All About Reef Safe Wrasses

Somewhere in the range of $100-200, for the time being at least (with the current, regular collection).

Not a wise move, especially if we're talking about adding them knowingly as male.
If they ended up as all males after some females transitioned in the tank, they might learn to coexist, but you'd have to be vigilant.

 

All right so since most of the fairy wrasses are off the list for me, I've been looking into flashers.

I really like the diamond tail and the angular, would both of these cohabitate with a C. cf. lancelotus and a C. katherinae? What if I threw a H. iridis into the mix too?

 

Yeah, that mix should be fine, with or without iridis.

 

Hey evolved. I need your advice... I have a 5 foot 110g mixed reef that has been established for 5 years. I Just recently added two new fairy wrasses and am having some fighting going on. OK so I just got two new males. A blue-sided fairy (Cyanopleura) and a pin tail fairy (cf. Lanceolatus) and introduced them to the tank on friday. The next day I am looking for the two wrasses, and don't see the blue sided so I look in my overflow box and see a fairy wrasse.... I am thinking, sweet there he is, but wait it was actually a solorensis fairy that disappeared about a month ago. So I added the solorensis back to the tank thinking that it would be like all three fairy wrasses were added at once. The solorensis started picking on the pin tail, and the blue sided was hiding so I didn't see anything with him and the solorensis. I tried to catch the solorensis, but couldn't however I was able to catch the blue sided wrasse and currently have him in an isoloation box at the surface of the tank. So now the solorensis is completely ignoring the pin- tail which is swimming freely in the tank with the solorensis, and the solorensis is showing consistent aggressive behavior to the blue sided in the isolation box.

So I also have a 34g reef that has no wrasses, and plan to move one of the wrasses in there. The question is which one? Ideally I would remove the solorensis, as he is the only one that is currently being aggressive. Problem is catching him... The blue-sided which is in the isolation box, could easily be moved to my other tank. My worry is that if I remove the blue-sided then the solorensis will resume bullying of my Pin tail which is gorgeous... I would prefer to have the pin tail in my 110... Any advice is appreciated. Here is a pic of the pin tail

 

Well, that's a tough one I'm afraid. Yes, solorensis and cyanopleura are very closely related, so it doesn't surprise me they don't much care for each other. I would leave things be for now, and keep an eye on the interaction through the acclimation box. If the aggression subsides and the solorensis lets up, you may end up being okay with the two, but do not release the cyanopleura so long as the aggression is still there.

The problem with the 34g tank is it is too small for any Cirrhilabrus, especially these guys which get somewhat large.

If the aggression is still there after a week, I would re-home one or the other. Obviously it would be simpler to do such with the one already captured in the box.

Best of luck.

 

Thanks for your advice and excellent write up. Still have not seen any more aggression between the pin tail and solorensis. The solorensis is occasionally going after the isolated blue sided, but it is less frequent. Still don't expect that to let up, and plan to remove one. I have always loved and kept fairy wrasses since I started reefkeeping in 2001.

The necessity of having a covered tank, with either mesh or acrylic is a must.. I have lost too many wrasses to jumping out. One of my first beautiful fairy wrasses was a blue-sided cyanopleaura. I grew him into an awesome 4+ inch specimen with gorgeous colors. Then one day showing my tank off to someone, and a quick wave of my hand caused him to jump out and straight into an unshielded personal fan mounted in the canopy to cool the tank. Poor guy fell back in the water convulsing and died.

 

In my 65g I have a percula pair, firefish and a YWG. As far as wrasses go I have a Halichoeres Biocellatus, linespot flasher and McCoskers.

In my LFS today I saw a Pintail Wrasse for $120. It seems to be in good health and has been there for 2 weeks. It's about 3" and after seeing it and pictures of this species online, I'm very tempted to pick it up. What do you think Evolved? My wrasses all get along at this point. The Halichoeres is definitely boss, but doesn't go out of his way to bother the flashers. The flashers don't bother each other at all.

 

Whats your favorite Wrasse for a nano mixed reef?

 

Should be just fine. But I'd still use an acclimation box when introducing him.

For what size tank? In the 10-20g range, and the only ones suitable are Pink Streak (Pseudocheilinops ataenia) and Possums (of the Wetmorella genus).

 

Thanks. Looking at 25-30 right at the top of the nano charts. Are all the possums Cryptic or is there a particular one that is out and about more than others? i really like the look of the pink streak but was always fascinated withe the possums.