Lonely Fish?

[garnet13aj]

About 3 weeks ago I bought 3 filamented flasher wrasses (http://tinyurl.com/2z8s7a), due to some stray current running through the tank (has now been taken care of!), 2 of the wrasses died. The wrasse that is left appears to be lonely. He eats and is breathing normally, but he spends an odd amount of time laying on the sand and when he does swim around he flashes at my clowns (which pay him absolutely no attention). Since flashing is a mating behavior, I'm guessing he might be lonely. Is there any way I can add 2 females? If I wanted to do so, would I have to take him out, let them get situated, and then add him back in or could I add them straight to the tank w/him?

Let me know what you think about his behavior and whether or not I could add some girls to make him happy.

Also, here are some pictures of my wrasse. Can someone confirm that it's a male?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2040.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2038.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2035.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2033.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2032.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2025.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c391/garnetajg13/IMG_2022.jpg

 

[edwing206]

Pics don't work.

 

[garnet13aj]

Sorry about that...they should work now.

 

[edwing206]

Ooooh, that's a nice one! Don't know if it's a male or female for sure.

 

[leebca]

For whatever reason I can't get the photos to open for me?

Common names for wrasses especially are difficult to work with since there are so many of them and they can be so colorful. If you're referring to Parachellinus filiamentosus then there are variants of this fish which make some identifications difficult.

Females cannot and should not be added to the established male. Either all are added at the same time or the females are established first.

You would need to remove the male and hold the fish in another tank for a few weeks. Rearrange the landscaping in the tank to look new. Put the females through quarantine and then into the main display a few days before you return the male (if the fish you have is male).

An establish, lone male will exhibit its various displays even to its own reflection.

 

[garnet13aj]

Ok, that's what I figured. Is anyone else able to see the pictures? I just clicked on them all and they worked for me...The pictures aren't that great, but he (she) has one long red spine that sticks out of the dorsal fin, is that enough to tell whether it's a male or female? I'd like to add more, but I don't want to have some sort of testosterone fight to the death if I wind up with more than one male...I'll find the official scientific name when I get home, for right now all I can find is Paracheilinus sp. but I should be able to find the full name tonight.

 

[logiktest]

Pics worked for me...

 

[Snowboarda42]

I thought I heard that only the males will "display", thus they are the ones with the spike, and the filaments on their bodies. Someone on another site said that if you don't have a female and a male, sometime the males will eventually just turn into a female and loose color and not display. BUT, I could be wrong...

 

[Snowboarda42]

Some help for ya

 

[leebca]

I can't believe my spelling. It is supposed to be Paracheilinus filamentosus .

Pictures are here: Filament Wrasse photo. You can probably Goggle for a few dozen other photos.

 

[Snowboarda42]

^

Hiroyuki Tanaka would be ashamed of you, Lee!

 

[garnet13aj]

I can't be sure on the 1st picture on that link, but the 2nd picture is definitely a different species of wrasse. Mine has a green tail w/a stripe through it. I'm sorry I don't have the scientific name right now, I left my book at my boyfriend's place and I'm not sure if I'll actually be there tonight to get it or not...