possible wrasse mix-up??

[degibson84]

I was sold what was supposed to be a pair of scottorum wrasse one a male and one a female. At first I thought they were just Fiji or Australian with very dull colors. One is much larger than the other and its colors are much less vibrant. mostly blue/green with a little bit of reddish and yellowish colors on the anal and dorsal. The smaller one is still mostly blue/green but the colors on the anal and dorsal are much more vibrant. The larger one seems to be getting even more dull. Both fish have almost transparent tails which is not a characteristic of a Scott's

So I started thinking did the supplier sell me two punctatus http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1967&pcatid=1967

thinking they were Scottorum http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1397&pcatid=1397


Sorry I cannot get a good picture of mine with my phone. They are too active

 

[evolved]

I was sold what was supposed to be a pair of scottorum wrasse one a male and one a female.

Fish are mixed-up, mis-labeled, and/or mis-identified more often than they should be by those who don't know any better.

and its colors are much less vibrant. ...seems to be getting even more dull.

Not uncommon for Scott's

IBoth fish have almost transparent tails which is not a characteristic of a Scott's

Quite characteristic of any female Cirrhilabrus, rather.

So I started thinking did the supplier sell me two punctatus
thinking they were Scottorum

It's possible, but they're easy to tell apart. The shape of the head is quite different.

Sorry I cannot get a good picture of mine with my phone. They are too active

Without a picture, there's no way to say with any certainty. And a picture would make this very easy.

 

[albano]

So I started thinking did the supplier sell me two punctatus http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1967&pcatid=1967

Does yours have the long pec fins?

 

[degibson84]

Does yours have the long pec fins?

No the do not. So I guess I did get some dull Scott's.

 

[albano]

Really need pics, there are many different Scott's...I've even seen Exquisites mistaken for Scott's

 

[degibson84]

I will try to get a pic over the weekend. Just very blue with my phone.

 

[degibson84]

For what it's worth mine both look just like the one down in the middle of this page

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/wrasses/ScottsWrasse.php

 

[degibson84]

So maybe I am just over paranoid. I turned the dusk/dawn lighting off and just used the day lighting to get the pictures. This is the most stunning colors I have seen on the "male" since I got them
This is the smaller "male"



And the larger "female"

 

[eatbreakfast]

Yep, those are scott's.

 

[degibson84]

So I am stuck never being able to add more wrasses??? After adding these two I kind of want more. They are so much more active than any ther fish I have ever owned.

 

[degibson84]

So I am stuck never being able to add more wrasses??? After adding these two I kind of want more. They are so much more active than any ther fish I have ever owned.

So is there a chance of adding any other Cirrhilabrus

 

[aquaph8]

I'd start with a fish trap if a group of wrasses is your ultimate goal.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Or add a few at the same time to displace aggression.

 

[degibson84]

Multiple of the different species? Or multiple as in pairs? Or should I just add a few different species of females? Obviously would like males if possible

 

[eatbreakfast]

More often than not when buying pairs of fairy wrasses the female turns into a male anyway, so unless you have your heart set on having a pair adding multiple fairy wrasses of different species is best.

If you buy female fairy wrasses they will most likely turn into males, so buying them as females they may live longer and you can watch them transition, but if you buy males you wont have to be as patient to see their full blown colors.