There are a lot of different types of wrasse available for the saltwater aquarium. This article will cover the 75 Best types of wrasse, including their scientific name, the maximum size they grow to as adults, in both inches and centimeters, the minimum tank size required to adequately care for them in gallons and liters, their care difficulty, relative aggressiveness, diet, and whether or not they can be kept safely with corals.
75 Best types of wrasse: care guide summary table
The table below lists the 75 best types of wrasse, with a care guide summary. If the table is wider than the screen you are viewing it on, you can scroll left and right on the table itself.
Table 1: 75 Best Types of Wrasse
Type of Wrasse | Scientifc name for type of wrasse | Adult size (in.) | Min. tank size (gal) | Care difficulty | Aggressive | Diet | Reef safe (Yes/No) | Adult size (cm) | Min. tank size (liters) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adorned Wrasse | Halichoeres cosmetus | 5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 208 |
Banana Wrasse | Thalassoma lutescens | 12 | 125 | Relatively easy | Yes | Meaty foods | No | 30 | 473 |
Bird Wrasse | Gomphosus varius | 11 | 125 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | No | 28 | 473 |
Black Leopard Wrasse | Macropharyngodon negrosensis | 4 | 90 | Extremely difficult | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Blue Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus cyaneus | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Blue Throat Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis | 4 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Bluehead Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Bluehead Wrasse | Thalassoma bifasciatum | 7 | 70 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 18 | 265 |
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse | Labroides dimidiatus | 5.5 | 90 | Difficult and challenging | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 14 | 341 |
Blunthead Wrasse | Thalassoma amblycephalum | 6 | 70 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 15 | 265 |
Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus carpenteri | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Chiseltooth Wrasse | Pseudodax moluccanus | 10 | 125 | Difficult and challenging | No | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 25 | 473 |
Darwin’s Glow Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus sp. | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Dragon Wrasse | Novaculichthys taeniourus | 12 | 180 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | No | 30 | 681 |
Dusky Wrasse | Halichoeres annularis | 6 | 70 | Difficult and challenging | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 15 | 265 |
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus exquisitus | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Filamented Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus filamentosus | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Fine Spotted Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus punctatus | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Formosa Wrasse | Coris formosa | 24 | 180 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Meaty foods | No | 61 | 681 |
Goldbar Wrasse | Thalassoma hebraicum | 9 | 125 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 23 | 473 |
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis | 4.5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 11 | 341 |
Green Wrasse | Halichoeres chloropterus | 8 | 70 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 20 | 265 |
Grey Head Wrasse | Halichoeres leucurus | 6 | 70 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 15 | 265 |
Hardwicke Wrasse | Thalassoma hardwicke | 8 | 90 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Meaty foods | No | 20 | 341 |
Harlequin Tusk | Choerodon fasciatus | 10 | 125 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 25 | 473 |
Hooded Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Johnson’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus johnsonii | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Katherine’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus katherinae | 4 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Labout’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus laboutei | 5.5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 14 | 341 |
Leopard Wrasse | Macropharyngodon meleagris | 6 | 90 | Extremely difficult | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 15 | 341 |
Lineatus Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus lineatus | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Linespot Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus lineopunctatus | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Lunate Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus lunatus | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Lyretail Wrasse | Thalassoma lunare | 10 | 125 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Meaty foods | No | 25 | 473 |
Marble/Hortulanus Wrasse | Halichoeres hortulanus | 11 | 125 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 28 | 473 |
McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus mccoskeri | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Melanurus Wrasse | Halichoeres melanurus | 4.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 11 | 208 |
Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus lubbocki | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Mystery Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus ocellatus | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus naokoae | 4 | 90 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Nebulous Wrasse | Halichoeres nebulosus | 5 | 90 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Neon Wrasse | Halichoeres garnoti | 7 | 70 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 18 | 265 |
Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis | 4.5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 11 | 341 |
Paddlefin Wrasse | Thalassoma lucasanum | 8 | 70 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 20 | 265 |
Pearly Wrasse | Halichoeres margaritaceus | 5 | 90 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Pink Margin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Pink-Streaked Wrasse | Pseudocheilinops ataenia | 2.5 | 15 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 6 | 57 |
Pinkface Wrasse | Thalassoma quinquevittatum | 7 | 70 | Relatively easy | Yes | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 18 | 265 |
Radiant Wrasse | Halichoeres iridis | 4.5 | 55 | Extremely difficult | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 11 | 208 |
Red Breast Wrasse | Cheilinus fasciatus | 16 | 180 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 41 | 681 |
Red Coris Wrasse | Coris gaimard | 15 | 125 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 38 | 473 |
Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus solorensis | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis | 4 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus adornatus | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Red-Lined Wrasse | Halichoeres biocellatus | 4 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 208 |
Redfin Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis | 4 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 10 | 341 |
Richmond’s Wrasse | Halichoeres richmondi | 7.5 | 70 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 19 | 265 |
Rose-Band Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus roseafascia | 5.5 | 70 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 14 | 265 |
Royal Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus angulatus | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 0 | 208 | |
Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus cf cyanopleura | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rubeus | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Scarlet Pin Stripe Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus evanidus | 3 | 55 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Scott’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus scottorum | 6 | 90 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 15 | 341 |
Sea Grass Wrasse | Novaculichthys macrolepidotus | 6 | 70 | Medium difficulty | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Somewhat | 15 | 265 |
Six Line Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus hexataenia | 3 | 55 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Splendid Pintail Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus isosceles | 5 | 90 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 341 |
Two Spot Wrasse | Cheilinus bimaculatus | 6 | 70 | Relatively easy | Semi-aggressive | Meaty foods | No | 15 | 265 |
Two Tone Wrasse | Halichoeres prosopeion | 5 | 70 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 265 |
Vrolik’s Wrasse, Male | Halichoeres chrysotaenia | 5 | 70 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 265 |
Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus filamentosus | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse | Wetmorella nigropinnata | 3 | 15 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 57 |
Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis | 3 | 55 | Medium difficulty | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 8 | 208 |
Yellow Wrasse | Halichoeres chrysus | 5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 13 | 208 |
Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus flavianalis | 3.5 | 55 | Relatively easy | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 9 | 208 |
Yellowtail Wrasse | Anampses meleagrides | 9 | 125 | Extremely difficult | No | Meaty foods | Yes | 23 | 473 |
Are wrasses hard to keep?
Most wrasses are not hard to keep. They are generally hardy and relatively easy to care for.
Easy to care for types of wrasse for a saltwater tank
Here is a table of relatively easy to care for wrasse types that are not hard to keep:
Table 2: Easy to care for types of wrasse:
Adorned Wrasse | Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse | Neon Wrasse | Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse |
Banana Wrasse | Hooded Fairy Wrasse | Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse | Scott’s Fairy Wrasse |
Bird Wrasse | Johnson’s Fairy Wrasse | Pink Margin Fairy Wrasse | Six Line Wrasse |
Blue Flasher Wrasse | Katherine’s Fairy Wrasse | Pink-Streaked Wrasse | Splendid Pintail Fairy Wrasse |
Blue Throat Fairy Wrasse | Labout’s Fairy Wrasse | Pinkface Wrasse | Two Spot Wrasse |
Bluehead Fairy Wrasse | Lineatus Fairy Wrasse | Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse | Two Tone Wrasse |
Bluehead Wrasse | Linespot Flasher Wrasse | Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse | Vrolik’s Wrasse, Male |
Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse | Lunate Fairy Wrasse | Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse | Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse |
Darwin’s Glow Fairy Wrasse | McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse | Red-Lined Wrasse | Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse |
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse | Melanurus Wrasse | Redfin Wrasse | Yellow Wrasse |
Filamented Flasher Wrasse | Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse | Rose-Band Fairy Wrasse | Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse |
Fine Spotted Fairy Wrasse | Mystery Wrasse | Royal Flasher Wrasse | |
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse | Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse | Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse |
Which wrasses are reef safe?
Table 3: Reef safe wrasses for a saltwater tank
Reef safe wrasse types (A-G) | Reef safe wrasse types (H-N) | Reef safe wrasse types (N-R) | Reef safe wrasse types (R-Z) |
---|---|---|---|
Adorned Wrasse | Hooded Fairy Wrasse | Neon Wrasse | Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse |
Black Leopard Wrasse | Johnson’s Fairy Wrasse | Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse | Scarlet Pin Stripe Wrasse |
Blue Flasher Wrasse | Katherine’s Fairy Wrasse | Pearly Wrasse | Scott’s Fairy Wrasse |
Blue Throat Fairy Wrasse | Labout’s Fairy Wrasse | Pink Margin Fairy Wrasse | Six Line Wrasse |
Bluehead Fairy Wrasse | Leopard Wrasse | Pink-Streaked Wrasse | Splendid Pintail Fairy Wrasse |
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse | Lineatus Fairy Wrasse | Radiant Wrasse | Two Tone Wrasse |
Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse | Linespot Flasher Wrasse | Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse | Vrolik’s Wrasse, Male |
Darwin’s Glow Fairy Wrasse | Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse | Red Velvet Fairy Wrasse | Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse |
Dusky Wrasse | Lunate Fairy Wrasse | Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse | Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse |
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse | Marble/Hortulanus Wrasse | Red-Lined Wrasse | Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse |
Filamented Flasher Wrasse | McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse | Redfin Wrasse | Yellow Wrasse |
Fine Spotted Fairy Wrasse | Melanurus Wrasse | Richmond’s Wrasse | Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse |
Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse | Mystery Wrasse | Rose-Band Fairy Wrasse | Yellowtail Wrasse |
Green Wrasse | Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse | Royal Flasher Wrasse | |
Grey Head Wrasse | Nebulous Wrasse | Ruby Head Fairy Wrasse |
17 Types of wrasse that are not reef safe or are somewhat reef-safe with caution advised
Table 4: 17 Types of wrasse that may not be reef safe
Type of wrasse | Scientific name | Min. tank size (gallons) | Reef safe | Aggressive | Care difficulty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluehead Wrasse | Thalassoma bifasciatum | 70 | Somewhat, caution advised | Semi-aggressive | Relatively easy |
Blunthead Wrasse | Thalassoma amblycephalum | 70 | Somewhat, caution advised | Semi-aggressive | Medium difficulty |
Chiseltooth Wrasse | Pseudodax moluccanus | 125 | Somewhat, caution advised | No | Difficult and challenging |
Goldbar Wrasse | Thalassoma hebraicum | 125 | Somewhat, caution advised | Yes | Medium difficulty |
Harlequin Tusk | Choerodon fasciatus | 125 | Somewhat, caution advised | Semi-aggressive | Medium difficulty |
Paddlefin Wrasse | Thalassoma lucasanum | 70 | Somewhat, caution advised | Yes | Medium difficulty |
Pinkface Wrasse | Thalassoma quinquevittatum | 70 | Somewhat, caution advised | Yes | Relatively easy |
Red Breast Wrasse | Cheilinus fasciatus | 180 | Somewhat, caution advised | No | Medium difficulty |
Red Coris Wrasse | Coris gaimard | 125 | Somewhat, caution advised | Semi-aggressive | Medium difficulty |
Sea Grass Wrasse | Novaculichthys macrolepidotus | 70 | Somewhat, caution advised | Semi-aggressive | Medium difficulty |
How many gallons does a wrasse need?
Different types of wrasse will require different amounts of water. The minimum number of gallons to keep the smallest types of wrasse is 15 gallons, and the largest wrasse types require 180 gallons of aquarium water or more.
Types of wrasse for a nano aquarium (minimum 15 gallons)
Table 5: 2 Types of wrasse perfect for a nano aquarium
Type of wrasse | Scientific name | Adult size (in.) | Care difficulty level | Reef safe | Aggressive |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pink-Streaked Wrasse | Pseudocheilinops ataenia | 2.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse | Wetmorella nigropinnata | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Types of wrasse for a 55-gallon aquarium or larger
Table 6: 24 Best types of wrasse for a 55-gallon aquarium or larger
Type of wrasse | Scientific name | Adult fish size (in.) | Care difficulty | Reef safe | Aggressive |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adorned Wrasse | Halichoeres cosmetus | 5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Blue Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus cyaneus | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus carpenteri | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Filamented Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus filamentosus | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Hooded Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Johnson’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus johnsonii | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Linespot Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus lineopunctatus | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Lunate Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus lunatus | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus mccoskeri | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Melanurus Wrasse | Halichoeres melanurus | 4.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus lubbocki | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | Semi-aggressive |
Pink-Streaked Wrasse | Pseudocheilinops ataenia | 2.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Radiant Wrasse | Halichoeres iridis | 4.5 | Extremely difficult | Yes | No |
Red-Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus adornatus | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Red-Lined Wrasse | Halichoeres biocellatus | 4 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Royal Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus angulatus | Relatively easy | Yes | No | |
Ruby Longfin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus rubeus | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Scarlet Pin Stripe Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus evanidus | 3 | Medium difficulty | Yes | Semi-aggressive |
Six Line Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus hexataenia | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | Semi-aggressive |
Whip Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus filamentosus | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse | Wetmorella nigropinnata | 3 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse | Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis | 3 | Medium difficulty | Yes | No |
Yellow Wrasse | Halichoeres chrysus | 5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse | Paracheilinus flavianalis | 3.5 | Relatively easy | Yes | No |
Do flasher wrasses need sand?
The following genera (plural for genus) need a sand bed to sleep in hide: and Anampses, Halichoeres, Macropharyngodon, and Pseudojuloides. That includes the Yellowtail, Yellow, Green, and Melanurus wrasses.
Wrasse tank mates: best and worst
Compatibility between saltwater fish types is challenging to review, because individual experiences sometimes conflict. The general disposition and typical aggressiveness level of a species is a primary, driving force, but the behaviors of individuals within a species will sometimes be more or less aggressive than the norm.
The relative size of the fish in any aquarium, as well as the order in which they are added to the tank will also play a role in competition for food or territorial aggression.
That is why we need to take the general advice and reports we read online (including this one) with a grain of salt, and whenever possible, use data to inform our decisions.
Best wrasse tank mates
In 2022, Saltwater Aquarium Blog Newsletter Subscribers who had experience with keeping one of the most popular wrasse species, the Six Line Wrasse, were asked to indicate which fish types they were successful in keeping with the wrasse and which species they had personal experience with being incompatible with their wrasse.
I used the tally of compatible and incompatible votes to calculate the percentage of the time the wrasse tank mate was compatible with the wrasse.
Table 7: The best wrasse tank mates, including a compatibility score
Wrasse tank mate type | Compatibility % | Aquarists with success | Aquarists rated incompatible |
---|---|---|---|
Clownfish | 96% | 65 | -3 |
Tangs or Surgeonfish | 90% | 45 | -5 |
Gobies | 91% | 43 | -4 |
Angelfish | 91% | 41 | -4 |
Blennies | 88% | 38 | -5 |
Cardinalfish | 92% | 36 | -3 |
Chromis | 92% | 34 | -3 |
Damselfish | 93% | 28 | -2 |
Basslets or Grammas | 88% | 22 | -3 |
Anthias | 95% | 18 | -1 |
Dottybacks | 81% | 17 | -4 |
Rabbitfish | 93% | 13 | -1 |
Butterflyfish | 87% | 13 | -2 |
Triggerfish | 100% | 8 | 0 |
Dragonets | 89% | 8 | -1 |
Worst wrasse tank mates
In general, Saltwater Aquarium Blog Newsletter subscribers had more successes than failures keeping Pseudocheilinus hexataenia with other wrasse tank mates. But here are the worst wrasse tank mates that demonstrated the lowest compatibility percentages:
Table 8: The wrasse tank mates with the worst compatibility scores
Wrass tank mates | Compatibility % | Aquarists with success | Aquarists rated incompatible |
---|---|---|---|
Other wrasse types | 62% | 18 | -11 |
Filefish | 67% | 6 | -3 |
Dartfish | 79% | 11 | -3 |
Eels | 67% | 2 | -1 |
Pufferfish | 67% | 2 | -1 |
Jawfish | 75% | 3 | -1 |
Lionfish | 75% | 3 | -1 |
The most common incompatibility was mixing one type of wrasse with another type of wrasse. Two individual wrasses were successfully kept together only 62% of the time.
While it was not directly specified in the survey (the options were simply to indicate compatibility/incompatibility), dartfish and jawfish are notoriously docile fish. One would expect that the docile fish were likely pestered and harassed by a more aggressive type of wrasse.
Eels and lionfish are predators. I’d exercise caution beyond what it stated here and avoid mixing species, especially given the small sample size of the data here.
Can you have two wrasses in the same tank?
You can have two wrasses in the same tank, but it takes some planning and careful purchasing. Having two wrasses in the same tank was the number one reason for incompatibility between two fish types. Aquarium owners were successful keeping two wrasses together only 62% of the time, in a recent Saltwater Aquarium Blog Survey.
Here are a few guidelines that will help. If you want to keep more than one wrasse in the same tank, don’t plan to keep any of the wrasse types in the Pseudocheilinus or Macropharyngodon genus, as they are notorious for being incompatible with other wrasses. Unfortunately, that rules out the very popular Six-line wrasse, Mystery wrasse, and Leopard wrasse.
Aggression tends to be the worst between males, with more aggression between males of the same species and between males from different types of wrasse. Please keep in mind that, in captivity, it seems that the vast majority (read that as “all”, softened just a bit) of female wrasses turn male eventually, which will likely cause issues later on, so it is generally best to just keep 1 of a given wrasse type.
Which wrasses mix well together?
Here is a presentation from MACNA 2017 that goes deep on these wrasses, including which species can be safely combined in the same saltwater tank:
What to read next
Check out these other great guides:
25 Types of saltwater angelfish
References
Michael, Scott W. Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-to-Know Aquarium Species. TFH Publications, Inc. 2001.
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