Canary wrase?

I have had a Canary in my tank for a few months and he is doing great. Question is, I am taking back a Fire goby to my LFS and want to replace him. I was thinking of another wrasse (I love thses guys). What wrasse would pair up with my Canary? The wrasse would go in a 72g bow (I am upgrading form a 55g this weekend), along with 1 Tomini tang, 3 Blue/Green chromis, and a Coral Beauty angel.

Also, when I upgrade all of my fish, rock and substrate will come out. I will hopefully be upgrading this weekend. When I do the Fire goby will be avaible for whoever wants to give him a good home. PM me if you live close to Cincinnati.

 

Pair up with, as in, spawn? I think maybe you mean a different term then that.

AFAIK almost any of the more passive wrasses would probably be good, check out fairy and flasher wrasses (Cirrhilabrus and Parachelinus genera). There are just a few aggressive ones you might have to look out for like the Scott's fairy wrasse.

 

Your correct Screwtape. I meant to say get along with! I will deff. be checking out some flashers.

 

I had a flasher wrasse that ended up being bullied to death by my leopard wrasse. I thought I had read that the canary wrasses were pretty aggressive....if so, be careful with another one that might be too passive.

 

Thanks Bluemoon. I have Live Aquaria open in another tab right now checking out some wrasses.

So if I get your post right, if a wrasse is said to be a tad agressive I should be looking at other agresive wrasses? Does this sound right?

 

This is one of the wrasses I have been looking at:
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Scarlet Pin Stripe Wrasse

Keep in mind, I love my Canary. So if another wrasse is not a good choice, let me know. Then their will be no buy. I want to make the right choice here.

Also, I am thinking that the size of my tank plays a big role here. Would a 72g bow be too small of a tank for two wrasses?

 

I am not the expert on wrasses, I can only go by my own experience and my 150 was not big enough for a passive wrasse (Flasher) and an aggressive wrasse (Leopard). I love wrasses, but after losing one to bullying, I will not put another one in my tank as long as the leopard wrasse is in there. He is one of my favorite fist.

I would think it would be similar to tangs in that you would want to put the most aggressive in last. Although, that didnt work for me....I might have just had a really sissy flasher wrasse....LOL!

Are the canaries aggressive?

 

I have done a lot of reading on him and most reefers say that they are semi-agresive. I have had mine for a few months now and he hasn't fought with anything in my tank. He has been very peaceful so far, just swimming back and forth and hidding when scarred. He does require a descent amount of swimming room.

 

I think you're probably OK. I've heard of some Halichoeres wrasses getting aggressive when they get older (years) and more established but that's always a crapshoot and you never know if your individual fish is going to get aggressive. AFAIK anyway, but then again even fish listed as peaceful can sometimes get aggressive too so nothing is ever a sure shot.

Personally, I would probably be tempted to try it out if you like those fish. I'm considering a Melanurus wrasse with some flasher wrasses in my 75g although I may not get it just because I think they may be too prone to eat lots of the little critters I like having in my tanks.

 

Good points screwtape. Yeah, you know, I may try it out. It's just if I do end up having some conflict I don't want my canary loosing the battle.

I have found it is so hard choosing fish. One reefer may have had an agel for several years and have it completely reef safe and another reefer may have the same species of angel and have it eat all his corals. Another scenerio, is that one reefer may have a wrassse and it be completely no-agressive and another reefer may have the same fish and have it bully everyone in the tank. You never know!

I guess if I decide on another wrasse I should go for it. Put him in the tank and just monitor his behavior. If he gets agressive I could try to calm him down or just take him back.