Wrasses and Anthias in my 75gal

[cordell]

Mornin' everybody! First post in the reef fishies forum...

So after keeping my clowns in QT for 6wks and them doing really well in the DT for a couple weeks now, it's time to get something new into the QT because it looks lonely and depressed.

The tank is a 75gal mixed-reef, I guess I would call it. Has been setup since Jan 16 and going strong. Been taking my time with it for sure... low funds, busy classes, and a little patience has been the cause of that. Current inhabitants are only the 2 clowns, few snails and a couple hitchhiking crabs, frogspawn (splitting I think!), goniopora (actually doing quite well and growing for now) and some tiny zoa frags.

So, I'm trying to get an idea of what to be looking for at the LFS for the next fish. I feel like I don't even want to go there right now because I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm thinking some kind of wrasse and/or anthias. My questions about the wrasses and anthias are:

1. Are there any particular kinds of wrasses and anthias that I should stay away from?

2. Do multiples of each get along very well (ie. maybe eventually have 3 wrasses and a couple anthias), and should they be different kinds of wrasses and anthias, or the same kind? I like so many of the different ones, I would rather have one each of 2 or 3 different kinds.

3. In a 75gal, if I wanted a good mix of different kinds of small fish, what fish would you recommend in particular? I had been recommended a lemon-peel angel but LA says maybe not reef compatible, so probably will avoid that. I'm also thinking about an orange-spotted goby with a tiger pistol shrimp. Other fishes I have placed on my 'to-consider' list are royal gramma and midas blenny, though I'm not stuck on any of those.

Thanks for any suggestions. We've got to get my clowns some new friends, and if I keep leaving the QT empty, my gf might make me take it down! Haha :hmm2:

 

[cordell]

Bump for the evening crowd... Any suggestions?

 

[ampemployee1]

dispar anthias are a great option, I have three with one female lyretail and everyone is happy along with a sailfin tang and maroon clown (the only aggressive fish).

Feed frequently, cyclopeeze and brine

Good luck

 

[billyzbear]

Look here http://www.liveaquaria.com/ get an idea of what fish you like. There are a lot of tough choices. Then you need to look at peaceful, semi aggressive and aggressive.
Anthias really like to swim, I think a 75 isn't big enough. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+20+48&pcatid=48
Says they are peaceful and min. 70gal. I've had lyretails and bimacs. With a 75 I would look more into reef safe wrasses. Flashers are cool. A pair of flame wrasses? I have a royal gramma, midas blenny, tail spot blenny I like them. My clown pair swim in thier corner only, they have no friends.

 

[Mike S]

I'll second the dispars. They are very active and colorful and stay relatively small. There are lots of choices when it comes to wrasses. Start by looking at the flashers and fairies.

 

[cordell]

Great, thanks guys.. I didn't realize that most anthias do need more space than what I have. I saw a couple that said 50 gallons minimum, but it seems most are around the 120 mark.

Is it safe to assume that most flasher and fairy wrasses are compatible with each other? Generally speaking...

 

[MattyO]

Bump... I'm looking at getting 3-4, 3" flashers for my 90, ruled out Anthias because of the feedings required (sps tank). Of course LA is LA and everyone goes there but would like to see some 1st hand experiences of mccoskers, Carpenters, whip fins, and other 3" fish.

 

[billyzbear]

I have a mccosters with a flame wrasse no problems. You want to stay away from the more aggressive wrasses like sixline. I had a carpenters and blue flasher in the mix but they died, not really sure what happened. No real aggression between them. Swimming find one day and pass during the night.
You could a mandarin. Very cool looking fish, feed themselves, they don't bother anybody and everybody leaves them alone.

 

[divewsharks]

I have a mccosters with a flame wrasse no problems. You want to stay away from the more aggressive wrasses like sixline. I had a carpenters and blue flasher in the mix but they died, not really sure what happened. No real aggression between them. Swimming find one day and pass during the night.
You could a mandarin. Very cool looking fish, feed themselves, they don't bother anybody and everybody leaves them alone.

A mandarin should only be introduced into a very well established tank, and one that has a constant fresh supply of pods to eat. Otherwise they will eventually starve, as they can wipe out a pod population.
That or is trained to eat prepared foods.

 

[divewsharks]

Great, thanks guys.. I didn't realize that most anthias do need more space than what I have. I saw a couple that said 50 gallons minimum, but it seems most are around the 120 mark.

Is it safe to assume that most flasher and fairy wrasses are compatible with each other? Generally speaking...

Generally speaking...
Some can definitely be aggressive, so do your research. Also the use of an acclimation box goes a long way to see if you will have any aggression issues, as it gives the incumbent fish time to check out the newcomer(s) while they are protected.

 

[cordell]

I would love to have a mandarin, but I'm afraid my tank wouldn't be able to support one for quite some time, and maybe not even then. That will probably be one fish that I'll always want but never be able to have. I have heard from several places that the sixline can be very aggressive, so I think I'll stay away from that one as well.

I'll have to look into an acclimation box. I've never actually seen one being used. Thanks for that tip!

It looks like I'll be doing some "googling" and "LAing" while I'm in the LFS next time, assuming he has any wrasses. I also need to get that screen cover for the tank made, but 6weeks in covered QT will give me plenty of time for that.

 

[billyzbear]

On my 90g tank I had another container above and behind main tank. I grew chaeto and pods in there. On my 150g I have a tank above and on the side of main tank. Let the above fug drain into main tank. If you want one bad enough you can make it happen. I have a pair, it's cool to see them mate. I have read posts of people keeping them in smaller tanks. You need to stock your tank with reefpods. Pods are getting cheap now.

 

[cordell]

I talked to the LFS guy today and he says he received a couple wrasses today: tricolor, sixline, and lunare. I know the sixline can be aggressive, so I'll be staying away from that. According to LA, the lunare (lyretail) needs 125gal and is aggressive, so that's out. But the Tricolor (AKA: Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse, Redheaded Fairy Wrasse, or Red-eyed Fairy Wrasse) seems to be a good fit for my tank. Any thoughts? Anybody have/had a Tricolor Wrasse? Here's the LA link for the fish.

If I had a choice of all the wrasses on LA, I probably wouldn't have the tricolor on the top of my list, but going with what is available locally and fits my tank.

 

[divewsharks]

you are against ordering the wrasse(s) you really want?

 

[cordell]

you are against ordering the wrasse(s) you really want?

Definitely not against ordering fish... My biggest concern with ordering fish is I only want to add one fish at a time to my QT, but I'm not sure I can justify the shipping charges for only one fish.

I may talk to the LFS guy about ordering a specific fish for me. I bet he could do that... but if he has something in stock that I like, might as well go for that first. I'm going to drop by there in the morning to see what he's got. I'll let yall know!