nuxx
.Registered Member
Hey everyone have a quick question about your experiences with Fairy Wrasses being kept solo as a species or in pairs and groups.
We just lost our super male Lineatus Wrasse this morning and it got me thinking about the best way to keep Fairy Wrasses.
Our display tank is around 470 gallons (120x29x31") with a roughly 200 gallon sump.
Stock list as follows:
Black Tang (5"+), Yellow Bellied Blue Tang (5"), Crosshatch Trigger Pair (3.5"+), Yellow Tang (3.5"), Chevron Tang (3.5"), Flame Wrasse Pair (Super male / female), Cleaner Wrasse (2"), Black Ice Clown (2.5"), Pajama Cardinal Trio (1.5"+), 5 Lyretail Anthias (1"+).
The Lineatus was a large fish, around 4" easy and was introduced a few months ago.
He was always a very shy fish and only really came out from behind the rocks to eat, otherwise was pretty much out of sight.
Over the past week or two I noticed that he was only hanging out at the top of the tank and in the open all the time. Every time he tried to go to the bottom where he liked to hang out, the Yellow Belly Blue Tang would chase him off.
I started to notice some nipped fins and white marks on his body. I think the marks were caused from trying to jump and hitting the netting or acrylic. I've heard a splash from time to time as well.
Over the last few days I noticed his tail was pretty much missing. I caught one of the Crosshatches with the Lineatus by the tail. That was the last straw and I knew I had to act.
I then caught the Lineatus and moved it to our frag tank. It was swimming weird and seemed to favor laying head down almost vertical in the rock work, breathing hard.
After 3 days I found him with a pile of snails on top of him this morning dead.
The funny thing is that none of the other fish in the display are getting bothered. Even the much smaller and slower Anthias and Cardinals. Also the similarly sized super male Flame Wrasse and the female Flame Wrasse are fine. Past that the Cleaner Wrasse who fights off the Crosshatches and Tangs for Nori is just fine.
Is not having a female (or group) what caused the Lineatus to act so timid and maybe led to the other fish picking on him. Maybe trauma from hitting things while jumping made him a bit off. Maybe the other fish picked up on this and took out the weakest in the group?!?!
I know Fairy Wrasses are very social fish, do you think if the Lineatus was introduced in the pair or a small group things would have gone differently?
Our Flames are very active and social fish... I'm wondering if this is because they're a pair...
Really curious to hear about other's experiences.
Was a stunning fish...
We just lost our super male Lineatus Wrasse this morning and it got me thinking about the best way to keep Fairy Wrasses.
Our display tank is around 470 gallons (120x29x31") with a roughly 200 gallon sump.
Stock list as follows:
Black Tang (5"+), Yellow Bellied Blue Tang (5"), Crosshatch Trigger Pair (3.5"+), Yellow Tang (3.5"), Chevron Tang (3.5"), Flame Wrasse Pair (Super male / female), Cleaner Wrasse (2"), Black Ice Clown (2.5"), Pajama Cardinal Trio (1.5"+), 5 Lyretail Anthias (1"+).
The Lineatus was a large fish, around 4" easy and was introduced a few months ago.
He was always a very shy fish and only really came out from behind the rocks to eat, otherwise was pretty much out of sight.
Over the past week or two I noticed that he was only hanging out at the top of the tank and in the open all the time. Every time he tried to go to the bottom where he liked to hang out, the Yellow Belly Blue Tang would chase him off.
I started to notice some nipped fins and white marks on his body. I think the marks were caused from trying to jump and hitting the netting or acrylic. I've heard a splash from time to time as well.
Over the last few days I noticed his tail was pretty much missing. I caught one of the Crosshatches with the Lineatus by the tail. That was the last straw and I knew I had to act.
I then caught the Lineatus and moved it to our frag tank. It was swimming weird and seemed to favor laying head down almost vertical in the rock work, breathing hard.
After 3 days I found him with a pile of snails on top of him this morning dead.
The funny thing is that none of the other fish in the display are getting bothered. Even the much smaller and slower Anthias and Cardinals. Also the similarly sized super male Flame Wrasse and the female Flame Wrasse are fine. Past that the Cleaner Wrasse who fights off the Crosshatches and Tangs for Nori is just fine.
Is not having a female (or group) what caused the Lineatus to act so timid and maybe led to the other fish picking on him. Maybe trauma from hitting things while jumping made him a bit off. Maybe the other fish picked up on this and took out the weakest in the group?!?!
I know Fairy Wrasses are very social fish, do you think if the Lineatus was introduced in the pair or a small group things would have gone differently?
Our Flames are very active and social fish... I'm wondering if this is because they're a pair...
Really curious to hear about other's experiences.
Was a stunning fish...
Last edited:
