About small wrasses of all sorts: owner experiences and wisdom.

[Sk8r]

Seeking owner experience here.
How cranky are they---what species.
What ones are best in what size tank? How much space do they need/want? to calm down? How are they with other fish and with other wrasses?

What is their diet? Did they eat anything you didn't feed them?

What is their behavior toward other fishes you've had---and do state tank size and which fish was there first (territorial ownership.) That's real helpful in figuring out disposition.

[billdogg]

I have had several over the years.

1. 6 line in a 60g cube. evil. started out ok and then one day just started going all Rambo on any and every other fish. Ate anything so feeding was easy. I'll never have another.

2. Several different Flasher wrasses, a couple in the 60, the others in a 120. It may take a while for them to get comfortable and stop hiding, but once happy, very good fish. Requires a sand bed deep enough to sleep in to be happy.

3. Fairy Wrasses. See Flasher ^^^ pretty much the same. Gorgeous as juveniles, kinda meh as adults. Mine would sleep in whatever crevice it could find. Great eaters as well.

4. Green Coris Wrasse - got it to control flatworms. It would eat a few, but not terribly effective. Then went rogue. Got rehomed to the LFS after taking out a Flame Angel - they put him in their Trigger tank where he was right at home if that tells you anything.

5. (Blue Star) Leopard Wrasse - At least IMO, the very best looking fish I have ever owned. 120g SPS dominant reef. Very difficult to acclimate to a new system, especially as very small juveniles. One of the VERY FEW fishes I would advise against QTing due to that fact. They MUST have several inches of sand, the finer the better, to sleep in. The first one went in and disappeared for a week or so and then one day just came out from the sand and is out from lights on to lights off every day cruising the reef. The second one I got (to make a pair) went in and disappeared just like the first. A month later I still had not seen it. My LFS replaced it with another even smaller. (yes after a month - it's important to be on good terms with your LFS!) It promptly disappeared as well. About a week later (so 5-6 weeks after introduction), #2 came out and acted like nothing was amiss. I knew it was #2 because of it's size. #3 was never seen again. The pair have completely rid my system of a flatworm infestation that manual removal and 2 rounds of nearly double strength FWE didn't touch. It took them about 2 weeks. I've never seen another FW. They cruise the reef together hunting for morsels to munch on. The larger (#1) is slowly changing to male coloration. Excellent fish once established. Eats everything. Rod's Original is like candy to them. Not really a beginner fish due to acclimation difficulties.

The biggest issue with many very cool looking (juvenile) wrasses is that they become large, frequently not so cool looking fish that have a propensity to eat your shrimp and/or CUC.

hth

[SFish]

Good stuff to know thanks

[gone fishin]

I agree with bill. If interested in a wrasse find a juvenile pic and an adult pic to compare. Also, with wrasses the males tend to be more colorful.

For flashers I would suggest at least a 55g and for fairy wrasses a 75g. Do check on sizes some wrasses such as bird wrasses can get up to 11 inches.

As far as aggression I have found that if mixing try to stay away from multiple color similarities especially in a smaller tank. IMO I have found that the "non-reef safe" wrasses tend to be a bit more aggressive. Also, some wrasses such as Christmas wrasses can be sold under different types with some being quite aggressive. Try to get the latin name for the particular wrasse if possible.

In my tank I keep some reef safe and non reef safe wrasses. I made a decision that I would have to add to my CUC and that shrimp would probably be off my stocking list.

Pay attention as well to what environment the wrasse requires. Some will need a sandbed to hide/sleep in for example leopard and coris wrasses. Some will also make a cocoon to sleep in do not get alarmed.

FWIW in my tank I have the following wrasses, solon fairy wrasse, Naokis, Temmincki, black fin(C. melanomarginatus), red velvet, gray head, pink margin, exquisite and a leopard wrasse.

Good luck just my 2 cents.

[KMS.Kyle]

I absolutely adore my Melanarus Wrasse - He's the king of my tank and the mediator of any scuffles or disagreements.

He eats quite a bit because he's a VERY active swimmer. I have him in a 66 gallon tank (60 gallon tank space) with lots of swimming room and he enjoys when the power heads are creating a flow for him to ride/swim against constantly during the day.

The only issue I've EVER run into with him is when I put 3 new chromis into the tank and he was hungry - he chased the tiniest one thinking it was a meal - thankfully I fed him and he NEVER bothered them again but it kept me on edge for sure.

He's been INCREDIBLY low maintenance though and I'm VERY happy to have him - SUPER peaceful with my other tank mates and so much character.. At times I feel like he's so aware of me (being beside my computer desk) that he can sense my thoughts.. Haha

Also the behaviors/relationships I've seen between my wrasse and my other fish have been amazing to watch - My sleeperhead goby and the wrasse tend to always stick together, nuzzle each other, swim in spirals around one another and hunt together - My Hog Fish & the wrasse tend to swim in opposite patterns of one another across the tank.

My Wrasse is approx 4 inches now and BEAUTIFULLY colored.

I hope that you get one.. It's honestly my best friend of my tank

[heathlindner25]

I currently keep a dusky, black spot,bluestar,and a twistii.
No qt,and they all eat whatever goes in the tank.

[heathlindner25]

My best advice would be to find one in your LFS and watch him for a week or so.Must have a good appetite.

[Rybren]

Originally Posted by billdogg

I have had several over the years.


2. Several different Flasher wrasses, a couple in the 60, the others in a 120. It may take a while for them to get comfortable and stop hiding, but once happy, very good fish. Requires a sand bed deep enough to sleep in to be happy.

In my experience, and according to most references that I can find, neither flashers nor fairies require a sandbed for sleeping. They are both cocoon builders.

Here is my current wrasse list:

Paracheilinus carpenteri - Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
Paracheilinus lineopunctatus x P. angulatus - Linespot Flasher Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki - Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus ryukyuensis (lyukyuensis) - Yellow-Flanked Fairy Wrasse
Wetmorella nigropinnata - Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse
Macropharyngodon ornatus - Ornate Leopard Wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus - Yellow Wrasse
Halichoeres biocellatus - Red-Lined Wrasse
Halichoeres marginatus - Dusky wrasse

The most aggressive one is the Yellow-Flanked Fairy Wrasse, he likes to sometimes chase the flashers and Lubbock's, but it is nothing serious.

The Possum wrasse is the most laid back and secretive. It spends most of the time in caves and is usually only visible at feeding time. This fish is small and well suited for a nano.

Aside from the Possum, all of the wrasses are very active and bring the tank to life.

All are voracious eaters and will eat anything I throw into the tank, including nori.

HTH

[hkgar]

I have five in my 180 Gallon. Whip Fin, Lubbocks, and Red Head Solon Fairies plus a Possum and Melanarus. The Whip Fin and Lubocks have been in over a year abnd the Possum about 6 months. The Melanarus and Red Head Salon were just added last week.

Both the Whip Fin a hid for about a week or two when first added. The Whip Fin is constantly shadowing the Lubbocks and at time very aggressively gives chase. I have considered trapping him but no real harm comes from the chasing and the Lubbocks does not try to avoid him.

The Melanarus and Red Head went through TTM and QT together, along with my Purple Tang. They never hid when introduced to the DT. It is as though they created a bond while in QT and are usually seen in close proximity to each other. The Whip Fin could care less that they are in the tank. The only fish he has an obsession for is the Lubbocks.

The Possum is, well he his just there. Goes about his business of grazing among the rocks, bothers no one and no one bothers him. I don't remember if he hid or not as even now I can go for a couple days and never see him.

Once had a 6 line. Never again. He hated every thing in the tank.

I feed the tank two small feedings of flake and pellet food in the afternoon with auto feeders and 6 grams of home made frozen, consisting 0f shrimp, mussels, cod, oysters, squid, clam, ova, Mysis and cyclopeeze, in the evening. The Wrasses eat from all of it. Although I feed the herbivores
voirs in the tank Nori, the Wrasses have no part of it. Maybe they just don't like the feedig frenzy when the Two Barrd Rabbitfish, Spot Breast angel, three tangs and a Cherub angel go after the two clips of Nori. oh, the Matted File sneaks in and gets some Nori too.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've had a six line in the past. Pretty little fish but extremely aggressive. I had to re-home it.

I currently have a melanurus wrasse that is the king of my tank. I got it to eradicate flatworms, which it did, quite efficiently. It's a very curious fish, always checking things out and the first to pig out at chow time. It keeps a tight schedule as far as sleep time goes and when to emerge from its spot under the sand bed. It's really cool to see it dive into the sand bed for the night. Down side to this beautiful fish is that it loves to snack on smaller snails so the clean up crew needs to be replenished every so often. Ornamental shrimp are on the menu too.

[KMS.Kyle]

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

I've had a six line in the past. Pretty little fish but extremely aggressive. I had to re-home it.

I currently have a melanurus wrasse that is the king of my tank. I got it to eradicate flatworms, which it did, quite efficiently. It's a very curious fish, always checking things out and the first to pig out at chow time. It keeps a tight schedule as far as sleep time goes and when to emerge from its spot under the sand bed. It's really cool to see it dive into the sand bed for the night. Down side to this beautiful fish is that it loves to snack on smaller snails so the clean up crew needs to be replenished every so often. Ornamental shrimp are on the menu too.

I love his sleep schedule - its such a neat thing about the wrasse.

[vikinglord13]

Interesting. I have a 6-line wrasse and it's not very aggressive. That may be because it's living with an Azure Damsel and a Maroon Clown in a little 29G (yes, I plan to upgrade soon). I'll have to double-check the stocking order if someone is interested.

Though, my 6-line might be more passive than others. If he/she isn't hunting along the liverock he's usually hiding. He doesn't eat much when I feed pellets (mainly because he's so passive/shy compared to the two other fatties in the tank). When I feed Rod's pacific plankton he'll take a big chunk and take it down to his spot in the rocks where he sleeps. He forms a mucous cocoon when he sleeps (freaked me out the first time I saw it).

None of my fish are full grown so that might be why I haven't had any major problems with aggression yet.

[OllieNZ]

I've been researching wetmorella sp (possum wrasse) to go into my nano and apparently it's possible to confuse certain wetmorella sp with Epibulus insidiator (slingjaw wrasse) juveniles and that would certainly be a fatal error.

Wetmorella


Epibulus insidiator juvenile

(Both images borrowed from Google)

[cougareyes]

Pink streaked wrasse is one of my favorite all time in a nano. Went into my 14g as the first fish, cruised the rocks, swam open enough to really enjoy, never paid any mind to a tail spot blenny and a ywg/pistol shrimp pair. Ate everything, I feed frozen.

Tanaka possum wrasse at the top of favorites also, more shy and reserved at first but does become much more visable as they settle in. Messes with no one, seemed to be a bit more difficult to eat everything but will eat it's favorite with gusto, again a bit shy in the beginning during feeding also. Went into my 29g but would be fine in a smaller tank, went in 2nd out of 4.

I didn't keep any together but I think these two would be great together, if you like cryptic fish that cruise in and out of rocks these are wonderful fish. They are voracious pod eaters, hunting all day, so something to consider. They sleep in the rocks in a cocoon, so sand bed is irrelevant.

[homer1475]

I've owned a six line before and it was the biggest bully I've ever had in a tank. Thankfully for me and my tank inhabitants it decided to go carpet surfing one day, and did not survive. Only nice thing is it learned quite quickly to eat everything I threw in the tank, it was quite the pig!

I now have an ornate leopard wrasse in an 80G. Very peaceful fish, open swimmer, but spends the entire day just hunting pods. She will not eat anything I offer(flake, pellet, or frozen). Not a huge deal as I've been supplementing my pods with Poseidon feast from algae barn as my wife just HAD to have a mandy despite me constantly telling her "NO It's still too soon!". She just came home with it one day and dumped it in the tank.

Mine settled in on day 2 and actually chases my flame angel(the tank bully) when it decides it wants to bully to my clowns or dottyback.

[Grkgod36]

The only wrasse I have is a blue streak cleaner wrasse.. And he's one of my fav fish he constantly is swimming and cleaning my tang and fox face .. He eats flakes small pellets and nori like a champ . And he's gotten pretty big now .

[timnem70]

Originally Posted by OllieNZ

I've been researching wetmorella sp (possum wrasse) to go into my nano and apparently it's possible to confuse certain wetmorella sp with Epibulus insidiator (slingjaw wrasse) juveniles and that would certainly be a fatal error.

Wetmorella


Epibulus insidiator juvenile

(Both images borrowed from Google)

Exellent point.

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

[Sk8r]

Placement and size of the black rear spots re the white lines seems to be one of the most significant differences in marking.

[heathlindner25]

The lines through the eyes are what stand out to me.

[Sk8r]

Doh! Yep.

[OllieNZ]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Placement and size of the black rear spots re the white lines seems to be one of the most significant differences in marking.

Originally Posted by heathlindner25

The lines through the eyes are what stand out to me.

Cheers guys,
I should have been a more detailed in my original post.
The jawline and overall jaw structure are another major difference.

When you're in a shop and being assured what you're purchasing is true to label. You've a rough idea what the fish you're looking for is like it can be easy to get burnt. I've done this personally with African shell dwellers. I requested a specific species and what was ordered in for me was a completely different species (with a very different behaviour and social structure) but close enough in size color and markings that I put the differences down to stress in the shop tank. The physical differences were very subtle and I found out afterwards there were certain tells that could be used to identify the 2 species even when stressed and virtually devoid of markings.

If you're still with me after that ramble.
The major differences between a slingjaw and possum wrasse. (for those that aren't aware)
Possum; tops out around 2.5 inches and is a model citizen, if a tad cryptic.
Slingjaw; hits 14 inches (maybe larger), will eat anything that fits into it's large and highly protrusible mouth. It's jaws can extend around half the fish's body length and are designed for getting into crevices. So you can kiss your clean up crew and any small fish good bye.

Not an identity mistake you want to make. I'm not sure on the availability of slingjaw wrasses, especially juveniles, if they are limited then the opportunity for misidentification will be minimal.

[Wildorca]

Originally Posted by vikinglord13

Interesting. I have a 6-line wrasse and it's not very aggressive. That may be because it's living with an Azure Damsel and a Maroon Clown in a little 29G (yes, I plan to upgrade soon). I'll have to double-check the stocking order if someone is interested.

Though, my 6-line might be more passive than others. If he/she isn't hunting along the liverock he's usually hiding. He doesn't eat much when I feed pellets (mainly because he's so passive/shy compared to the two other fatties in the tank). When I feed Rod's pacific plankton he'll take a big chunk and take it down to his spot in the rocks where he sleeps. He forms a mucous cocoon when he sleeps (freaked me out the first time I saw it).

None of my fish are full grown so that might be why I haven't had any major problems with aggression yet.

Maybe you got lucky and got a passive 6 line. I'll never have one again! I had it with an ocy clownfish, and an azure damsel. It killed my azure damsel. I just sent it back to the LFS.
Good luck!

[tjm9331]

What would you guys suggest for a unique wrasse for a 75 gallon fowlr, preferably one that doesn't burrow in the sand.

When I say unique I mean something that is not a regular like the McKoskers or Lubbocks, hope that makes sense lol I basically am looking for something not everyone has or would have

[gone fishin]

I like my Naoki, Temmincki, or a C. melanomarginatus. The last one may be borderline for the 75g

[SnoopyDaPimp]

Originally Posted by vikinglord13

I have a 6-line wrasse and it's not very aggressive.

Same for me. Mine shares a tank with a zebra eel, dog face puffer and two platinum clowns with tons of space. I assume that is why I see no signs of aggression. It goes about business as normal. Even when I feed shrimp, squid, etc... he does not get aggressive with the clowns fighting for food before I feed the eel.