Bare bottom tank with wrasse??

[Asco1104]

Interested to know how people have faired with no sand and wrasse? My sand is really doing my head in and I'm thinking of removing it and put some encrusting montipora on the base.

What type of wrasse have you got and how long have you had them with no sand?

Thanks Tim

 

[homer1475]

While my DT is not bare bottom, my QT is. leopard wrasse and coris wrasse were super stressed in QT without sand. Placed a small container of oolite in the QT and they settled down.



Most wrasses dive into the sand when frightened or stressed. Without sand they could be diving into a hard surface damaging their mouths which is a big concern for wrasses.

 

[newbie2014]

What type of wrasse have you got and how long have you had them with no sand?

Thanks Tim

It might not be what you had in mind, but I don't think a six-line wrasse need sand. I have one in my BB display for about three years now. It behaves well with other fish even though it was one of the first fish in the tank.

 

[64Ivy]

I'm barebottom and keep several members of the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus sp.

 

[Asco1104]

While my DT is not bare bottom, my QT is. leopard wrasse and coris wrasse were super stressed in QT without sand. Placed a small container of oolite in the QT and they settled down.



Most wrasses dive into the sand when frightened or stressed. Without sand they could be diving into a hard surface damaging their mouths which is a big concern for wrasses.

That is one of my concerns that they get spooked and jump rather than dive in the sand.


Cheers Tim

 

[Asco1104]

It might not be what you had in mind, but I don't think a six-line wrasse need sand. I have one in my BB display for about three years now. It behaves well with other fish even though it was one of the first fish in the tank.

That's good to know, I already have a canary and melanarus so not sure they would get on.


Cheers Tim

 

[Asco1104]

I'm barebottom and keep several members of the Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus sp.

My fairy and flasher sleep in the rocks but I have helichoeres


Cheers Tim

 

[nereefpat]

You are correct in that fairies and flashers don't need sand, but Halichoeres do.

You can look into getting them a "sand box" of some sort.

Or you can keep the sand. Does it have algae issues or something?

 

[Asco1104]

You are correct in that fairies and flashers don't need sand, but Halichoeres do.



You can look into getting them a "sand box" of some sort.



Or you can keep the sand. Does it have algae issues or something?

No issues with algae on the sand, I have a six foot sps tank and I end up with a sand pile either end of the tank if I turn the flow up, so I wanted to do away with it.


Cheers Tim

 

[Zalick]

Interested to know how people have faired with no sand and wrasse? My sand is really doing my head in and I'm thinking of removing it and put some encrusting montipora on the base.

What type of wrasse have you got and how long have you had them with no sand?

Thanks Tim

If you have a wrasse that hides/sleeps in sand, you should provide it sand. If you don't want sand, you should find the wrasse a new home.

 

[albano]

If you have a wrasse that hides/sleeps in sand, you should provide it sand. If you don't want sand, you should find the wrasse a new home.

Absolutely!

 

[Drewbe147]

Yea like others have said there’s quite a few different wrasses out there that don’t need sand. If yours does rehome it or keep the sand. If you rehome then just get a wrasse that doesnt require the sand. My exquisite fairy and linespot flasher are rock sleepers. The exquisite will sometimes flick sand at my christmas wrasse or melanarus. My christmas and melanarus(hoevens whatever) sleep in the sand but ive read about others melanarus doing fine without it. Lots of options though. Have you considered keeping your sand (finer grain i assume) on the edges where it blows to and add a larger grain to the section that ends up bare? My 2 sand sleepers for instance sleep in the same spots every night so theyd be able to find the finer grain and be fine? Just a thought

 

[Asco1104]

If you have a wrasse that hides/sleeps in sand, you should provide it sand. If you don't want sand, you should find the wrasse a new home.

I'm not going to put my live stock st risk or make them feel uncomfortable, I just wanted to see if anyone had.


Cheers Tim

 

[Asco1104]

Yea like others have said there's quite a few different wrasses out there that don't need sand. If yours does rehome it or keep the sand. If you rehome then just get a wrasse that doesnt require the sand. My exquisite fairy and linespot flasher are rock sleepers. The exquisite will sometimes flick sand at my christmas wrasse or melanarus. My christmas and melanarus(hoevens whatever) sleep in the sand but ive read about others melanarus doing fine without it. Lots of options though. Have you considered keeping your sand (finer grain i assume) on the edges where it blows to and add a larger grain to the section that ends up bare? My 2 sand sleepers for instance sleep in the same spots every night so theyd be able to find the finer grain and be fine? Just a thought

Thanks for your comments, I have a few types of wrasse and like you say the fairy and flashers sleep in the rocks.
It looks like the sand will stay, I already have 1-1.5 mm sand and don't really like the look of coral gravel to fill the centre.
I've turned my flow down a little so I will see how that goes. [emoji4]


Cheers Tim