Reef safe and wrasse safe wrasses

[UffnerReef]

Good morning wrasse lovers!

I'm pretty new into the hobby but have become very excited about wrasses!

I have a mixed reef tank that has been established a year, has a sand bed, and a cover.

In about 1 year, I will be making an upgrade (should have just gone bigger from the beginning, but there is a strong learning curve to this and I don't like my setup much).

So here's my question: I want several wrasses (fairy, flasher, leopard, halichoeres- peaceful). Right now I'm looking into the genus Halichoeres. I currently do not have a pest problem (that I know of), but I like the fish and I also like that they could help control any potential pest. I quarantine everyone that goes in my tank. Sometimes I treat with copper and sometimes I don't. I am particularly interested in these species (I got the names from DD)
biocellatus (red line)
annularis (ducksy) (though one site said
these are challenging)
melanrurus (hoven)
chrysotaenia (vrolik)
richomndi (richmond's)

I do have some hermit crabs on my clean up crew, a few hitch hicker feather dusters (I like feather dusters in general), a pistol shrimp, and mixed corals (gorgonians, leathers, lps, sps). Have you had experience with any of these fish that 1. play nice with other future wrasses and other tank mates 2. show nice color in the tank 3. what is their hardiness

Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for your time!

PS: How do I tag other users that are known wrasse experts like @eatbreakfast in hopes to hear their input?

 

[Rybren]

I currently have 9 wrasses (plus 8 other fish) in my 120. I have 4 fairies, 1 flasher, 1 possum, and 3 Halichoeres:

H. chrysus - yellow wrasse
H. biocellatus - red lined
H. marginatus - Dusky (LA uses a different species name, but I believe that marginatus is the correct name)

The yellow and red-lined are both pretty mellow and model citizens. The Dusky, although still a juvenille/female, is more aggressive and likely to chase the fairies and flasher. It also goes after snails and hermits. My coral-banded shrimp disappeared shortly after adding the dusky, but I had the shrimp for 7 years, so maybe the timing was coincidence and it died of old age.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no way to tag other users on RC.

 

[Devolver]

yes my experience with the dusky is that it will eat inverts. and it will get worse as it gets more mature. my friend has a 8" dusky in his 400g and it will kill 30-40 snails/hermits in 5 minutes...

If you like a CUC I would scratch this one off your list

 

[UffnerReef]

Oh wow! Thanks both of you for the tip on the Dusky.

 

[biomek]

Reach out to Evolved (Hunter). he seems to be our resident expert on wrasses, no offense to anyone else intended. guy is just a wealth of knowledge on the subject. In fact, with "Wrasse" in the subject, wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up on this thread

 

[evolved]

In fact, with "Wrasse" in the subject, wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up on this thread

Yup, that's pretty much how it works; I watch the fish forum for wrasse threads. I just hadn't yet had the time to get to this one.


Your mix should be fine, mostly. Marginauts (dusky - annularis is a junior synonym) does have a higher propensity to eat motile inverts, as others have said.

I wouldn't mix chrysotaenia with melanurus though; they're very close cousins.

You'll find this worth your time: http://www.3reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses.122261/

 

[Myles]

I've had good luck with biocellatus-hardy and mellow ime. I kept mine with other wrasses without problem just be careful to choose other good natured species.
Myles

 

[vikinglord13]

Yup, that's pretty much how it works; I watch the fish forum for wrasse threads. I just hadn't yet had the time to get to this one.


Your mix should be fine, mostly. Marginauts (dusky - annularis is a junior synonym) does have a higher propensity to eat motile inverts, as others have said.

I wouldn't mix chrysotaenia with melanurus though; they're very close cousins.

You'll find this worth your time: http://www.3reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses.122261/

Dang it, you beat me to posting your own post. Haha

 

[UffnerReef]

All these responses have been so helpful! I think I will cross dusky wrasse off the list. Anyone out there have some pictures? Evolved, that's a great article. Thanks for sharing! Happy thanksgiving!

 

[SantaMonica]

One you probably don't ever want is a Dragon. A terror in 3 inches.

 

[miranda1960]

i have 13 wrasses... leopards and fairies... they are friendly to eachother..

having 2 x macropharyngodon meleagris (females); 1 x macropharyngodon bipartitus (female)
3 x Cirrhilabrus laboutei (2 medium and one super male);1 x C. lineatus; 1 x rhomboidalis;
1 x exquisitus; 1 x tonozukai; 1 x paracheilinus attentuates; 1 x C. rubromarginatus and 1 x pseudocheilinus occelatus...

 

[jar41]

13 wrasses? how big is your tank?

 

[UffnerReef]

Yup, that's pretty much how it works; I watch the fish forum for wrasse threads. I just hadn't yet had the time to get to this one.


Your mix should be fine, mostly. Marginauts (dusky - annularis is a junior synonym) does have a higher propensity to eat motile inverts, as others have said.

I wouldn't mix chrysotaenia with melanurus though; they're very close cousins.

You'll find this worth your time: http://www.3reef.com/threads/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses.122261/

I got an orange back and at first he was doing great. Never quite as fat as I wanted, but now I'm afraid he is losing even more weight. During feeding he is always out, but is not an aggressive eater. Lately he has been hiding... nearly all the time minus feeding time. His tail is also a bit frayed. I'm not sure who the bully is- I'm trying to figure that out. I'm also not sure what came first- a bully that made my fish not the healthiest or my fish wasn't in best health to start and for that reason is being bullied (orange back did fine when I had him in my QT). In these situations, do you find it best to remove the fish being bullied and put in QT to gain weight/strength or does that add more stress and do more harm than good? I'm trying to figure out who is harassing him and remove the bully (the orange back is my favorite) but so far, I can't tell. Thanks!

 

[hogfanreefer]

My H. chrysotaenia

H. claudia...not on your list but another great Halichoeres

 

[SantaMonica]

Wow that first pic... not sure if the fish or the coralline is nicer

 

[ca1ore]

I have a dusky in my 265. Gets quite large, and is 'tough' on hermits, but is hands down the best pest eater I've ever had. Anything new added to the tank, or even anything moved, gets the once-over for any thing pest like. Stunning fish as well. No problems with leopards.