Red head solon fairy wrasse temperament

[NikeLV]

Hey guys,
I read some people saying that Solar Wrasse are aggressive, but is that aggression only towards other wrasse or all fish? LA states that they are peaceful fish..
I'm getting one on Wednesday and I'm hoping it will be peaceful. It won't be housed with any other wrasse, but it will with other fish
Thanks

 

[Rollins4Miles]

I had a male a few years back and he was very peaceful. I had a few other wrasses in the tank with him and he never bothered anyone. Beautiful fish until he jumped. Now I have a female and it's the same situation. She's very peaceful and doesn't bother any other fish. Just make sure you have screens on top of your tank. Mine has jumped out towards me on a couple of occasions when the screens were off. I think she just wanted a hug.

 

[albano]

I don't think that you'll have a problem, but you will need a screen top...IME 'blue' wrasses will have some 'color fade' if there is not a female or other fairy wrasses in the tank

 

[NikeLV]

Just make sure you have screens on top of your tank. Mine has jumped out towards me on a couple of occasions when the screens were off. I think she just wanted a hug.

Hahaha then give her what she wants!

I don't think that you'll have a problem, but you will need a screen top...IME 'blue' wrasses will have some 'color fade' if there is not a female or other fairy wrasses in the tank

I have a glass top that I'm reluctant on using because of the heat trapping that occurs but luckily it seems like the weather here is cooling down. I saw the netting top from BRS but it's ridiculously priced!

 

[albano]

I have a glass top that I'm reluctant on using because of the heat trapping that occurs but luckily it seems like the weather here is cooling down. I saw the netting top from BRS but it's ridiculously priced!

Glass tops block gas/oxygen exchange at the waters surface... Depending on your area, Home Depot also sells 1/4" netting and screen frame kits

 

[extoker]

I have a male/female pair. Chalk me up as to wishing I had never gotten the two -- go at it like cats and dogs, or at added them last. Please note they weren't sold to me as a "dedicated" pair. I have a Vrolik's and a yellow wrasse they don't seem to bother. They have killed flasher wrasse, royal gramma, flame angels and exquisite wrasse. I've learned to buy fish equal in size to the male solarenses.
Note the exquisite wrasse and the solarenses are related..

It appears I got a bad egg..

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have a male/female pair. Chalk me up as to wishing I had never gotten the two -- go at it like cats and dogs, or at added them last. Please note they weren't sold to me as a "dedicated" pair. I have a Vrolik's and a yellow wrasse they don't seem to bother. They have killed flasher wrasse, royal gramma, flame angels and exquisite wrasse. I've learned to buy fish equal in size to the male solarenses.
Note the exquisite wrasse and the solarenses are related..

It appears I got a bad egg..

There is actually a male fairy wrasse, Cirrhilabrus cf. cyanopleura, that is more often sold as a female solorensis then actual female solorensis', so adding 2 closely related males at the same time could explain the aggression. Also if it truly was a female solorensis and began to transition to a male the already male solorensis would focus more aggressive attention toward it.

My experiences with the solorensis has shown them to be a model citizen.

 

[extoker]

I got the male as a red headed solon fairy wrasse from DD and the female from LA. Their images match the LA description as the pics to a t.

 

[evolved]

This is what male/female solorensis look like:

This is what C. cf. cyanopleura looks like, and is often sold as a "female solorensis":

If you have the very former and the latter, you have two males which are closely related, and I would not expect them to coexist well.

 

[extoker]

It would appear that my female is the latter! Guess LA screwed me....

 

[albano]

It would appear that my female is the latter! Guess LA screwed me....

Happens all the time...since LA doesn't actually see the fish, their wholesaler is at fault for misidentifying the fish to them...

 

[snorvich]

Happens all the time...since LA doesn't actually see the fish, their wholesaler is at fault for misidentifying the fish to them...

this.

 

[skiwez]

Yup I believe the same thing happened to me. Got two, "female solorensis" from LA about 7 months ago, but ended up with what I now believe are cyanopleura based on evolved description.

They are for the most part peaceful with the other fish in the tank except for the yellow sided wrasse and each other. They go through mood swings. co-existing happily for a month and then a week of chasing and fin nipping. They both end up shedding some scales and then decide to stop. All the aggression is focused on each other, almost as though the other inhabitants don't exist.

I would say be careful if you plan on adding any additional fairy wrasses, but other than that you should have have no problems. You will most likely be able to add additional fairy wrasses just an acclimation box is probably advisable.

 

[TangySushi]

got any of pics of the new fish? Is it eating pellets? I'm looking at buying the same fish

 

[NikeLV]

got any of pics of the new fish? Is it eating pellets? I'm looking at buying the same fish

The wrasse just arrived from LA, he's acclimating right now, so I'll try to let you know if he's eating by Friday.

 

[NikeLV]

He's eating well. I fed him mysis shrimp and he experimented with it for a bit. He chewed it and spit it out multiple times but he ended up eating them.