Mixing Wrasses?

craiglanda · #1 12/27/2007, 01:08 PM

How do you think a cirrhilabrus laboutei would mix with a mystery wrasse in a 90 gal? I already have the mystery and was thinking of getting a fairy wrasse. The other fish in the tank are as follows... 1 pj cardinal, 1 lawnmower blenny, a pair of cockatoo waspfish, 3 bartlett anthias, and a red firefish. As far as nutrient export i am using a DAS ex-1 skimmer, 30 gallon sump/fuge stuffed to the capacity with macro and 2 mangroves. I am also running carbon and phosban. The tank is mainly dominated by SPS with a light mix of softies and LPS. Anyone see any redflags about adding a fairy wrasse?

fishyz · #2 12/27/2007, 02:26 PM

You should be fine. There may be a few "arguments" between the two wrasses, but if you have plenty of hiding places they should work everything out. I also plan to add a laboutei to my 90g, which currently has a lubbocks fairy wrasse.

hatfielj · #3 12/27/2007, 07:12 PM

DO NOT try to add another wrasse to your tank if you already own a mystery unless the new wrasse is much much larger than your mystery. Your mystery wrasse will attack and kill a fairy wrasse in an instant.
I have tried this twice now (in a 120gal with lots of hiding spots) and both times my mystery wrasse killed the fairy wrasse within about 3-4 hours of adding it. The first time I just didn't know it was possible. The second time I thought I would try a larger fairy wrasse, but it didn't matter, mystery wrasses are extremely mean towards other wrasses.
If you want to add another wrasse first try to capture your mystery and take him out of the tank for awhile while you add more wrasses. Once the other wrasses are established you can add the mystery back to the tank or just trade him in for something else.
Trust me, you do not want to waste your money on an expensive fairy wrasse and then watch your mystery wrasse slam the crap out of him until its dead. I did it twice and learned my lesson.

SALT WATER CRAZ · #4 12/27/2007, 07:15 PM

I added my mystery last and it still killed my laboutei and Exquisite.. Both where biger than the mystery to.

Doe5ia14 · #5 12/27/2007, 07:36 PM

I have an established mystery in a 40g and was able to add a lubbock's fairy wrasse about the same size without any incident. I'm guess it just varies with each personality

craiglanda · #6 12/27/2007, 10:41 PM

i once tried a sixline with problems that i need not discuss...I heard that many people keep multiple fairy wrasses but wasnt sure if there was an issue mixing the pseudocheilinus with cirrhilabrus. So i guess it is a toss up that could potentially end bad!

snorvich · #7 12/27/2007, 11:09 PM

The lined wrasses do not tolerate fairy and flasher wrasses. Mystery wrasses can be quite aggressive towards fairy and flasher wrasses.

ezcompany · #8 12/27/2007, 11:09 PM

i added my mystery last and its being chased by a jordani every once in awhile

Lionfan · #9 12/29/2007, 12:00 PM

I have a mystery wrasse for over a year and just introduced a smaller lubbocks fairy wrasse and a real small six line and everyone is swimming together in my 72G

craiglanda · #10 12/29/2007, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lionfan
I have a mystery wrasse for over a year and just introduced a smaller lubbocks fairy wrasse and a real small six line and everyone is swimming together in my 72G

You are lucky! i added a mystery and had a sixline and rusty angel....the rusty and sixline joined forces and killed my mystery wrasse. Since mystery wrasses are my favorite fish i decided to give the rusty and sixline away to people in my local reef club. I then got another mystery wrasse which is doing great so i am toying with the idea of trying a wrasse from a different family. I have heard many people keeping numerous fairy wrasses but not to many mixing any lined wrasses in with the fairies.

Lionfan · #11 12/29/2007, 02:51 PM

Well we shall see how lucky in a couple of months when the 6 line grows up! I plan to put in a yellow coris wrasse as the last piece. That would be 4 wrasses all different species in a 72G. I had done this before and all got along but through the years they fine ways of jumping out of display even though it is closed top. (some very small gaps though)

Hogfish77 · #12 12/30/2007, 04:26 AM

Heck my blue flasher wrasse always attacked my lubbocks and he didn't last long much than a week. Poor is MIA ever since. And now somehow my beautiful flasher jumped out and committed suicide. I even had an eggcrate cover too. Sucks!

Carnavor180 · #13 12/30/2007, 09:46 AM

mystery wrasses do get aggressive towards other wrasses, would not try.