Gomphosus - Bird Wrasse - feeding       5/18/14 Hello. I have a 125 gallon tank 6' x 18". I have a 8" beautiful blue-green bird wrasse, 8" dog face puffer, 5" blue face angel and a 4" gold angel. <These animals need more room; and much more in the future> I feed once a day Krill (usually frozen) then spectrum pellets then frozen pe Mysis. All the fish eat lots of the pellets except the wrasse. Occasionally the wrasse will aggressively try to eat some. I think it is difficult for the wrasse to catch the pellets. Perhaps it is the "beck" shaped mouth or maybe the bird wrasse eye sight is distorted, or otherwise makes it difficult to catch the pellets. <Perhaps; though I've seen both species consume these in captivity> The wrasse can not get the pellets from the surface and often they fall near his face and he doesn't seem interested in eating them. I think it is just hard for the bird wrasse species to catch and eat pellets. Do you agree? If so, should I feed anything else? <I would try other foods> What should I try? Also would earthworms be good? <Mmm; no. Other marine foods... algae sheet; frozen/defrosted medleys> I know the wrasse likes bristle worms but I rarely find those for him. The wrasse never eats food from the bottom, and has a hard time eating from the top. Any suggestions? <http://wetwebmedia.com/BirdWrFdgF.htm> I have had it for two years and it does not look skinny. <Appears to be a very nice specimen from your pic. Bob Fenner>

question feeding bird wrasse  puffer    2/19/13
Hi, my name is Mindy.  I have a 125 gallon 6'x18" marine planted tank. 
I've had a 6" dogface puffer for about 6 months and three weeks ago I bought a 8" green bird wrasse.  They are the only fish currently in the tank.  The wrasse still hides when I near the tank to feed it, then comes out after I feed Mysis (PE Mysis), if I keep still.
<Will become much more outgoing w/in a few weeks>
 The wrasse is so large that I think it needs more than Mysis in its diet. 
<Yes; though Mysis relicta is an excellent food source>
However, It only seems to eat moving food and ignores clams, squid, pieces fish or large shrimp that fall to the bottom.  The puffer also ignores the food that falls to the bottom and the food that falls midway down onto the plants.  Can't the fish smell the food???
<Likely can; but these "whole" food items may well be unfamiliar>
 I don't want to overfeed the tank so do you have any suggestions?
<Oh yes. Do try adding Spectrum pelleted food... make this your staple, with other foods as treats, additions>
 I do have a large hermit anemone crab that eats some of the leftover food during the night.  Thank you so much for your assistance!
<Do read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/SpectrumFoodsF.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner> 

Bird wrasse question Hello Mr. Fenner, I have had a male bird wrasse in my 150 gallon tank for about three years. Recently, he has become very thin. He is still active and goes right to the top of the tank when it is feeding time. When the food is poured into the tank, he stabs at it with his beak. Once the initial food drop is over, he does not eat any of the food floating in the tank. If he misses the food on the initial drop, he doesn't eat. I am feeding frozen Formula Two, frozen Brine Shrimp Plus and frozen Mysis Shrimp (all soaked in vitamins). Do you have any suggestions on how to fatten him up? Could he have internal worms which are causing him to lose weight? Any suggestions you have are greatly appreciated. <My speculations sound like yours... internal parasitic problem, perhaps a genetic expression. I would do as you are doing... offer a mix of meaty foods, flavor and nutrition enhanced by vitamins. Perhaps adding highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in a commercial soak like Selcon might stir this animals food-taking. Bob Fenner, who ate at a Filippi's Restaurant in San Diego last night with great gusto!> Stephen W. DeFilippis
Wayne, IL