Are there any concerns with wrasses?

[christinaecampb]

I want to get some wrasses. I have read on this site that fairy and flasher wrasses are good and easily compatible. However, I haven't seen any fairy or flasher wrasses at my LFS. They always have various other wrasses, but I haven't gotten any since I haven't seen them recommended here. Are there any guidelines when choosing wrasses? Are any of them okay as long as they have different body shapes? Is there anything else I need to worry about with wrasses, or do I need to check out each individual one? Are there any besides fairy or flasher wrasses that are good bets?

Thanks. I appreciate the help.

[DJ44]

I have a mystery wrasse and a yellow coris wrasse (not a true coris). Mystery's eat shrimp and smaller fish put in after them. My yellow is great, I highly recommend one...

[JStorey]

You need to be aware they are jumpers. You will need to fish proof your over flows and have some type of top or screening to keep them in the tank.

[christinaecampb]

great. So no mystery wrasse; yellow wrasse is good.

My tank is already jump-proof.

What else? I know there are tons of wrasses out there. Tell me what you know.

[ssavader]

I had a beautiful McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (Vivid Aquarium) that was doing great until he decided to carpet surf while I was in the process of cleaning the tank. I did not even see him jump out! Anyway, he was a great eater and rather bold for his size- always flashing even without a female in the tank- go for it- just keep your lid on!

[techreef]

also, it helps if you add wrasses in a certain order, due to the varying degrees of aggressiveness shown by wrasses. You'll want to add the most timid fish first so that they can establish themselves a bit before you and Hercules the Wrasse. :)

Here's the list that I printed out from an older thread:

most aggressive to passive:
velvet
scotts/punctatus (aussie ones for both)
balteatus
laboutei
pink margin
exquisite (au)
flame
lineatus
rhomboid
bathiphylus

apparently female wrasses can be more aggressive than males.

[Red Sea Purple Tang]

I have a Radiant with a Filament Flasher Wrasse and they get along great.

[JStorey]

I have a McCosker, exquisite, blue sided fairy , mystery and a solar fairy wrasse and they all get along fine. I have 2 cleaner shrimp and 2 fire shrimp and my mystery wrasse pays no attention to them.

[cloak]

JME, they will eat anything that moves.

I need those bugs.

FWIW

[Tiduch]

I have a filament flasher wrasse for a year and one day he just poof gone, couldn't find him anywhere.
I just add a long fin wrasse last week and waiting for my super male Lineatus to arrive to my LFS

[snorvich]

Fairy and flasher wrasses do well together. In a prior posting, some of the more aggressive wrasses make it difficult but not impossible to add other fairy and flashers. However, they jump. Not IF, WHEN. Eggcrate will NOT keep them in.