Flasher Wrasses

[mike61289]

I'm considering getting an eight line flasher wrasse for my 75 gallon. I would like to add other flashers as well and all but one source say that the eight line is one of the more aggressive flasher wrasses.

Does anyone have any experience with the eight line that can weigh in? The other flasher wrasses I was considering are the mccosker's and one other species (undecided for now).

 

[Atesta]

I bought a mccoskers about a week ago and he has been in hiding ever since haven't seen him at all kinda disappointed


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[CoralsAddiction]

You should be fine with it in a 75 gallon. Some flasher wrasses can be unpredictable. I had a linespot flasher that did not like African leopard and McCoskers wrasses.
When I had my eightline he was the only wrasse if memory serves me well. You should be okay though. It's a great fish. Here's a pic of the one I had.

 

[Rybren]

Here's what evolved, our resident wrasse expert, has to say about the fish:

P. octotaenia "Eight-lined Flasher": Occasionally available, somewhat expensive. Not to be confused with Pseudocheilinus octotaenia; these are a VERY different species. This is a big and feisty species for the genus; will grow to over 4". Much more aggressive than most Paracheilinus, and even some Cirrhilabrus, but is still compatible with both. This one definitely needs a larger tank than most other Paracheilinus, however.

 

[scooter31707]

IMO, anything in the Pseudocheilinus family has the potential be very aggressive and become jerks. I don't know if I would risk that in a 75.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

IMO, anything in the Pseudocheilinus family has the potential be very aggressive and become jerks. I don't know if I would risk that in a 75.

That's true but in this case OP is asking about the eightline flasher that comes from the Red Sea.

 

[Half Vaped]

IMO, anything in the Pseudocheilinus family has the potential be very aggressive and become jerks. I don't know if I would risk that in a 75.

Pseudocheilinus octotaenia is the Eightline Wrasse, which can be very aggressive. OP is asking about Paracheilinus octotaenia, which is the Red Sea Eightline Flasher Wrasse.

I've had a female Eightline Flasher for a few months now and she's actually the most timid (and smallest) of the five Flasher Wrasses in my 150 G. She was actually getting picked on by the other Flashers and Fairies for the first few weeks and stayed in hiding most of the time (I used an acclimation box). She's a lot more outgoing now. I'm guessing they're probably more aggressive if they turn male and they've been in the same tank for a long while.

 

[d-man]

I would add it after the other flasher. I have 2 in my tank, but it's very large and they were added last thus far. They were in an acc box together for a few days. Once released they were still bullied by a few of my fairies, but after a few days it subsided and they came out more. I actually just pulled one cuz he was getting skinnier despite voracious eating. He is back in QT with a very large supermale pink margin, a juvenile Brunneus and a new red finned fairy wrasse going through prazi pro and freshwater dips

 

[Dizzle63]

I currently have a trio of eightline flashers in my 75. I had the male and added two smaller females at the same time. In my experience, the male gave little notice to the new females. If I were to add other flashers, I would make sure to add at least two at the same time to spread the aggression. An acclimation container would be even better.

 

[mike61289]

Great info! Thanks for your help. I saw the eightline flasher wrasse (female or juvenile) at my lfs about a month ago. If it's still there, I'll take it home with me. If not, I'll forget about it for now. It's just a fish that I saw and can't stop thinking about now.

 

[Just Jim]

I have a female with a bunch of fish. Never showed any aggression. Will a female alone eventually turn male like other wrasses?

 

[Dizzle63]

I had my current male by itself for over a year and it stayed as a juvenile/female. When I added the two other juveniles/females, it changed within a month to a male.

 

[snorvich]

I'm considering getting an eight line flasher wrasse for my 75 gallon. I would like to add other flashers as well and all but one source say that the eight line is one of the more aggressive flasher wrasses.

They are very aggressive. Your choice, your risk.

 

[mike61289]

Nobody here or elsewhere mentions it being "very aggressive." I think you're confusing it with the eight line wrasse, which is different from the eight line flasher wrasse.

 

[Rybren]

If you do your research, you will find that the 8-lined flasher is often regarded as quite aggressive. It's not as bad as the 8-lined wrasse, but it is probably the most aggressive species of flashers.