can I keep more than 1 wrasse?

[jwheeler]

I've only had a six-line in my old 55g, I have a 180g now, and was looking at Reef Hot Spot's list of wrasse's and I seen a couple cheaper one's on there that I thought about. they are the McCoskers Wrasse 1-2 inch (Paracheilinus mccoskeri) and Christmass wrasse 1.5-2.5 in. (Halichoeres ornatissimus) and Filament Wrasse - Male (Paracheilinus filamentosus) and Carpenter Flasher Wrasse 1.5-3 in. (Paracheilinus carpenteri).

Not necessarily interested in all 4, maybe 2. Never had more than one so just wanted to see if they would get along. Only other fish in the tank are 3 blue/green chromis and a Wheeler goby

Thanks

[Tyrosinase]

In a 180 gallon tank you can probably keep all four of them. If you still have the 6-line wrasse I would take it out and then introduce the other wrasses to your tank. Wait a couple of weeks before reintroducing the 6-line. These little guys can be pretty mean to new fish.

[Thurge]

Umm No. 6-Lines have a serious Napoleon complex. I can't speak for the Halichoeres but the other three will be killed by the 6 line, even if its the last wrasse in the tank.
Also mixing flashers (the other three listed) can be tricky as the males are very passive to other species but will get very territoral with other males that have a similar coloration and size. The three flashers you listed would probably end up fighting to the death. There are other Flashers that if you picked one of those listed, could be added but IMO those three are kind of similar and I wouldn't risk it.
If it was my tank I would toss the 6 line. They are pretty but they are a PITA.

[Blue04]

Not really sure why everyone gives the 6-line such a bad rap. Had mine for almost 2 years and hasnt shown the slightest bit of aggression twards any of the fish in my tank, new or old.

[wrasseguy2]

had a sixline before and man was he a beast...killed a few of my fish...my neighbor had them same with his...i have a mcoskers caprenters and a filament all in the same tank...i used a specimen cup..now that might not work for everyone..but if it were me i too would not keep the sixline

[jwheeler]

I don't have the six line anymore, gave it away with the 55g tank. So if I was to start fresh, is there 2 out of the 4 that I could keep together?
Thanks

[edsimmons]

What about Fairy wrasses the are brightly colored and reef safe.

Just make sure to cover the top of your tank!

Good luck!
Ed

[barngeatbayman]

how many Wrasse's can live peacefully in a 90 gal excluding the old 6 liner?

[TIMMYE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10709424#post10709424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blue04
Not really sure why everyone gives the 6-line such a bad rap. Had mine for almost 2 years and hasnt shown the slightest bit of aggression twards any of the fish in my tank, new or old.

I agree 100% never had a problem with mine. I have added a couple different smaller wrasses after my six line was in for 8 months or so. No problems here.

[Kanicky]

It always comes down to the personality of the fish, IMHO. I had a Sixline for about two months before adding my Mystery, who was more than half the Sixline's size, and the Sixline bullied him into a hole that he refused to come out of...

We wound up having to drain the water and take the LR out of the tank to catch the little jerk. There was NO way we were going to let him terrorize an expensive, beautiful fish to death.

We loved the Sixline, but they seem to usually do best by themelves...

[RichConley]

I think the Ornatissimus would hold his own, but the sixline would tear the flasher wrasses apart.

[650-IS350]

I've had different leopards added after my 1 1/2" 6line ( 1st fish ).. he's killed both 2 1/2" leopards easily. dispatched another fairy twice his size as well...

got rid of him to another friend... did the same in his tank... also it picked on bigger purple tangs per my buddy.

I now have a 2 1/2" Blue sided, 1 1/2" Mystery, 3 1/2- 4 " Lineatus... had a 2 1/2" clown wrasse ( killed by mystery ), 1 1/2" carpenter flasher ( freaked out by mystery and jumped ).

plan to get a Rhomboid and another Lineatus ( supermale ).. any wrasse I put in has to be at least 3" or bigger so that the mystery doesn't pick on it...

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I have a six line in my 400 G tank along with 6 other wrasses and a bunch of other fish. Next to my Royal Gramma, he's the smallest fish in the tank.

He dosen't bother a sole in the tank and is a happy camper. I've kept them in the past as well with no problems in 45G tanks. Matter of fact, all of my fish get along just fine.

[hahnmeister]

The best way to pull a wrasse out is to watch where they go to sleep at night. I did this to pull out my Temmincki so I could add a flock of fairy wrasses. Even though its a fairy wrasse, when you start with just one wrasse of most any species... 6-line or scott's... if its the only wrasse in the tank, it will dominate other wrasses that are added later on... perhaps the only possible exception being leopard wrasses. Almost every other wrasse, given the chance, will establish a 'whole tank' territory. So if you intend on adding more wrasses at any point, start out with 3 to begin with. Then you can add more at a whim and no one single wrasse will have claimed the tank as its own.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

hahnmeister,
Not sure I agree with you on that one. I started with an adult Red Corris wrase in my tank and have add more over the years. I've not encountered any problems with any of them as I've add them. But as they say, each fish is an individual, just like us, they all are different.

I think if you keep you fish well fed, then they may not see another fish as competition for food and won't bother them. Seems to work for me anyways.