Fairy Wrasse Experience

TroyF · 03-18-2003, 10:43 PM

Have any of you kept fairy wrasses, Cirrhilabrus spp.? In particular C. cyanopleura or C. luteovittatus , the blue head fairy wrasse and yellow streaked fairy wrasse for the latter. At least those are my guesses of what is at Big Al's under the title "velvet wrasse". I'm concerned that it will be aggressive with my orchid dottyback. Current fish in my system are a 2" yellow tang, coral beauty, two chromis and pair of clowns and of course the pseudochromis. The tank is a 155gal full reef.

Harpo · 03-18-2003, 11:55 PM

We keep a SCOTTS FAIRY WRASSE, very cocile, never had a problem. Keep in mind, alot of the FAIRY wrasses lose their bright colors unless a female is also kept with the male. Our Scotts was beautiful when first aquired but turned totaly dark purple as a result of no mate.

Bill

glaudds · 03-19-2003, 01:16 AM

I've got a Scott's Fairy wrasse also. I agree with Harpo. Great fish for a reef. Mine hid in the rocks for about a week when I first got him, but now he swims all over my 125g in and out of the rocks. Very cool!!

IMO you should be able to house a wrasse with your current livestock. My only concern is that your pseudochromis may pester the wrasse. But your tank is big enough and should not be a problem if you have alot of rock.

TroyF · 03-19-2003, 02:25 AM

Thanks for the feedback. Interesting point about losing colour without the mate. I've read that and actually asked a fellow if he'd experienced that with his C. solorensis. He hasn't experienced colour loss and said if anything it was more colourful now.

coralkeeper · 03-19-2003, 05:49 PM

C. luteovittatus a pretty peaceful fish in my opinion, Beware the ARE jumpers

Ross

wildthings44 · 03-19-2003, 06:36 PM

Ya tell me about it!!!
I keep a c. rubriventralis... I was worried my other wrass my pick on her, but she holds her own! She jumped the other day and I found her on the floor... I was horrified! I gave her fishy resusitation and then put her in her patch of halimeda... next day she was out and eating in her unique piggy fashion

I would be more worried about the dottyback picking on the wrass...but I have a thing with dottybacks, of course in a tank that big they might not meet until next month