Wrasse for reef - I need your inputs

[besl]

I happened to love wrasse's for their color and graceful swimming. I am looking for recommendations for wrasse's that are reef compatable. Also, I would like to have more than one wrasse species in my 55 gallon and am looking for recommendations for reef safe wrasse combinations.

To start you out I like the Flasher (Carpenter) Wrasse - is there another reef safe wrasse I can keep in the same tank.

I also have soft and LPS corals in this tank.

Thanks for your ideas!

[Tobyt]

I wouldn't keep more than one type of wrasse in a 55G. In fact, I wouldn't keep more than one wrasse in a 55G. (I have 1 Solar wrasse in a 90G) You might do okay if you get a pair of Flasher Wrasses as long as it's a male/female pair.

Mystery wrasse, four line wrasse, six line wrasse are alternative small wrasses, but again, I wouldn't mix species in a 55G.

[Peter Schmiedel]

The entire Genus Paracheilinus is reef safe. As they live in male dominated groups you should only keep them in a group! But only one male per tank.

If you want to keep different kinds of wrasses you should combine plankton feeders like Cirrhilabrus or Paracheilinus with crustacae feeders like Pseudocheiliuns, Halichoeres or Macropharyngodon .

But be aware that Paracheilinus often jumps ... personally I would go for a trio of the six line in your tank.

[ozadars]

Hi besl,
Kinds of Flasher, Fairy, Line and Leopard (Paracheilinus, Cirrhilabrus, Pseudocheilinus and Macropharyngodon) wrasses are all ok. I love wrasses to but really really hard to find in Turkey.

[besl]

Thanks to all for helping me so far and I will still appreciate more feedback and recommendations (e.g. wrasse ideas for 55 gallon reef and if there are multiple species I could keep together harmoniously).

My lfs had a red/pink/white one a couple of weeks ago I had never seen before - it was gorgeous - does any one know which wrasse this is (common name is preferred as my Latin is not what it use to be)... I would like to research this as a possibility and see if it is reef safe, etc.

Also, if I end up with multiple Flashers only, does anyone have any experience, pictures, etc of these?

[ozadars]

I think fairy wrasses have better colours then Flashers, also i think there was a long article on reefkeeping... If you want a easier specie you should try Psuedochellinus sp.

[besl]

I just realized one more point for consideration... I have a Crushed Coral substrate - will this be harmful for wrasses? The Psuedochellinus sp. looks cool if I can find one, I mentioned I like Flashers. When you leave feedback please include your thoughts of my CC substrate.

[Peter Schmiedel]

The coral substrate ruels out the species which dive in the sand at night (Macropharyngodon, Haliocheres )

The flashers (Paracheilinus) and Cirrhilabrus and Pseudocheilinus dont do this.

As I stated alread you can keep them in group, but should stick to one species. If you can buy only femals, they are -at least here - cheaper and the strongest one will change to a male.

Sorry for the sientific names, but I dont know the us comon names, and with the sientific one you can always cross check in books. The book about wrasse from Kuiter is the one you should have (no idea if it is available in english)

[reefy em]

I have a crushed coral substrate in my 20 gal. and my yellow wrasse has slept in it for over a year now with no problems. It is the finer size though, just above sand-size. Any bigger than that and it wouldn't work for them. HTH

[redhdmedic]

I have a dragon wrasse in my 40g reef...unfortunately I do have crushed coral sub (until I finally get the time to swap it out for a DSB, probably around moving day) He has been there for 13 months and is happy as can be. Have to be aware of your rock though, they can and will move all but the largest of LR or corals. So make sure all corals are properly adhered and your rockwork is sizable or adhered as well.

Carrie

[SurferDude771]

i have a carpenters wrasse that hangs out with my pair of firefish all day long and sleeps in the grape caulerpa at night

[jay24k]

at out LFS, they have a couple nice looking wrasse and they say they are not reef safe.

[reefy em]

Not all wrasses are reef safe but some groups of them are. You need to do research to find out which ones are and are not.

[besl]

Ok, time to refocus this thread. Please see my original questions which in essence I was looking for:

"...like to have more than one wrasse species in my 55 gallon and am looking for recommendations for reef safe wrasse combinations."

Thanks in advance for your inputs!

[reefy em]

I thought we were helping you with your questions. We are still discussing reef-safe wrasses and we discussed your questions about the CC substrate. There were many suggestions about wrasse combinations given.