All About Reef Safe Wrasses

Has anyone ever heard of a melenarus wrasse picking at coral? Mine seems to enjoy picking at them but I believe he is just plucking some pods off of the coral from time to time, seems to only do it to my stylophora and 1 of my branching frogspawns. Does not seem to cause any damage to the flesh but does tick it off enough to cause the polyps retract for 10-15 minutes.

 

Looks fine Andy.

I've seen them do it before (oddly enough it was a stylo as well), but he was certainly picking something off the coral, not the coral itself.
Seems to me he's doing you a favor.

 

Inspect/ dip the corals I bet you will find the reason for his picking at the coral

 

That is what I figured! Thanks much.

Still searching for another wrasse for the 55. Another LFS's website says they just got in at least one Labout's and at least one Lineatus. Seems Labout's are on the aggressive side. How would one do with my established Lubbock's? And is a 55 large enough for a Lineatus (LA says 90 gal min).

Wouldn't get both anyways, just seeing my options

 

Either one is too large for a 55. Labouti's reach 5", despite what LA might say.

 

Again, glad I asked! Everywhere I saw either said 3.5" max size, or 50-70 min tank (which what is a 70 gal tank anyways???).

That being said, I am still looking to add one more wrasse to take the place of my Royal Gramma. I think I am limited to either another Cirrhilabrus or a Paracheilinus, due to my tank size and the C. lubbocki's already in the tank, but let me know if there is one or two of another genus that would work as well.

We already discussed about adding a Paracheilinus (I would use an acclimation box since I have the Lubbock's pair now), which I may still do. However, are there any other Cirrhilabrus you would recommend? The max. growth size and tank sizes seem to vary wildly between sites, so I am at a loss to what would really be suitable. Short list I came up with based on your comments of each species, and what I could find online would be:

C. bathyphilus
C. rubrisquamis (may not be suitable with the Lubbock's)
C. rubriventralis
C. tonozukai (again, may not be suitable with the Lubbock's)

Again, I appreciate your help in trying to find a suitable wrasse

 

So Cirrhilabrus can be "grouped" into various complexes (groups of cousins, if you will, with similar shapes, sizes, and attitudes), and the lubbocki complex is the smallest of the bunch. It's these that would be most suitable for a 55, but mixing these together in a 55 might not work. It might; it just depends on the temperaments of the individuals you end up with.
C. lubbocki
C. flavidorsalis
C. adornatus
C. marjorie
(and C. walindi, but don't bother to go looking for this one)

The next smallest bunch is the rubriventralis complex, with includes:
C. rubriventralis
C. joanallenae
C. sp. (Kenya, Kwazulu)
C. naokoae
C. morrisoni (again, don't go looking for him)
One of these might be a safer gamble than another from the lubbocki complex.

The next largest complex is the whip-fin complex, which only has a couple:
C. filamentosus
C. tonozukai
I wouldn't gamble on anything here.

And that's where I'd draw the line for Cirrhilabrus I'd consider for a 55.

If I continue to the next complex, we'd find an offshoot of the whip-fin complex, the condei complex:
C. condei
C. rubripinnis
C. walshi
et al.


Paracheilinus has my vote.

 

Wow, awesome info again Hunter. This is all the info that I have been unable to find on the Web. Sounds like I should stick to my original plan and add a Paracheilinus. So thanks again, and I hope this info is useful to others as well!

I will update after the new is added (after QT for 4-6 weeks).

 

Wrasse help

Hi guys excellent write up here I have just got a new yellow tail wrasse which is swimming oddly I have put a link to my vid of it anyone any ideas it's been like it for 3 days

Yellow tail tamarin wrasse - YouTube

Any ideas

 

Welcome to 3reef.

Yeah I am no wrasse expert but that does not look good.

Please add more information like how long you have had the fish, basic parameters, other tank inhabitants.

I am sure evolved will have something more of value to add.