Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse Harem (and others)

[NexDog]

Haven't kept wrasses before so want to start on something cheap, cheerful and easy. How many Lubbock's could I keep together?

From B-Box here in Japan:

Also on my list of possibilities are multiple Halichoeres ornatissimus (pair or harem). Would love a harem here.

And a pair/harem of Peppermint Hogs (Bodianus sp). I know this has been done here on RC.

 

[H.Tanaka]

Cirrhilabrus, fairy wrasses, females and males can be kept together safely but it is difficult to pair. Some similar, related ones may fight each other, but in most cases they will go well without special care. I highly recommend you to prepare many crevices for them to hide in.

I visited B-Box Aquarium, the largest fish store around Tokyo, where many rarities including Pseudocheilinus dispilus from Mauritius were on sale.

 

[NexDog]

So do you think I could do maybe 5. My tank is large with lots of rock.

 

[HOBrien]

I have a trio of them with a trio of Solar Fairy Wrasses and they all get along just fine. This is in a standard 120g

 

[NexDog]

Great.

 

[H.Tanaka]

NexDog,

I think that five individuals will also be fine.

 

[NexDog]

Excellent.

 

[angel-luver!!]

apart from the odd few, i have never has a problem with pairs/groups of flasher wrasses.

they look stunning in a big group and think they happier as such. :O)

 

[flameangel88]

Haven't kept wrasses before so want to start on something cheap, cheerful and easy.

And a pair/harem of Peppermint Hogs (Bodianus sp). I know this has been done here on RC.

Lubbock's--price is very reasonable and they look really nice. I added a small pair recently (I wanted three but only was available). I think Pink margins fairy wrasse, Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus are nice too.

As for Peppermint hogs--I'd one (larger) then added 2 more (possibly a pair since they were staying together since day one). The first one was aggressive toward the new comer but once the pair settled in they fought back. I haven't seen the first one for a few weeks now (probably dead). I would stick with a pair unless possibly adding all 3 at the same time. Same experience with L. rubre.

 

[NexDog]

I don't think I'm going to do 5. Think I'm going to try for 3 Lubbocks, then pairs of Peppermint Hogs and Christmas Wrasses. Then maybe a single from the Thalasoma family. Then I'm covering a few types and they all pretty (and I'm into stripes).

 

[SDguy]

How do you sex lubbocks fairy wrasses? Is it just by size? Because all the ones I always see in the stores look like colorful males to me.

 

[bradleyj]

Best of luck with them, and make sure you have a cover on the top of your tank.

 

[NexDog]

Yea, been covered for a year now.

 

[H.Tanaka]

Females are entirely reddish orange, whitish ventrally, with a black spot at the caudal peduncle.

 

[SDguy]

Females are entirely reddish orange, whitish ventrally, with a black spot at the caudal peduncle.

Thanks for the info. Apparently I've never seen a female for sale at a LFS

 

[screwtape]

Thanks for the info. Apparently I've never seen a female for sale at a LFS

Just to add, there are a lot of Cirrhilabrus wrasses that look very similar when they are in the juvenile/female stage so it can be tricky to ensure you get the right species. Make sure you trust the person picking your fish or that you can go the WYSIWYG route so you can be more certain. I'm not even 100% sure if there's a definite way to tell all of the similar female Cirrhilabrus apart other than putting them together and seeing which ones turn male and which ones don't.
If anyone knows, I would love to know more. I'm considering a harem in my tank as well. I've already tried to get a few females but they came in as Conde's wrasses, not Lubbock's.

 

[mrwilson]

thanks for the info. Apparently i've never seen a female for sale at a lfs

+1

 

[wrasseguy2]

here is a pic of a female..this is an old pic and i sucked at taking pics then..well i still do but this is it just like H. Tanaka said they are a reddish orange, whitish ventrally, with a black spot at the caudal peduncle.

i love the lubbocks nex dog..one fairy that is underated imo..can't wait to see some pics of yours when you get them..i have kept two diferent color varients..the one that is the pic in your first post was my favorite this is mine like that

displaying

 

[H.Tanaka]

Thanks, wrasseguy2. The pics are great, and the male is very colorful.

 

[wrasseguy2]

i should also add that the female of c. adornatus and flavidorsalis look exactly the same as well so it is hard to tell what species it is if the females are in thier own tank...i also think c. walindi females also looks like the others but i have never seen them for sale though