Jeremevans Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 So is like to get a wrasse for a couple of reasons. They are interesting to look at and watch first of all. Second, they seem to have the potential to eat some weekends and bugs which could be helpful. The problem is I'm seeing up a bare bottom tank and I think most Wrasses sleep in the sand? The second issue is that I think they can be a bit fiesty and perhaps not always reef safe. I've heard competing advice about six line Wrasses. Some say strongly yes and others say no. Would you put a Wrasse in my tank? There's lots of Sps... And no sand. If yes which type? Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Love the wrasses! There are plenty of wrasses that don't need sand (e.g. flashers, fairies, mystery, possum) that are great and interesting fish but many of the best pest control species do like a sand bed (e.g. melanarus, coris, leopard) so it might be tricky to cover all your bases in a bare bottom. There are other folk on here with a lot more experience and detailed wrasse knowledge that will hopefully chime in as there may be some good crossover species that would work for you. For reef safe, I have hardly ever heard of any of the common varieties going after coral but some of the "hunters" (coris, melanarus) will also target inverts so you need to be careful depending on what you want to keep in the tank. I have a green coris and melanarus who are fine with snails, hermits, large shrimp but there is always some risk. As far as a six line, that is the one wrasse I would never have in my tank again. Sneaky aggressive and most likely fish in my experience to cause others to launch themselves out of the tank. Attractive and hardy but not worth the risk in my mind. Others may well have had better luck but I am two for two with bad attitude so no more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorge Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I have a few fairies in a bare bottom tank. Most halichoeres do well without sand and are a great option for pest control. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 If you are concerned put a small container of sand somewhere and they will find it i have found that most sand dwellers prefer it especially when tgey are frightened and sleep much more peacefully unthreatened 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremevans Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 How large of a container? Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Butter dish or small tupperware. Tgey like 3" of sand depending on size of wrasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I have 9 wrasses in my tank and tgey all go to same spot to sleep each night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaylorW Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I have a six line in my tank, have had it for about three years now, are they supposed to sleep in sand? If so something is wrong with mine because I've never seen it do that. And I've also heard of them being jumpers, and pestering other fish to jump etc but I maybe I'm just lucky and for a weird one lol, it's been a perfect gentleman (or lady?) I have all open tip tanks and (cross my fingers) so far haven't had a casualty on my saltwater tanks but have in freshwater. Sorry I'm rambling..Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J120AZ using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The ReefBox Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Six lines cacoon up at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 I had a melanarus in a bare bottom tank in a 40 gallon Frag system. I put in a bowl of sand but he didn't use it so I eventually took it out and he actually adapted just fine to sleeping in the rocks with no sign of stress. I have one in my main tank now and have been slowly removing the sand because it was making a mess stirring the sand up and buried and killed a few corals. I also figured he was stirring up a cloud of toxins as the sand bed holds a lot of detritus.I also tend to like bare bottom tanks because sand has killed many a coral for me. I tend to pile a bunch of corals on the bottom. Holly gave me a hard time but as fish acclimate in the tank they tend to not get as stressed. This one eats out of my hands sometimes. Now he sleeps in the rocks as there is less sand for him. He's not showing any sign of distress. I would put a bowl of sand in. Make sure you have a cover as most wrasses are jumpers of it a shallow tank and with time I bet he adjusts without sand. One thing we forget is fish are adaptable. I mean look how well many do when we take them from a massive ocean and put them in a square box. Younger fish tend to do better and even better I like tank raised and bred specimens as they have grown up in a tank around humans so they tend to do better. Just think about the baby clownfish you see. They are so used to human interaction they are quite tame. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremevans Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 Thank for all the thoughts. I'm looking at halichoeres wrasses now and I'm learning there are so many more types of wrasses than I realized. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dlinehan113 Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 halichoeres should have sand, they bury nightly to sleep, and since sand burying wrasse dont create a thick mucus coating like flashers or fairies, they should have sand to retreat in and feel comfortable. Also, they will more than likely bust up the lips trying to bury which will make them stop eating, and eventually die... leopards are far worse at doing this, but a small sand bin works, if they can find it easily. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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