Wrasse ID ??? PIC
- Thread starter pk1
- Start date
pk1
Active member
Well I looked at photo's of that wrasse here, and they don't look too much alike.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/cirrhilabrus/
Now I'm sure there are different morphs as to location, male/female etc etc, but that's a little extreme in this case. My wrasse's head is red, all the photo's there the fish have a green head. Also, those fish have a distinct blue patch on the side, and a white belly, both trait's my wrasse does not share. Any other guesses?
PK
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/cirrhilabrus/
Now I'm sure there are different morphs as to location, male/female etc etc, but that's a little extreme in this case. My wrasse's head is red, all the photo's there the fish have a green head. Also, those fish have a distinct blue patch on the side, and a white belly, both trait's my wrasse does not share. Any other guesses?
PK
fishermania
New member
He is right about it being Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
Here is some info and a pic that is similar to yours.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1153
Here is some info and a pic that is similar to yours.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1153
Amphiprion
Premium Member
Coloration of this species is extremely variable, yet certain features still seem to predominate--I second C. cyanopleura.
AquaticFins
Premium Member
All of the cyanopleura complex (of which C. solarensis is indeed a member) have red eyes. The eyes of C. solarensis are usually a very bright red - much brighter than on this fish. Further, I'm not familiar with a C. solarensis morph that has a blue band between head colour and body colour - which happens to be a distinguishing charactoristic of C. lyukyuensis and C. cyanopleura.
PK1's fish is almost certainly a C. cyanopleura female.
PK1's fish is almost certainly a C. cyanopleura female.
karid
New member
Oh - another person had a female solarensis that looks sort of like mine - but the red on the head extended farther back past the fin. Bronco7777 confirmed mine is a C. cyanopleura and confirmed the other one was a female solarensis. He also explained the difference.
Do a search on this forum for "female solarensis cyanopleura" and maybe you'll get the link. If the Search function ever worked that is...
Do a search on this forum for "female solarensis cyanopleura" and maybe you'll get the link. If the Search function ever worked that is...
karid
New member
Difference between a female solarensis and C. cyanopleura:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=574807
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=574807
karid
New member
I believe with these wrasses, they are all females and one turns into a super male.
From what it looks like, yours is a male. At least, it looks like mine and mine is a male. You could probably add a small one and it would probably be female and you'd be OK. I was thinking of doing that. They sell them at LiveAquaria.
From what I understand, the fairy wrasses only have problems if you have two or more males of the same species together. So as long as you don't get another male like him, then you'd be OK. I thought about getting another type of fairy or flasher wrasse also.
From what it looks like, yours is a male. At least, it looks like mine and mine is a male. You could probably add a small one and it would probably be female and you'd be OK. I was thinking of doing that. They sell them at LiveAquaria.
From what I understand, the fairy wrasses only have problems if you have two or more males of the same species together. So as long as you don't get another male like him, then you'd be OK. I thought about getting another type of fairy or flasher wrasse also.
Well yours looks like a female turning to a male. I have a female cyanopleura, and it only has a red front and blue back at the moment...but when I first got her, she was all red.
In my experience, although contrary to belief that fairy wrasse males do not get along, I have successfully kept 3 fairy wrasse males in the same tank for over a year without problems. I also know a family that have 21 male fairy wrasses in a 300g tank with no dominance problems.
I think you are safe with adding either a male or a female. The hard part is pairing them up...I have not been successful with that yet.
In my experience, although contrary to belief that fairy wrasse males do not get along, I have successfully kept 3 fairy wrasse males in the same tank for over a year without problems. I also know a family that have 21 male fairy wrasses in a 300g tank with no dominance problems.
I think you are safe with adding either a male or a female. The hard part is pairing them up...I have not been successful with that yet.
karid
New member
Oh - if you're talking about mine, then mine is a male. It's never been all red. He's been this color for 3 years. This is a ruby head fairy wrasse - they are supposed to have red heads.
Yours might have been female (all red) and is now a male (only a red head). That is, if yours is a ruby head fairy wrasse too (variant of c. cyanpleura).
You can have many fairy wrasse males in one tank, as long as they are different species. For example, you could have a male cyanopleura, a male solarensis, a male yellow fin, etc.
IMO, I don't think a family that has 21 male fairy wrasses of the same species would not have any problems. If they are certain they are the same species, it would indicate to me that they are mostly females. Only the dominant one turns male. I'm pretty sure about this. Maybe check out some other fairy wrasse threads.
But why take a chance? If you get a male, you'll have a 50/50 chance that one will kill the other. If you get a female, then it will most likely work out. Either one will turn male (if the one you have is female) or they might pair up (if the one you have is male).
Yours might have been female (all red) and is now a male (only a red head). That is, if yours is a ruby head fairy wrasse too (variant of c. cyanpleura).
You can have many fairy wrasse males in one tank, as long as they are different species. For example, you could have a male cyanopleura, a male solarensis, a male yellow fin, etc.
IMO, I don't think a family that has 21 male fairy wrasses of the same species would not have any problems. If they are certain they are the same species, it would indicate to me that they are mostly females. Only the dominant one turns male. I'm pretty sure about this. Maybe check out some other fairy wrasse threads.
But why take a chance? If you get a male, you'll have a 50/50 chance that one will kill the other. If you get a female, then it will most likely work out. Either one will turn male (if the one you have is female) or they might pair up (if the one you have is male).
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Females do not look the same as males...and if you purchase a male, it will not turn back to a female. Female cyanopleuras look almost all red...
http://fins.actwin.com/species/index.php?t=9&i=416
That is what it looked like when I purchased it, now it is changing color to look more like the male cyanopleura.
And I did not say that they 21 of the same species fairy wrasses in the same tank. They have 21 fairy wrasses, most are different but they have 2 male cyanopleura and 2 male scottorum as the only 2 of the same species.
http://fins.actwin.com/species/index.php?t=9&i=416
That is what it looked like when I purchased it, now it is changing color to look more like the male cyanopleura.
And I did not say that they 21 of the same species fairy wrasses in the same tank. They have 21 fairy wrasses, most are different but they have 2 male cyanopleura and 2 male scottorum as the only 2 of the same species.
karid
New member
That's a very nice fish you have thehedge. However, that is a "regular" C. cyanopleura, a blue sided or blue head fairy wrasse. That is not what I have. And if PK1 has the same fish I have, then it is not what he has either - even though they are all C. cyanopleura.
What I have is a Ruby Head fairy wrasse, this is a type of C. cyanopleura. He is a male. They are supposed to have red heads. They do not turn all blue like the photo link you sent.
Anyway, if PK1 wants to add a male fairy of a different species, I say fine, If he wants to get a mate for the one he has, I think he should get a female.
What I have is a Ruby Head fairy wrasse, this is a type of C. cyanopleura. He is a male. They are supposed to have red heads. They do not turn all blue like the photo link you sent.
Anyway, if PK1 wants to add a male fairy of a different species, I say fine, If he wants to get a mate for the one he has, I think he should get a female.
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First off, there are many different COMMON names for fish, but all the fish with the same scientific name are the same. There is no difference other than color between a "regular" cyanopleura and a Ruby Headed Fairy Wrasse...
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1153
They are also not SUPPOSED to have red heads...as there are many different color variants.
I IDed the fish as a cyanopleura based on its physical traits aside from color. The color variant indicates that it is in the process of turning from a female to a male....eventhough it is probably about 90% complete.
My cyanopleura is still a female and barely maybe 15-20% on becoming a male, so I have no idea what its male color variation will come out to look like. I posted that link as a sample of a female cyanopleura...I was not saying that my fish looks like the male in that picture.
Furthermore, the chances of him creating a "pair" is very slim, as other than the Ciirhilabrus jordani, wrasses do not tend to form pairs, they form groups with many females and 1 "super male". There have been several recorded instances of mated pairs of wrasses other than the jordani, but it is a very slim chance to pair them in captivity. This is why, if he is going for looks alone, it may even be better for him to add a male to the tank, unless he adds a female with the intention of it turning male.
EDIT: Pk1, I must say that your fish has one of the nicest color variations I have seen in a cyanopleura.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1153
They are also not SUPPOSED to have red heads...as there are many different color variants.
I IDed the fish as a cyanopleura based on its physical traits aside from color. The color variant indicates that it is in the process of turning from a female to a male....eventhough it is probably about 90% complete.
My cyanopleura is still a female and barely maybe 15-20% on becoming a male, so I have no idea what its male color variation will come out to look like. I posted that link as a sample of a female cyanopleura...I was not saying that my fish looks like the male in that picture.
Furthermore, the chances of him creating a "pair" is very slim, as other than the Ciirhilabrus jordani, wrasses do not tend to form pairs, they form groups with many females and 1 "super male". There have been several recorded instances of mated pairs of wrasses other than the jordani, but it is a very slim chance to pair them in captivity. This is why, if he is going for looks alone, it may even be better for him to add a male to the tank, unless he adds a female with the intention of it turning male.
EDIT: Pk1, I must say that your fish has one of the nicest color variations I have seen in a cyanopleura.
karid
New member
>There is no difference other than color between a "regular"
> cyanopleura and a Ruby Headed Fairy Wrasse...
You are exactly right. But for my fish (and his looks the same) - the red head is the adult male coloration. The is a subgroup within the C. cyanopleura species. This is quite different from the fish in the link you posted.
Anyway, whatever. PK1 wanted some advice, so I stand by what I said earlier.:
If PK1 wants to add a male fairy of a different species, I say fine,
If he wants to get a mate for the one he has (or heck, even a small harem), he should get females. The one he has will already be on the way to becoming a male (if it is not already a full male). As thehedge mentioned, once male - it won't go back to being female. So if he gets another male - he's in for trouble.
> cyanopleura and a Ruby Headed Fairy Wrasse...
You are exactly right. But for my fish (and his looks the same) - the red head is the adult male coloration. The is a subgroup within the C. cyanopleura species. This is quite different from the fish in the link you posted.
Anyway, whatever. PK1 wanted some advice, so I stand by what I said earlier.:
If PK1 wants to add a male fairy of a different species, I say fine,
If he wants to get a mate for the one he has (or heck, even a small harem), he should get females. The one he has will already be on the way to becoming a male (if it is not already a full male). As thehedge mentioned, once male - it won't go back to being female. So if he gets another male - he's in for trouble.
pk1
Active member
thanks guys. I still can't believe all the wrasses in this link are the same species, with such differences in coloration. I know color is not the best way to ID something, so I'll take your word for it. I didn't want another wrasse for any other reason than to give this one something to relate to...maybe if I see one in my browsing of the LFS, I'll pick it up.
Patrick
