All About Reef Safe Wrasses

That's pretry unusual. 2 thoughts:
1) It's eating something off the welso (flatworms, pods, etc) and any damage is incidental. Or:
2) It's being really underfed. If he's feeding less than a couple times per day, that might well be it.

 

I'm happy to report that since my last update, there has been no further serious aggression between my Solorensis and McCosker’s Flasher Wrasses. I have since also added a Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasses. He is a very friendly guy with great personality, and gets along well with the others.

My H. lecoxanthus is starting to mature and have developed some very nice almost iridescent pink patterns on his face. He (she?) has also started showing an interest in his own reflection, often posturing, flaring fins and flicking at his own reflection in the glass. I hope it is just part of growing up, and that he doesn't injure himself. He doesn't behave this way towards any of the other wrasses.

I have also come across an article that could explain the aggression I experienced between my Solorensis and McCosker’s wrasses under increased red light:

https://reefbuilders.com/2015/06/22/fairy-wrasses-cyanopleura-group/

This is the relevant excerpt:

Last weekend my local store got in a pair of Pintail Fairy Wrasse - Cirrhilabrus isosceles, or previously C. cf lanceolatus. To see these fish in South Africa is exceptionally rare. The male has since either been sold alone (would be strange) or have died (probable, as he wasn't very active when I last saw him). The lone female is still there and seems to be healthy, swimming around and very alert. She's selling for the equivalent of about $70. Although not nearly as beautiful as a male, she is quite pretty for a female fairy. The male was about $144, but it is unlikely that another male will make it this way.

@evolved If I take her, would she turn into a male if kept alone, or not necessarily? Would it be compatible with my Solorensis, Lubbocki and McCosker’s, and would I have any issues if I were to add another flasher, a Lineatus and Exquisitus later? Looking at you complex chart, it seems I'd be okay?

 

After some more searching online, the limited information I could get on this fish does suggest that they are peaceful. I was comfortable enough that she should get along with my current fish, so I went ahead and got her. Now I'm just hoping she'll turn into a male. I might be imagining things, but comparing her to photos online, she might already be transitioning. If not, she's still pretty.

Here she is waiting to go into QT:

 

I'm sure Hunter will chime in soon anyways, but I don't see any compatibility issues. As far as your female, I personally don't see any signs that it is transitioning. In most cases, a single female will turn into a male. However I myself had a female/juvenile C. isosceles for 2 years. I lost it a couple of mouths ago, but there were no signs of it transitioning. I now have another female/juvenile in QT.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

 

Thanks Marshall. It was actually a thread from 2013 on another forum where you, Hunter and some others were discussing them, that made me realise that they'd likely be compatible.

I thought I saw some coloring developing on her tail, but your long term experience with a female definitely trumps my wishful thinking.

I'm still rather chuffed with her. She's showing all the signs of a great wrasse, still shy, but if I sit next to the tank long enough her curiosity overcomes her shyness and she comes looking for me.

 

My experience with them is they usually take a couple/few days to get used to their new homes. After that, they should be out all the time. It certainly helps when there are other fish in the tank, however even solo I have found them to be rather "outgoing". Nice addition though!!

 

A sure sign of a transitional male.

He's just fighting the "other" fish now that happens to look a lot like him. It's a territorial display more than anything, and not much to worry about typically.

Possibly, but it just depends on the hierarchy with the other wrasses.

Should be.

Probably not.

 

Thanks for the info.

What are your (and others') thoughts on precautionary treatment for intestinal worms with something like Piperazine, while fish are going through quarantine? I've never done it with any of my current fish, but while researching Leopard Wrasse saw that all wrasses are apparently prone to internal worms.

Is this something to be concerned about, or do I just make sure they are well fed so their immune systems can deal with any internal parasites?

 

Quite simply, it's a staple of QT. 2 rounds of prazi, always.

If they have them, they will eventual be their demise. Not something an immune system is effective on.

 

So version 2 of the original post went live today, 6 years later. See it here:

http://www.reef2reef.com/ams/all-about-reef-safe-wrasses-in-aquaria.28/

 

Great, thank you. Will make it part of my QT process going forward.

 

Awesome, will be tonight's bed time reading! Scanned through it quickly and see some interesting new topics covered and some new species added.