Mixing Wrasses

[Mike612]

I've got a 75 gallon tank. Current inhabitants are a Bluehead Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus Cyanopleura), pair of Ocellaris Clowns, and a Sailfin Tang who will soon be moving to another home. My lfs has the almighty Hawaiian Flame Wrasse up for grabs. I'm really interested in buying him. It has awesome colors, it's eating like a pig, all its fins are intact, and it's fat. Is it possible to mix the two Wrasses or is it a bad idea?

 

[Mike612]

I decided I'm going to go with the Flame Wrasse. I don't want it to have any problems adjusting though so I woke up early this morning and went fishing. I turned on the lights to the tank and the tang came right out of the rocks. He looked as if the light was still blinding him so he was easy to scoop up. The Bluehead Wrasse was a little harder. He only came out about 20 minutes after I turned the lights on and he was already swimming fast. Then out of luck, he lay down behind a rock that can easily be removed. He still had his night colors on so I figured I would try it. I moved the rock and was able to grab him with minimal problems. He was also still adjusting to the light so he was still calm, but he was still trying to get away. I'll bring them to my lfs when I go to pick up the Flame Wrasse.
I love it when you can catch fish, especially fast ones, without having to put up a sweat. By putting up a sweat I of course mean either chasing them like there's no tomorrow and without removing all the rocks.

 

[tarpons]

I'll try to upload photos of my mixed group of wrasses - male Rhomboid, female Rhomboid, Male Blue Flasher, and Male Lineatus. I put mine in from least aggressive to most aggressive over a period of a few months.

1st - flasher, then rhomboids, last lineatus. It has worked out well.


Arggg! I can't figure out how to upload the photo here!

Candy

 

[Len]

A lot of people mix wrasses just fine, but I can't seem to do it without one fairy wrasse beating up the rest (even in a big tank). Sometimes they get along fine, but when the big male decides to do his courtship rituals, the other species tend to suffer.

 

[Mike612]

Well I didn't feel like trying. When I'm considering the fact that the Bluehead might beat up the Flame, it's too much since the Flame Wrasse is worth so much more than the Bluehead. I don't even want to risk any damage to this guy.
The Flame Wrasse is doing really well though. He's a little more shy than the Bluehead Wrasse, or I find that he is anyways. He eats anything I throw in like a pro. Such a beautiful addition to the tank. Seeing as how he's my centerpiece fish now, I even played with the rockwork to make it Wrasse heaven, with lots of little crannies for him to pop in and out of. He seems to like the new rockwork a lot.