Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm trying to find a solution to a bit of a dilemma I've got on my hands - my 7-year-old son has fallen head over heels for a cleaner wrasse at our local fish store. The thing is, this poor fish is darting around like it's disoriented in the centflake display tank, but my son thinks it's the most entertaining thing ever.

I had a chat with the kids about closing some of the tanks and rehoming the fish, and they got a bit teary-eyed, so I had to promise them each a fish for our marine tank to make up for it. My daughter's easy to please - she's happy with a peppermint shrimp or a crab - but my son's heart is set on that cleaner wrasse.

I've been doing some research on the fish we're considering, and it seems cleaner wrasses aren't the best choice for a home aquarium. I know I need to break the news to my son gently, so I thought it'd be a good idea to offer him an alternative when I tell him we can't get the cleaner wrasse.

Here's my question: can you suggest a fish that's either blue or green (no 'girly colours' for my son, I'm afraid), fairly active, and does well in a community tank?

Any wrasse will likely exhibit similar behaviors and are generally very active swimmers, so you might want to consider some alternatives. Sixlines, flasher wrasses, or fairy wrasses could be great options - they're all reef-safe and quite attractive. I'd recommend taking a look at the various types out there, as there are dozens to choose from, and I'm sure you'll find one that your son will love.

Red Head Fairy, Scott's Fairy, and Exquisite fairy are a few of my personal favorites, with beautiful colors that might just win your son over. On the other hand, flashers tend to have more pink, orange, or red hues, so those might not fit his 'no girly colors' requirement.

Thanks for the suggestions, I can already imagine how the conversation with my son will go - he'll probably jump at the Flasher Wrasse just because of the name, but then he'll see the colours and say they're too girly. I'll have to steer him towards the others, but I'm guessing he'll raise an eyebrow at the Fairy Wrasse name.

The Sixline Wrasse does look like a great option though, nice colours and a cool name that should appeal to him. I'll do some more research on them and see if they'd be a good fit for our tank.