Can I keep wrasse?
This a really good question and depends upon a number of factors.
When I think about what I want to do or which fish I want to keep I do my reading. Many websites and books try to give guidance on the ease or difficulty of keeping various fish. They do this in a number of ways. Some say the fish is suitable for a beginner or experienced aquarist. Some might say things like easy, moderate, difficult or maybe expert only. Other sources use a number scale from 1 to 10 to denote easy to very difficult. All of these types of guidance are of some help I think but do need thinking through.
All about Reef safe Wrasses in Aquaria 2016
When I think about what I want to do or which fish I want to keep I do my reading. Many websites and books try to give guidance on the ease or difficulty of keeping various fish. They do this in a number of ways. Some say the fish is suitable for a beginner or experienced aquarist. Some might say things like easy, moderate, difficult or maybe expert only. Other sources use a number scale from 1 to 10 to denote easy to very difficult. All of these types of guidance are of some help I think but do need thinking through.
All about Reef safe Wrasses in Aquaria 2016
For example, my lovely little wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) with a variety of different common names is rated by a number of different sources as: expert, expert, advanced only and expert. So if like me you do not consider yourself an expert or advanced aquarist does this mean fish like this are beyond you? Well I think not. Let us try and get beyond the rating. I think many fish have some quite specific requirements, that if met, mean the fish will live happily in your aquarium. So find out what the requirements are and see if these are available in your aquarium. Or better still plan your aquarium to house these fish.
You will be looking at physical parameters like size of aquarium and amount of swimming space. Physical features like the need for live rock, corals, caves, sand beds, amount of water flow, lighting etc
What do the fish feed on and how? Temperament will affect the type of tank mates a fish can have.
You will be looking at physical parameters like size of aquarium and amount of swimming space. Physical features like the need for live rock, corals, caves, sand beds, amount of water flow, lighting etc
What do the fish feed on and how? Temperament will affect the type of tank mates a fish can have.
I love the various leopard wrasses from the genus Macropharyngodon. They are beautiful and active little fishes that I think are great in a reef aquarium but the sources often say how hard they are to keep. So why are they hard? What do they need?
Well the Macropharyngodon genus, in common with several others like the Halichoeres genus need a sand bed. These fish burrow into the sand at night in order to sleep. They may also dive into the sand when startled or frightened.
In the wild this genus is found amongst a mix of sand, rubble and coral areas of lagoons. They hunt for small inverebrates and worms in amongst the sand and rocks. It therefore stands to reason that an aquarium with plenty of live rock as well as a quite deep sand bed will be needed. The aquarium will need to be pretty mature to provide prey for the wrasse to hunt. They also need plenty of cracks and crevices to dodge into if a little nervous.
If your aquarium can provide these features you are on your way with this genus of wrasse. They are active swimmers so do need a reasonable sized aquarium to move around in. There will not be enough food within the aquarium for these fish so supplementary feeding will be needed. Many sources say they are difficult to feed but I have not, in general found this to be the case. All wrasse feed constantly on tiny organisms so I feed several times a day with a variety of food, frozen meaty foods, brine shrimp, copepods and a variety of good flakes and small pellets.
One thing all wrasse have in common is that they are 'expert jumpers' so a very well covered aquarium is a must. Any small opening can spell the end for a panicked wrasse. I have often wondered why wrasse jump when they generally live many tens of metres below the water surface. It doesn't appear to be a natural defence mechanism. One suggestion given to me by a marine biologist working on the Great Barrier Reef was interesting. He had observed that wrasse generally swim and move around using the pectoral fins only but when chased or frightened they flick out with their caudal (tail fins). This often results in them shooting up in the water column. Interesting!
A couple of things I always do before buying any wrasse. I always check they are feeding in the LFS and also look at their mouths. I have seen some with damage caused by getting their teeth caught in nets, boxes or the corners of bags etc.
Well the Macropharyngodon genus, in common with several others like the Halichoeres genus need a sand bed. These fish burrow into the sand at night in order to sleep. They may also dive into the sand when startled or frightened.
In the wild this genus is found amongst a mix of sand, rubble and coral areas of lagoons. They hunt for small inverebrates and worms in amongst the sand and rocks. It therefore stands to reason that an aquarium with plenty of live rock as well as a quite deep sand bed will be needed. The aquarium will need to be pretty mature to provide prey for the wrasse to hunt. They also need plenty of cracks and crevices to dodge into if a little nervous.
If your aquarium can provide these features you are on your way with this genus of wrasse. They are active swimmers so do need a reasonable sized aquarium to move around in. There will not be enough food within the aquarium for these fish so supplementary feeding will be needed. Many sources say they are difficult to feed but I have not, in general found this to be the case. All wrasse feed constantly on tiny organisms so I feed several times a day with a variety of food, frozen meaty foods, brine shrimp, copepods and a variety of good flakes and small pellets.
One thing all wrasse have in common is that they are 'expert jumpers' so a very well covered aquarium is a must. Any small opening can spell the end for a panicked wrasse. I have often wondered why wrasse jump when they generally live many tens of metres below the water surface. It doesn't appear to be a natural defence mechanism. One suggestion given to me by a marine biologist working on the Great Barrier Reef was interesting. He had observed that wrasse generally swim and move around using the pectoral fins only but when chased or frightened they flick out with their caudal (tail fins). This often results in them shooting up in the water column. Interesting!
A couple of things I always do before buying any wrasse. I always check they are feeding in the LFS and also look at their mouths. I have seen some with damage caused by getting their teeth caught in nets, boxes or the corners of bags etc.
This little chap and others of his genus do not bury themselves in the sand but hide and sleep in little crevices and cover themselves in a mucus which some believe can hide their scent from possible predators at night. Some recent research suggests this may actually be a defence against infection from isopods in the reef. Good trick either way! Therefore to keep this genus and fish from other genera which behave in the same way it is essential to have plenty of hiding places amongst the live rock and corals in the reef aquarium.
Along with other genera including Cirrhilabrus wrasse (the fairy wrasses) these fish are planktivores and thus feed on zooplankton in the water column. Again a mature reef set up with appropriate supplementary feeding will do fine. In my case I feed in the same way as my leopard wrasse. The good thing is they are not hunting for food in the same places so no competition.
Along with other genera including Cirrhilabrus wrasse (the fairy wrasses) these fish are planktivores and thus feed on zooplankton in the water column. Again a mature reef set up with appropriate supplementary feeding will do fine. In my case I feed in the same way as my leopard wrasse. The good thing is they are not hunting for food in the same places so no competition.
So how are we doing?
I have a sand bed up to 8 to 10cms deep with plenty of open sand.
I have 30kg of mature live rock with plenty of cracks, crevices and caves.
I have a fully covered aquarium (a couple of small gaps...ooops).
I do not have any big or aggressive fish...now!
I am able to feed in the way needed without fuss.
I have a 300 litre system including sump with a mature DSB and refugium.
I think I can keep wrasse. Now which ones? How many? Will they mix successfully? More questions!!
Updated 3.10.20
I have a sand bed up to 8 to 10cms deep with plenty of open sand.
I have 30kg of mature live rock with plenty of cracks, crevices and caves.
I have a fully covered aquarium (a couple of small gaps...ooops).
I do not have any big or aggressive fish...now!
I am able to feed in the way needed without fuss.
I have a 300 litre system including sump with a mature DSB and refugium.
I think I can keep wrasse. Now which ones? How many? Will they mix successfully? More questions!!
Updated 3.10.20