Clown Fairy Wrasse

[Salty Red]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for someone with experience with keeping a clown fairy wrasse in their reef tank or at all really. I bought one a couple days ago from the LFS and drip acclimated for over an hour along with a bi-color. What I have a concern about is when I introduced the two in the tank both seemed ok. By OK I mean they were swimming exploring the tank and active. After about an hour my 2 clowns who are inseparable started to gang up on the wrasse and ever since then it is in hiding. Are these wrasses normally always in hiding or do they normally pretty active in the tank? Any experience from somebody like this? I've had this tank running for over 2 years now as a FOWLR and have recently started converting it into reef. Here are some specs of what I have.

RR 65 gallon tank
20L sump with skimmer and fuge
I forget how much live rock i have, fills probably about a third of the tank
Stock:
2 clowns
1 clown goby
1 bi-color pseudochromis
1 coral banded shrimp

Sorry for the long description, its the engineer in me I guess and thanks for any feed back in advance.

 

[Msoar16]

give it some time, the clowns should calm down after a few days, just keep an eye on the wrasse to make sure he isn't getting beat up too bad.

 

[snorvich]

Actually, sexually mature clowns are highly aggressive especially in smaller tanks. The pseudochromis is also rather aggressive towards fairy/flasher wrasses. The only pseudochromis I recommend with fairy and flasher wrasses is the orchid dottyback. I assume you mean C. solorensis when you say "clown fairy wrasse"?

 

[anbosu]

What type of clowns?

 

[29reef]

In my experience the "clown fairy wrasse" is much more agressive than other fairy wrasses. If your other fish are agressive they will terrorize the fish before it has a chance to adjust to the tank and it will die

 

[Salty Red]

snorvich: yup C. Solorensis is what I am talking about.

anbosu: they are Ocellaris clowns

thanks for the feedback, I guess I just need to give it some of time. it was out and about at lunch alittle bit.

 

[karsco]

29Reef,

I second your comments on the clown fairy. I had to tear apart my tank last night to catch mine. He chased/battled with my Lubbock's wrasse and Bellus female, so he is currently living in my sump. It's a shame to he is a beatiful fish.

 

[CeeGee]

mine is very peaceful. My male lyretail anthias on the hand....

My solarensis is always out and about though. Very well mannered and just a great overall fish.

 

[blennielove]

I've had my clown fairy wrasse for two years now. He is not shy except when there are bullies in the tank. I agree with snorvich that mature clowns are aggressive, I've had issue even with a mature "single" one. If the clowns don't stop pestering the wrasse, you would want to move the rocks around some so new territories can be formed.
Best wishes! The clown fairy wrasse is a beautiful fish!

 

[snorvich]

They are beautiful, but they do lose coloration absent a female.

 

[Salty Red]

very interesting, and again I appreciate all the information. I've started to research how to tell the genders apart. I have found, " The males have much longer pelvic fins than the females and their gill has a hard blue outline. The females can be a general reddish-orange with the head being more red than the body, but the females can also have the same coloring as the males, just muted. The color of this species can vary, but all of the color forms have bright red eyes. Juveniles have basically the same coloring."

What I am having trouble finding is actual pictures because I would hate to see it lose its color.

First though I would like to see if it will relax more. It was out last night a little bit and ate with no problems. Nobody bothered it. I will rearrange the tank though to see if that will work, I've been wanting to do that anyways. If not I will scoop em out and bring him back to the store.

He/she is performing what I have read as "normal" social behaviors meaning that when he/she is getting ready to sleep, it covers itself with sand. It was alittle nerve racking seeing a large sand plume just before the lights went off last night. It was like a small mushroom cloud.

 

[snorvich]

For in sea pictures, try / Fairy and Rainbow Wrasses by Rudy Kuiter. For in aquarium pictures try Dr. Tanaka

 

[led stony]

Just lost mine because he jumped out of tank after 5 months dead on floor.

 

[kwl1763]

I would not worry about it to much.

If you can get him to feed within a day or 2 you will be in the clear. If not you may want to put the clowns in time out in an acclimation box until your wrasse comes out and is eating well.

Oh by the way quarantining would help a lot to get your wrasse fat happy and bold prior to going in there and in my opinion is the best thing you can do to avoid these type issues lasting any longer then a day when added to your display.

Solorensis are great fish (I've had one in every big tank I've had for the past at lest 12 years) and yes they generally will lose some color but remain beautiful. They are nearly perfect citizens with the exception of being one of the bolder fairies so add it last if you plan on multiple fairy wrasses.