 

[defchild84]

chromis would make a gread addition for the blues imo.

 

[SoLiD]

Yes on the Blue Reef Chromis fish. Also Green Reef Chromis. The Black Cap, Royal Gramma, And Damsels will all be little jerks to your timid Wrasses; which Fairy's and Flashers tend to be. I've always loved Solar Fairy Wrassses. If you find a Super Male they have Blue, Orange, Yellow, and Red.

 

[nonimmigrant]

Yes the 125 gallon.

What would you suggest for blue fish? I was hoping the damsels would fit in to give me blue. I would prefer the blue fish be smaller. The black cap basslet can be switched to a royal gramma. Would it be possible to keep a pair or trio of the rubri? I would love to do that with the bathy, but I don't have the budget to buy that many of them.

I was just going to say solorensis too! I do not have a male solo, but do have a female and she is a model citizen. What about a Genicanthus or Centropyge?

 

[29reef]

Stay away from solar fairys they are aggressive.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I was not expecting the basslets to be aggressive towards the wrasses. My pylei show off to the clowns I have at times. No chasing just making sure they know that they (more so the dominant female wrasses) is in charge.

I too have heard solar wrasses can be aggressive towards others. Are aurantidorsalis aggressive like the solar? I wouldn't mind having one in place of a damsel. If one would fit in.

 

[andy13]

Just get loads they are amazing fish I have the following
Lineatus fairy
Labouti fairy
Pink margined fairy
Rosy scaled fairy
Yellow wrasse
Peacock wrasse
Mc cosker flasher
8 lined flasher pair
And a quoyi parrot :spin1:

 

[Reefing Newbie]

What order would you add these in?

- C. rhomboidalis*
- C. rubrisquamis
- C. bathyphilus*
- C. aurantidorsalis (maybe, not sure how aggressive they are towards other wrasses)

 

[CeeGee]

Stay away from solar fairys they are aggressive.

IME this has not been the case at all. The last one I had was killed by a male flame. Super passive IME.

 

[29reef]

IME this has not been the case at all. The last one I had was killed by a male flame. Super passive IME.

Yes, when not introduced properly and tormented by dominant similar looking wrasses they will seem passive. However, keep one for over a year in your tank and you'll wish it was never added. Just my experience two different times with the clown fairy.

 

[LennyD4]

I have a Mccoskers wrasse and it is a great looking fish. I have it in a tank with an occellaris clown, bangaii cardinal, and a diamond watchman goby. It doesn't bother anything at all in the tank including shrimp and other small inverts.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I am a little weary about doing any flasher wrasses with a pylei fairy or two in the tank being that they are somewhat aggressive. They are great looking. I just don't want to try it in this small of a tank.

Actually someone in my club was pondering the idea of getting a 150 DD. If I got one it would be a wrasse reef. I actually wouldn't mind a cube for a wrasse only tank.

 

[aquaph8]

I would add them in the order you listed them. The last one is probably the most aggressive IMO but so is the pylei. Definately do the rhomboid first and use an acclimation box.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

An acclimation box is something I will be getting. The dominant female pylei never ceases to amaze me when showing that she is boss. Today she flared all of her fine out and showed off to the clownfish. I will be doing an acclimation box for sure because of this (would be worse with a wrasse I know).

 

[aandfsoccr04]

I would add them in the order you listed them. The last one is probably the most aggressive IMO but so is the pylei. Definately do the rhomboid first and use an acclimation box.

What is the rhomboid wrasse temperment?

 

[Reefing Newbie]

I may end up selling my pylei wrasses after they go male. Not knowing where they are at in their morphing, I don't want to sell as female. They will be spending some extra time in the QT tank.

I think rhomboids are fairly peaceful.

I was thinking a pair of rhomboidalis, one rubrisquamis, pair of bathyphilus, and a single aurantidorsalis. With the pylei taken out I am thinking of doing a trio of replendent anthias. Should I do the anthias before the fairy wrasses? Too much for my tank? Filtration and other stuff is in my sig.

 

[divewsharks]

Rhomboids are peaceful, so is the rubrisquamis. In one of my tank, I have rhomboid, lineatus, laboutei and a filamented flasher, all males. The laboutei runs the show. The rubrisquamis will soon be joining them, he is currently in another tank.

 

[CeeGee]

Yes, when not introduced properly and tormented by dominant similar looking wrasses they will seem passive. However, keep one for over a year in your tank and you'll wish it was never added. Just my experience two different times with the clown fairy.

Had the solar for years and was kept with a lubbocks and McCosker. Added a male and female flame wrasse and within weeks the solar was dead. Left to go eat dinner and he was fine came straight home afterwards and he was a goner.

Experiences vary.