Wrasse lovers, help me out with my new fish list...

[Reeferhead]

I recently had an outbreak of ick. Most of the fish survived but I'm pulling and treating the rest and using this an opportunity to start anew, fishwise anyway. I'm keeping a Bartlett's anthias and perhaps an orchid dottyback (fridmani) but the old nemos, tangs, etc are all going away. I'm letting the tank run fallow for three months and in the meantime improving my QT system with a setup for the Tank Transfer Method. Hopefully, ick will be a issue of the past for me.

Here's the tank, 150 gallon Marineland DD


IMG_8174 by nickgrant79, on Flickr

and here's my first run at the list of fish I'd like to add:


Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis)

Multicolor Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lubbocki)

Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis)

Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis)

Hooded Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus)

Lineatus Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lineatus)

Linespot Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus lineopunctatus)

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri)

Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus filamentosus)

Radiant Wrasse (Halichoeres iridis)


I have an acclimation box and it will be utilized


My questions to the wrasse nuts out there:

1. Is the list too big? Are there any wrasses you think I should add to this list.? Are there any listed above that I should remove?

2. What order should I added them? If you can place them in groups that would be awesome!

3. Are any of these fish particularly worth the extra effort and $$$ in hunting down mated pairs? improved male colors, behaviors, etc?


TIA

 

[reefjunkie42]

the 1st 4 and last 1 i would skip. honestly many of us nuts keep pairs to see the natural spawning rituals known as displaying. it is truely amazing to watch. the reason i say skip the 1st 4 is because they are moderately aggressive as far as fairy and flasher wrasse go. Also these with the exception of Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis, which is aggressive-all of these fish belong to the what is known as the blue complex. They will often lose much of their color in the absence of a female, which is moderately hard to find in these species due to to the already low value of the males(which are much prettier,than the females making them not worth collection for the divers and hence dont make it into the trade often. You can find them but it is much more difficult.

 

[jaa1456]

I just purchased a pair of Japanese Lunate fairy wrasse and they are beautiful, They have yet to really come out of hiding yet. They are also known as a crescent-tail fairy wrasse. Here is a link for them, about mid way down the page. http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/top...rasses-of-the-genus-cirrhilabrus/page__st__40

 

[Reeferhead]

the 1st 4 and last 1 i would skip. honestly many of us nuts keep pairs to see the natural spawning rituals known as displaying. it is truely amazing to watch. the reason i say skip the 1st 4 is because they are moderately aggressive as far as fairy and flasher wrasse go. Also these with the exception of Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis, which is aggressive-all of these fish belong to the what is known as the blue complex. They will often lose much of their color in the absence of a female, which is moderately hard to find in these species due to to the already low value of the males(which are much prettier,than the females making them not worth collection for the divers and hence dont make it into the trade often. You can find them but it is much more difficult.

Thanks for the advice. I've kept the first three before and thought they had pretty awesome color without a female. Perhaps I'm just easily impressed or its because I'm red/green colorblind. :lol: The rubris was added first and was a bit of a bully for sure. I've never heard of the "blue complex" do you have a link to a list of species or discussion on this subject?

I just purchased a pair of Japanese Lunate fairy wrasse and they are beautiful, They have yet to really come out of hiding yet. They are also known as a crescent-tail fairy wrasse. Here is a link for them, about mid way down the page. http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/top...rasses-of-the-genus-cirrhilabrus/page__st__40

Awesome fish :thumbsup: but I probably should have also mentioned that I've never spent more than about $100 on a single fish and would kinda like to keep it that way. :lol:

 

[jaa1456]

I never owned the other wrasses you have listed and, I have never priced them out either lol. Sorry about that.