Jake Evans is looking to add another splash of colour to his established reef. But which wrasse will make the right tankmate for his existing redhead?
I've got a 400-litre (88 gal) reef tank which was set up in 2023. It contains artificial live rock which has performed really well. The tank has a couple of hammer corals, one of which is a good 20cm (7.9”) across now. There are also mushroom corals and pulsing Xenia plus a few other frags here and there.
Fish stock is quite light. I have a pair of common clowns, a yellow tang, a purple firefish and a couple of scooter blennies, which have done well despite their difficult reputation.
My most recent purchase is a redheaded fairy wrasse which I added three weeks ago. It hid for a week, but it's settled in now and comes out and feeds well.
I'm wondering about adding a second fairy wrasse. Should I get another redheaded one as I'm told they all start life as females and then change sex – so I could feasibly end up with a pair – or is there another species you can recommend for this set-up?
JAKE EVANS
Related article: Back to saltwater: starting simple with beginner corals.
All photos by Shutterstock
Jeremy's advice on keeping multiple wrasses
Your aquarium is a good-sized reef tank, but I’d resist the temptation to add another redheaded fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis).
Although fairy wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites — meaning they begin life as females and the dominant individual can change sex and become male — that doesn’t necessarily mean two fish will form a compatible pair when added to an aquarium. Males are also much more commonly offered for sale because of their brighter colours, so adding another redheaded wrasse often means introducing a second male unless you are lucky and find a confirmed female.
In the wild, groups of fairy wrasses generally consist of a dominant male and several females. In a relatively confined aquarium, two males can be persistent rivals, particularly once both have established territories. Adding several females rather than simply another individual would give you a better chance of establishing a natural social group, but that would require considerably more space and could also be an expensive undertaking.
Did you know?
Like their close relatives the parrotfish, fairy wrasses produce a mucus cocoon around themselves at night. This is thought to help conceal their scent from nocturnal predators and may also provide some protection from parasites.
Alternative wrasse combinations
If you'd like to add another wrasse, I'd be inclined to leave your existing redheaded fairy wrasse as a singleton and choose a different type altogether.
Consider a flasher wrasse
A McCosker's flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus mccoskeri) would be a good candidate. It's colourful, active and generally peaceful, and its spectacular flashing displays can provide plenty of interest without directly duplicating the social dynamics of your existing fairy wrasse. Like your fairy wrasse, flasher wrasses are notorious jumpers, so a well fitting jump guard is a must for their tank.
McCosker's flasher wrasse Fact File
Scientific name: Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Size: Up to 8 cm (3.1 in).
Origin: Indo-West Pacific.
Habitat: Occurs in small groups, where females outnumber males, on the outer reef slopes over rubble and corals.
Tank Size: 90 x 45 x 45 cm (36 x 18 x 18 in).
Temperament: Reef safe and generally peaceful to anything dissimilar to itself. Small groups of one male and several females can work great in larger aquariums, but lone fish are the best option for smaller aquariums.
Feeding: Thrives on small regular feeds throughout the day, offer a mix of frozen, live and they may even take prepared foods once they have settled.
Availability & cost: Fairly common, prices starting from £45 each.
Jeremy's Tip: Mixing male fairy and flasher wrasses is possible, but choose species with noticeably different appearances. This can help reduce the likelihood of them viewing each other as rivals.
A colourful opportunity
Your success with the scooter blennies also makes the peacock wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus) worth considering, although I'd be more cautious here.
Peacock wrasses can be sensitive when first introduced and are dependent on a well-established aquarium with an abundant supply of natural prey. So, while your tank is happily supporting the scooter blennies, adding another fish that relies heavily on the same natural food sources could create additional competition.
However, given the size and maturity of your aquarium, a peacock wrasse is certainly a plausible option, provided it is producing enough natural prey to support another specialist feeder.
Peacock wrasse fact file
Scientific name: Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Size: Up to 13 cm (5.1 in).
Origin: Western Indian Ocean.
Habitat: Lives in lagoons and sheltered reefs either singularly, in pairs, or as small groups of females.
Tank Size: 90 x 45 x 45 cm (36 x 18 x 18 in) if plenty of food is available.
Temperament: Reef safe and generally peaceful towards fish of other species. Avoid keeping alongside boisterous or overly territorial species that occupy the same areas of the aquarium.
Feeding: Spends much of the day scouring rockwork and sand for tiny organisms. A large, mature aquarium is needed to provide a reliable supply of suitable natural foods. Care should be taken when stocking it alongside other specialist feeders, such as scooter blennies and mandarins, which forage in a similar way.
Availability & cost: Often stocked by marine stores with prices starting from £35 each.
Jeremy's Tip: Peacock wrasses bury themselves in the sand at night and when startled. If your reef tank is bare-bottomed, I'd avoid this species.
Related article: Splendid Dottyback: Are They Worth Adding To Your Reef Tank?