Royal gramma or flasher wrasse

[Vince272992]

Hi
I have a 2 month old 65gal reef tank and i currently have one clown fish and 2red fire fish that u added 2 weeks ago and i am now ready to get another fish and I was trying to decide between a royal gramma or some type of flasher wrasse I like there looks the same so i would like the one that is more hardy and generally better to add to a tank of that age also if I do end up getting te royal gramma will it develop a lot of aggression or will it be fine in a tank that size. I will be adding other fish after words such as a wrasse, tang, goby, etc
Thanks

 

[elegance coral]

I would go with the royal gramma. Wrasses can be tricky, and I wouldn't suggest them to new hobbyists. Royal grammas are very hardy, and do great in community tanks, as long as there are no other basslet type fish. They are nonagressive. They will pick a hole in the rocks, and claim it as their territory. They'll defend this territory by opening their mouth really wide when other fish get to close, but I've never had them make contact with unrelated species. This behavior is actually kinda cool to watch, and nobody gets hurt.

 

[sponger0]

I would go with a wrasse, fairy is my favorite types. Much better colors and patterns than a gramma. Also they are out and about and not hiding in caves. No aggression issues unless you put in another wrasse, or you can try to put 2 in at the same time.

As for the previous post, as far as wrasses being tricky, not really. You just need to research what you are buying like everything else. Fairy wrasses arent aggressive in nature. I have had an exquisite and ruby head. Neither were aggressive and always right in front of the tank waiting for you to feed them.

But there are some that are for fowlr tanks only.

And stay away from any line wrasse, Four, siz or eight. All agressive.

But Ive read how a basslet can cause terror on a tank.

 

[SDguy]

I like, and have, both. They don't really occupy the same niche, so should share the tank just fine. Agree with EC that the wrasse isn't as hardy as the gramma, but close

 

[Vince272992]

ok cool that is good to here so r u saying that i should get the royal gramma cause its hardier

 

[ridetolive]

I have a royal gramma and a flasher wrasse. They get along with each other just fine. They are both attractive fish and are always out in the open. The flasher does tend to swim around more though. My gramma did acclimate quicker to the tank. It took the flasher a couple days to become active and he is a pickier eater.

 

[beachbreak]

Own both and really like both. Like others have said - no competition between the two at all and they get along great. My gramma is out and about all the time. If I walk up to the tank he is front and center. Super nice fish that's really colorful (cost effective too).

 

[Larz_1]

I have had a Royal Gramma forever (great fish) ... I added a McCoskers flasher wrasse and they got along fine for 6 months ... then the wrasse went carpet surfing ... jumped out the back of my canopy.

Moral of the story: Get either one (or both if you want), but make sure your tank has some sort of cover. Flasher wrasses are notorious jumpers.