I want to get a wrasse..what is your favorite kind and where should I get him?

[courtneyclv]

What do you think? I don't want one that gets too big..maybe 6 inches.

[neotekz]

flasher and sixline wrasse

[W Ellis]

marine center has alot to choose from. http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/wrassereefsafe/
I like the exquisite fairy wrasse and the clown fairy wrasse.

[Marinemom]

I like the six line wrasse but I also like the fairy wrasses. However,I would not keep them togather in the same tank.

Marinemom

[chopsuey]

I vote Six line Wrasse. They are my fav :fish2: !

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/hcs3/images/LisawrasseOK3SM.jpg

[techreef]

just got a carpenter's flasher wrasse yesterday. it's a juvie, so he's red now but will change to gold as he matures. He's even better looking in person than the pictures. Can't wait to see what his personality is like. There are so many nice wrasses. the only thing it seems to me to be aware of is if any of them would prey on your inverts, such as the six-line. or bully other fish, like the six-line reportedly does.

[Travis L. Stevens]

I absolutely love flasher wrasses. Then I like the "lined" wrasses (IE Six Line, Four Line, etc), then Coris Wrasses, and finally fairy wrasses.

[sir_dudeguy]

I've got a sixline and love him (or her) ;) Altho that pic isnt doing that fish justice imo...the colors are usually (at least on mine) way more purple, blue and light orange. You pretty much just have to see them to see what they really look like. Oh, and some of the little ones i've seen at the lfs dont look as colorful...almost like they havent got their colors yet...so if you want one, dont let that get to you...they'll be very colorful in the end.

[blufyre3]

I recently added a six line. I wanted to use a non-chemical bristle worm removal. Joe's Juice works great but I want to use natural methods of control when possible.

[sir_dudeguy]

i wouldnt count on the sixline to eat the bristles in any meaningful number...i've had my sixline for almost 6 months now, and i havent seen him touch one, nor have i seen any difference in the amount of bristles...well at least not a downward difference...they've sure multiplied tho.
Why do you wanna get rid of bristleworms tho?

[bureau13]

I guess it kind of depends on what you want to keep. I had a Lunare wrasse for a while, but god help hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp. Other than that he was cool.

I also had a pencil wrasse which was beautiful, very shy, and pretty cheap. Unfortunately they don't live very long in aquariums generally. One of those regrettable impulse buys :-(

I still want to get some sort of wrasse...probably a fairy wrasse of some sort...because they tend to not bother anything. Or, perhaps a radiant wrasse, I like the fact that they will eat some pests that I don't have now, but may at some point.

However, if I didn't care about inverts, I would have kept the Lunare...very cool and active fish.

jds

[courtneyclv]

cool thanks!
Should I order one online or try to wait for my LFS..can I request that they order specific fish?

[jpitch]

I thought about getting a 6-line but after reading posts on this site and advice from a few LFS I went with a Melanurus Wrasse. Beatiful fish, gets along with my other assorted fish, large and small. Took a nip at a snail or 2 in the beginning but has calmed down and is at or near the top of my favorites in my tank. Take a look at this fish for consideration.

[Nano Nana]

I have a sixline and a mystery wrasse. (not in the same tank) I really love them both and would not be able to choose one over the other.

[DrBegalke]

for a beginner, a 6 line.

[blufyre3]

sir_dudeguy
I had an outbreak of bristle worms. We saw them everywhere and I found them under soft corals. I have a trap and catch 1 or 2 a night. A few is good, too many isn't. I moved a rock today and found 6. How many is too many? Still new and always trying to learn......

[sir_dudeguy]

you cant have too many bristles. They're good. They eat poo and whatnot. There are other dangerous types of worms, but regular bristleworms are good. So i'd stop trying to catch/kill/get rid of them (not to meantion you're fighting a losing battle lol) and just let em' do their cleaning job. Them going under corals isnt gonna do anything to the coral (other than maybe clean the crud from around it)

[courtneyclv]

Are there any wrasses out there that do not eat inverts?
'reef safe maybe'?

[sir_dudeguy]

my sixline doesnt pay attention to my shrimp or crabs...but i do think that some people have problems with them and inverts.

go to liveaquaria.com and look at their wrasses. They've got a section for reef safe wrasses and one for non-reef safe ones.

[Philwd]

Yes any fairy wrasse or flasher wrasse is great. Just do NOT mix them with 6 lines. The 6 line has a nasty reputation for aggression vs. peaceful wrasses.

[markandkristen]

got to love the red corris wrasse.

[sir_dudeguy]

yes i HAVE herd that...sixlines wont go with any other wrasses.

[Craig Lambert]

Carpenter wrasses are great! They are hardy and won't" bully" (the way a sixline does). If you're tank has been up for about a year, and you maintain excellent water params, a leopard wrasse is a great addition.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=329&N=0

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=304

[Shagsbeard]

One neat thing about most wrasses (or wrassi?) is the different phases that their appearance can go through as they mature... definately get a juvenile and watch it grow up. I vote for the corris over the sixline.

[jessp]

fairy wrasses are awesome just have a completely covered tank, they will jump out.

[yeame]

hawiiam cleaner wrasse they look awsome and arent as meen as the six line and are reef safe

[blufyre3]

Thank you Sir_Dudeguy for the info. My six line wrasse has been in the tank about 1 month and has grown sooo much there must be alot of stuff in there he likes. (ie. bristle worms) I haven't had a problem with him being aggressive.