Breeding exquisite wrasse

[Maze4321]

Hello Everyone!

I had put in my order for 4 exquisite wrasse from the Vanuatu region through my LFS and my order has finally been fulfilled by his supplier and will get to come home after QT at the LFS is over, probably in 2-3 weeks.

I have 3 females and 1 male for the harem in my display tank. I am in this for the hobby and challenges! I believe in captive breeding all fish to avoid the harvest from nature. I have had success with clowns and enjoyed it, so now on to fairy wrasse. It's just to bad no one has done it...... Yet!

I figured I would start a topic on breeding fairy wrasses, and if anyone has had success with spawning and rearing fairy wrasses and methods to maybe put into place and try. I have done some research and found only threads and articles of "it cant be done" Well I like challenges so I'm setting up to try it.
I have 4-40G breeders empty in the basement piped into my main system with water volume of around 700G and 2-20G that are independent just for this endeavor.

Topic 1. Ideas for initiating spawning of fairy wrasse.
Topic 2. Best way to harvest the spawn.
Topic 3. How to keep the larvae alive till they mature.

Just general topics I know. Much more can be said about the phases of the maturation cycle of fairy wrasses.

Last note, if you want to be one of those that say "it cant be done" then please move along and be pessimistic an another thread.

Thank you

 

[coral_addict]

I tried this with the carpenter's wrasse, and while I wholeheartedly agree that it can be done I must warn you, you are in for an extreme challenge. Wrasses have extremely high metabolisms, especially fairy and flasher wrasses, so feed at least once or twice daily. Also, because they are pelagic (water-borne) spawners, you must have a tall tank- the one I used was actually a Brute trash can about 4 feet tall. Give them lots of space to hide from each other and time to settle in, and then focus on high nutrition foods to promote the development of gonads. Also make sure you definitely have one male and three females, because if you have two sub-terminal phase males they will probably fight to the death. Good luck!!! I'm excited to see how this goes for you

 

[Maze4321]

Thanks for the reply. Challanges is what its all about in this Hobby!

My 240 has both sides layered with LR and a high current open center section. I'm hoping this will supply them with enough room to spawn once they are happy in the new home. I will be soaking a mix of meaty foods in Zoe to promote the best health possible.

I have hooked up a camera to watch the tank even when I'm away. Once they spawn I'm hoping to catch it and be able to shut down my pumps via the controller to keep the eggs from going down the overflow and into the basement. I'm thinking..... that the eggs will float to the surface and I can harvest them by skimming them out when I get home, unless I can talk the fish into Weekend Spawning! Think this would work? Any better ideas?

 

[dave willmore]

I like your idea of skimming and suggest you look into buying or building one. I don't have experience with wrasse spawning but most pelagic spawners mate just before dusk and they have an uncanny way of knowing that the lights only have 5 minutes left. Once they spawn everything in your tank will come up to the surface to feast, so you must harvest the eggs quickly. I'd suggest you get rid of your shrimp if you are serious about collecting wrasse eggs.

Rather than shut down your pumps I'd recommend more of a total light shut off and an automatic pump shutoff at the same time, then half an hour on the skimmer to collect eggs. Your overflow device will greatly hinder your egg collection efforts.

I'm curious as to what the egg size will be. For eggs less than 1mm, the first food choice usually tried are ciliates or small copepod nauplii like paracalanus or oithona.

Good luck.