Tryng to decide which fairy wrasses to buy.

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

Here's my final list (I think). Now I just have to decide on what order to add them in.

Â· Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis)
Â· Orange Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis)
Â· Bluehead Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura)
Â· Velvet Multicolor Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus)
Â· Labout's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus laboutei)
Â· Naoko's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus naokoae)
Â· Earlei’s Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus earlei)
Â· Johnson's Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus johnsoni)

evolved · May 5, 2014

The labouti and naoko should be last; order amongst the rest shouldn't matter much.

Aquaph8 · May 5, 2014

I like to add mine in pairs so nobody ever gets singled out as the new guy. Here is the order I would go with but I'm sure it would work out many different ways and sometimes availability will dictate that.

Earlei and johnsoni
Rhomboid and orange back
Cyanopleura and naokoae
Luteovittatus and Labouti

The first four I feel pretty confident about but I don't have any real experience with 3 of the last four other than what I've read others say. From what I hear all four tend to be on the more aggressive side. My Labouti was a jerk but man was he pretty and one of the bigger wrasses I've kept.

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

Thanks guys! I figure I'll at least do pairs, but I'll try for 3 at a time...of course with some of these that might be expensive.

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

I'm also figuring I should go small on the labouti and the naoko.

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

Here are some pictures of the ones in the list. I'd like to add them in the order that Aquaph8 recommended...only problem I have right now is finding the first two (Earlei and johnsoni). Pics are from some of our sponsors (except for the Johnsoni. Thanks Aquaph8 for the inspiration pic!).

1st set

Johnson's Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus johnsoni)

Earlei’s Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus earlei)

2nd set

Orange Back Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis)

Golden Rhomboidalis Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis)

Bluehead Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura)

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

Last set

Labouti's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus laboutei)

Velvet Multicolor Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus)

Naoko's Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus naokoae)

Aquaph8 · May 5, 2014

Watch PIA for the johnsoni, he gets them more often than anybody.

Mike&Terry · May 5, 2014

Nice selection of fairy wrasses, Daniel. I agree with Brett on the order of adding the wrasses and would also suggest looking for some younger initial phase males and females. Fairy and Flasher wrasses have a relatively short lifespan compared to many other reef fish such as Clowns, Tangs, and Angels. We learned this the hard way with our first Supermale C. earlei. He was gorgeous, very expensive (the price has since dropped significantly, but still up there) and sadly, he did not make it a year with us.

Mike S · May 5, 2014

Its also interesting to watch them transform from juveniles to males.

Daniel@R2R · May 5, 2014

Mike&Terry said:
Nice selection of fairy wrasses, Daniel. I agree with Brett on the order of adding the wrasses and would also suggest looking for some younger initial phase males and females. Fairy and Flasher wrasses have a relatively short lifespan compared to many other reef fish such as Clowns, Tangs, and Angels. We learned this the hard way with our first Supermale C. earlei. He was gorgeous, very expensive (the price has since dropped significantly, but still up there) and sadly, he did not make it a year with us.

Thanks! The suggestion about buying them small is a great one (and one I plan to follow)! I had planned to get them as small females thinking that it might help with aggression, but I hadn't thought about the life-span issue. Great tip!

Mike S said:
Its also interesting to watch them transform from juveniles to males.

Another excellent point! I have enjoyed this with my flashers.

Aquaph8 · May 5, 2014

Completely agree with Mike and Terry, I always try to buy juvie wrasses cause its fun to watch them grow. They also seem to adapt better for me, the large males just don't ship as well IME.