Question Wrasse compatibility

[ZanaZoola14]

Hello,

Apologise about this post being so quick after the other. However, I want to make sure I am doing this correctly.

Would I be able to have some help/opinions on whether these wrasses might work together?

Tank size
Length x width x height
Inches — 69.69x12x15.75
cm — 177x30x40 approx

55 gallon roughly, but I am treating it like a 50 gallon due to rockwork and substrate. Sump will be around 20–45 gallons depending on the size I manage to get ahold of. Mainly lr and macros will be contained within.

I'm roughly splitting them into groups that I believe would not get on with each other. So only one fish is allowed from each group kind of situation.

For the fairy wrasses I have included their colour and tank size rating from the chart. First is the colour of their section, second the aggression level it corresponds to, third the tank size recommended. Further along the alphabet the larger the tank.

Group 1
- Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus flavianalis

Group 2
- McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus mccoskeri

Group 3
- Royal Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus angulatus

Group 4
- Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus carpenteri

Group 5
- Blue Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus cyaneus

Group 6
- Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Black Fin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus joanallenae (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Light Orange. Middle. B) (unlikely)
(All of these are from the Rubriventralis complex)

Group 7 (Very unlikely)
- Hi-fin Sword Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus filamentosus (Red. Highest. C)

Group 8
- Sapphire Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Yellow Level. Low. A)

Group 9
- Brunneus Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus brunneus (Green Level. Lowest. A)
- Pintail Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus isosceles (Green Level. Lowest. A)
(All of these are from the Lunatus complex)

To further on this before I am told how drastic this overstock will be. I will only be looking towards three flasher wrasses as a max and likely only one or two fairy wrasses.

Only three from 1–5, two from 6–9. Five wrasses I think is likely the limit of my tank.

If I get a fish from 6, then I am unlikely to get from 8 as some other charts show those two group complexes being close. Group 7 is very unlikely to be picked, alongside the Naoko's Wrasse in group 6 due to aggression some say it has towards flashers.

What I am thinking of (based on fish currently in stock):

1x Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus flavianalis
1x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus mccoskeri
1x Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus carpenteri
1x Sapphire Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
1x Pintail Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus isosceles

Is this likely to be too much for this tank to sustain, even with good rock cover for them and a 3ft sump for filtration? Are these fish too similar and likely to be overly aggressive?

This list is not likely to be the final one, more of the others are likely going to come up further into this. Which is why if possible I'd like opinions on more than those five, but I know that is a tall order, so I showed the current five planned to at least try and see if those would work.

Any opinions on this greatly appreciated, as I know there are others here that are much better at wrasses than myself.

Thank you.

 

[bonomo53]

From my experience these seem to get more aggressive with other fairy wrasses.

Group 6
- Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Black Fin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus joanallenae (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Light Orange. Middle. B) (unlikely)
(All of these are from the Rubriventralis complex)


I dont see any issues with this list below.
1x Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus flavianalis
1x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus mccoskeri
1x Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus carpenteri
1x Sapphire Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
1x Pintail Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus isosceles

I also wouldn't space out adding them too much. The longer they are in the tank before others are added the higher chance you will get some aggression.

 

[ZanaZoola14]

From my experience these seem to get more aggressive with other fairy wrasses.

Group 6
- Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Black Fin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus joanallenae (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Light Orange. Middle. B) (unlikely)
(All of these are from the Rubriventralis complex)


I dont see any issues with this list below.
1x Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus flavianalis
1x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus mccoskeri
1x Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus carpenteri
1x Sapphire Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
1x Pintail Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus isosceles

I also wouldn't space out adding them too much. The longer they are in the tank before others are added the higher chance you will get some aggression.

Alright, thanks for the reply!

That was what I was thinking, especially with their ratings being higher in aggression than the other wrasses.

Thank you, that is good to know this list is alright. I am going to aim to add the flashers all at the same time if possible, or within a very close period together — followed quickly by the fairies as I think I read that was the better order of introduction with flashers and fairies.

Thank you again.

 

[Reefingainteasy]

From my experience these seem to get more aggressive with other fairy wrasses.

Group 6
- Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Black Fin Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus joanallenae (Light Orange. Middle. B)
- Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Light Orange. Middle. B) (unlikely)
(All of these are from the Rubriventralis complex)


I dont see any issues with this list below.
1x Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus flavianalis
1x McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus mccoskeri
1x Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse — Paracheilinus carpenteri
1x Sapphire Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
1x Pintail Fairy Wrasse — Cirrhilabrus isosceles

I also wouldn't space out adding them too much. The longer they are in the tank before others are added the higher chance you will get some aggression.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[LucidWraith]

It looks like you’ve put a lot of thought into your stocking plan, which will definitely help minimize aggression. Your selection seems well-balanced, especially with good rockwork and a proper introduction strategy.

The only thing I’d keep an eye on is the Pintail Fairy Wrasse (C. isosceles). I’ve seen mixed reports on its compatibility with flashers since it’s part of the Lunatus complex. Some people have had no issues, while others found that more active species can sometimes outcompete them. If you notice any tension, C. lubbocki might be a safer option since it tends to be more peaceful.

This whole discussion about wrasse compatibility actually reminded me of something that happened a few years ago. I once visited a casino that had a massive saltwater aquarium, and among the familiar species, I spotted one very unusual fish that I couldn’t identify. It was swimming alongside wrasses similar to the ones in your post, particularly some flashers, but it looked completely different – a sleek, elongated body, deep purple coloration with an iridescent blue sheen, and a yellowish border on the tail.

At first, I thought it might be Pseudocheilinops ataenia or a species of Halichoeres, but after checking references, I couldn’t find a perfect match. It was the only one of its kind in the tank, and I even started wondering if it had been mistakenly added.

I only got to visit that casino once, and when I returned later to play again – and hopefully check on the fish – it was nowhere to be found. Whether it was removed, relocated, or something else happened, I never found out. I got curious and looked up the place online, eventually finding it listed here: https://soceskecasino.com/. Apparently, they’ve since moved to an online-only operation, and the aquarium seems to be gone.

Ever since then, I’ve been wondering what that fish could have been. If anyone has seen a fish like this or knows what it might be, let me know.