Anyone with a flasher wrasse?

[fishmamma]

I have a flasher wrasse on hold at LFS but am second guessing my decision due to possibilty of wrasse nibbling on my cleaner shrimp and other small stars in live rock etc...............can anybody share their wrasse experiences with me?
Also I know they are jumpers. I have mesh to try and close out the back of my tank but I know it still may escape through the tiniest of holes.

 

[wax32]

They seem to be pretty close in temperament to fairy-wrasses and I can say my fairy has shown absolutely zero interest in my inverts. But every fish is different. As far as jumping goes just cover the top of your tank with eggcrate, you can fit it inside your canopy and noone will see it.

 

[fishmamma]

Thanks wax. I have a glass top with some openings in the back so LFS gave me some type of plastic coated landscaping mesh (maybe for fish ponds??) and I am trying to cut it to size the best I can. Do you think it will be enough? I really can not secure it down so it will be 'floating'.

 

[red79]

I have an emerald wrasse. I was told that it was reef safe at LFS then I looked it up on line and it said it's not recommended. So far I haven't had any problems and it's been about 3+ weeks. He checks out my crabs and snails sometimes but doesnt do anything. My LFS said that if he was going to do anything he would have eaten my shrimp by the second day. So I guess you should ask your LFS if they would be willing to take him back if he did anything. I bought a dotty back that tried to eat my crabs and took it back. That was a different store than the one I go to now though. Good luck.

 

[itchy]

I have a flasher wrasse...but he doesn't fit in my tank....

sorry I couldn't resist

 

[fishmamma]

Yeah, I was wondering about the Reef safe thing. I am under the impression this one is, but that is no guarantee either. I will ask LFS about returning it if there is a problem right away, but I have already had one unexpected death from adding a new fish, I do not want a second.

 

[fishmamma]

So the lack of problems aside, is everyone happy with their wrasse? Would you recommend them? I currently have a pygmy angel, a two-banded clown, pistol and cleaner shrimp, & other inverts. This will probably be my last fish. Are yours really territorial?

 

[dogstar]

I dont have one but a book I have says that they are easily bullied by other fish. Your angle and clown may give it problems unless your tank is big enough with lots of rock for it to hide in. They are very reef safe and may be kept in small groups to encourage the male to flash.

 

[fishmamma]

Funny you mention that, I was just wondering how my pygmy angel would handle a new addition. Probably not too well being it cruises the entire tank all day long..... :thinking: , my wrasse may be coming off hold.