Mixing Wrasses

[violaceous]

Anyone have any experiences (good or bad) with multiple wrasses in a tank?

I have a very piggish 6 line wrasse (mildly aggressive with a 'get out of my way attitude') and I recently purchased a Lubbock's Fairy wrasse which is at the moment feeling a bit shy. Lubbock's is in QT at the moment and deciding whether to add him to my 25g or my 55g after he acclimates. I figure about 2 more weeks or so. He is in QT with a tiny 1 1/2" mystery pseudochromis and they are getting along well.

55g is a peaceful reef tank: zebra dart goby, firefish pair, diamond sifter goby, and the fatso 6-line. [I've been trying unsuccessfully to catch the 6-line to move him, but no luck. He doesnt nip at the others, but will give a half-hearted 'move it' chase on occasion.]

25g softie tank: Midnight Angel and an Oscellaris clown. Neither is very aggressive, just a little territorial at times. Nothing serious and no fin nipping, just an occasion squabble if the angel gets too close to the clown's mushrooms (maybe twice per week). Overall they get along great.



Ideally I would like him in the 55g tank, however, if there is a good chance that the 6 line and him will have conflicts, I may reconsider.

Also, anyone have any useful tricks for catching the uncatchable fish in their tanks (without tearing down the tank)?

Thanks!

 

[snorvich]

Six line wrasses do not do well with ANY fairy wrasses. Fairy wrasses in general do not do well with pseudochromis except orchid pseudochromis.

 

[blface]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7738946#post7738946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich
Six line wrasses do not do well with ANY fairy wrasses. Fairy wrasses in general do not do well with pseudochromis except orchid pseudochromis.

I agree.

 

[violaceous]

Good to know. So best bet is to trap the 6 line, move him and the pseudo to the 25g and put the fairy and clown in the 55g.


Anyone have any good fish-catching strategies?

Thanks for the advice

 

[Angel*Fish]

Find out which hole in which rock he sleeps in. After lights have been out for an hour. Switch them on, cover the hole and remove the rock to a bucket of tank water. You can set up a 10g with a heater and an airstone (or even the bucket) & when he comes out of his hole the next day, remove the rock

 

[snorvich]

I use fish traps. I am not sure about a six-line wrasse and a pseudochromis. It might work but it sounds iffy to me as they are both tough customers.

 

[violaceous]

I think I have the problem solved.... sorta.

Fairy wrasse is in my 20g dim tank until I can catch the fatso 6 line.

Pseudochromis is in the 25g tall with the Midnight Angel and Oscellaris.

When I catch the 6 line he will go in QT until I get the fairy in the 55g, then he can go to the low light.

Its the wrasse shuffle, but will be for the best in the long run, I think. Hopefully the fairy will be true to form and be less boisterous in the peaceful tank than ole fatso.


I'm going to try the rock trick, although I don't think its going to work. I believe he is sleeping in the same rock as my bar goby which is at the very bottom of the tank as a base for 1/3 of the other rocks. Would be tricky to get to.

I may try the fish trap if I don't have any luck otherwise. He's pretty clever - I've tried netting, tricking him into a clear container, nabbing him at feeding time, etc.. Very elusive and one step ahead. Ahh well.. lol Everybody is content in the meantime even if it takes months to catch the blighter.

Thanks everyone for your responses!

 

[finsurgeon]

I've had great success with this trap:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=UL1513

I borrow it from my friendly LFS. He also takes and sell the trapees. My mean 4-line was into the trap almost before it hit the bottom of the tank, laden with mysis. The meaner and greedier and fatter the fish, the easier to trap.

 

[violaceous]

Oooh, that might be what I need then! He certainly is all of those things. lol

Thanks!!

 

[violaceous]

I CAUGHT HIM! WHOOOOOOOOOHOOOOO!! *dances*

I used one of those small plastic beta containers and placed some mysis in it, then just left it in the tank with a few pieces of mysis swirling around in it. He couldnt figure out how to get to it since the opening was on top and when he finally did, he couldn't remember how to get out! YAY! So then I just stuck my hand in, covered the top with a net and voila! No more fatso!

Thanks for the insight everyone! He is now going up for local adoption or trade.