Mixing melanurus wrasses with other wrasses?

[Jettareefer]

Kinda of a redundant title but I usually hangout in the Sps keepers forum. My question is I have a large melanurus which is a big teddy bear except to hermit crabs but I would like to add a few more wrasses (possum wrasse, a fairy wrasse, and maybe a radiant wrasse). I was wondering if anyone's had first hand experience on this topic? My tank Info's in my sig below. My tank has lots of swimming room I only have about 60lbs of LR but has a ton hiding places and a shallow sand bed.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

I was told to forget it. & I have a 6 footer.

 

[hogfanreefer]

I have 2 fairy wrasse, 2 flasher wrasse an another Halichoeres wrasse with one...all added after him. Use an acclimation box and I bet you have no trouble.

 

[DavidinGA]

I have a Melanarus and red coris and had a yellow coris in my 210gal. Melanarus is a model citizen, yellow was the same, but the red coris is a beast always toppling rocks and corals and you can forget keeping most mobile inverts....

 

[cakemanPA]

I have a Melanarus and red coris and had a yellow coris in my 210gal. Melanarus is a model citizen, yellow was the same, but the red coris is a beast always toppling rocks and corals and you can forget keeping most mobile inverts....

Unfortunately that is the common truth about the Red Coris. One of my favorite wrasses

 

[PeterHall]

My melanarus doesn't touch hermit crabs. Weird. At my lfs they had a melanarus with a leopard wrasse in a holding tank who never even looked at each. But who knows long term.

 

[lhm nole]

Melanarus with flames no issues over 2 years together

 

[ga_gant]

I tried this and it didn't work out in my set-up. Had an established yellow coris and tried to add a smaller melanarus. The melanarus was cool for the first couple days then he stated to relentlessly chase the yellow. I had to take the melanarus back to the lfs. My tank size is very similar to yours.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Any wrasse can be pushy toward a new wrasse addition, even though in most cases it should work out. Using a social acclimation box can help lessen any incidents of aggression towards newcomers.

 

[slief]

I think it really boils down to tank size and foraging space. I've got a large Melanurus, a 6 line, a Leopard Wrasse and several other fairy wrasses in my 480G display. I have no issues what so ever. They all get alone fine and are never aggressive towards each other or any other fish in the tank. But I do have a big well established system with an awful lot of live rock and plenty of food.

 

[Chief Reef]

tried it in my 40breeder with a leopard and had to remove the melanurus, kept harrasing her everytime he caught sight, which was alot in a tank that small.

Mind you he was in first, and the leopard wrasse was much smaller. Leopard's a Model specimen though been out and about eating from day one with no issues to adjusting to frozen food or timezones,and i like her coloration better...so she gets the tank.

Edit: I should also note i gave him about a week before i decided the behavior wasnt going to just Calm down after awhile and removed him.

 

[evolved]

If you use an acclimation box, you'd probably find success. The radiant is the most risky (same genus), but the others have a high chance of success.