Anthias or Wrasses?

[treylane]

It's time to rearrange my fish stocking. The bicolor anthias and flameback angels are causing too much stress to the rest of the tank inhabitants so out they go.

In their place, I'd like to get a pair of basslets, and a trio of small colorful open-water fish. I've been planning to start hunting for a group of ventralis anthias, but after looking at the other anthias and fairy wrasse species that are available, I'm rethinking this.

From what I've been reading, sunset anthias are also fairly shy and stay small, and they're showy enough by my standards. Does anyone have personal experience with them? Do they become bullies or get large? Any other suggestions for colorful anthias that stay small?

I'd also be happy with a trio of the smaller fairy wrasses (carpenters, mccoskers, etc) but I've had terrible success with them in the past. They raaarely made it to the two-year mark. My husbandry has improved a lot, but I'm still pretty leery. Can anyone speak to long-term success and what it takes?

 

[hans24hrs]

go with the wrasses. the mccosker are really nice looking. I was thinking of getting one but not sure how it would be with my tangs. Also I have a damsel and three small chromis I want to take out first. don't want to overload tank. good luck and let me know what you go with. If you get a mccoskers maybe you can give me some pointers on them.

 

[Reefing Newbie]

The trouble with trios of wrasses is that flasher(which are the mccoskser's, carpenters, etc...) and fairy wrasses don't work out very well. You will usually end up with all males and generally speaking, male wrasses of the same species don't like each other much, unless it is a dominant male and a sub male. You could however get three different species of flasher or fairy wrasses with out many issues. I don't like the risk personally so I would say stay with a smaller less aggressive trio of anthias. I have not done a lot of research with sunset anthias, but dispar, ignitus, resplendent, and carberryi are good and don't become aggressive. They also stay smaller. I will let others with experience with sunset anthias comment on this though.

 

[SDguy]

I don't like multiples of the same wrasse either...rarely works out.

I like sunset anthias. Also look at princess - gorgeous and small.

 

[fire_06786]

I love wrasses!

 

[Buzzword]

Go with a mix of wrasse's, you won't be disspointed,

 

[reefjunkie42]

I agree go with wrasses.

 

[El richie]

Wrasse mix

 

[rAzOr714]

I have 3 wrasses they all get along mystery wrasse is the most dominant
2nd is leopard
Last is cleaner wrasse





*rAzOr*