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Yellow Wrasse - 05/23/05 Hey, <Hey!> Yesterday I purchased a cleaner wrasse <Yikes! Take it back if you can...destined to starve to death.> and a yellow wrasse for my 90 gallon reef tank. The cleaner wrasse was real busy with the other fishes, and it eats about anything I feed with great pleasure. However, the yellow wrasse is a different story. As soon as I introduced him into the tank, he burst into the thick sand bed. I was worried that it died, but today it came out wondering for half an hour then disappeared. It missed out the feeding time. Is this fish hunting for food in the sand? Or does it just like to sleep all day long? Is there anyway to feed this fish or do I have to wait until it comes out of the sand? <If this is a Halichoeres chrysus this behavior is normal. The wrasse will eventually settle in and be seen more...and become a very capable bristle worm predator. These fish are actually quite personable and very hardy feeders...once acclimated to your tank. Try tempting it to feed with thawed frozen Mysis shrimp and/or glass worms (mosquito larvae).> Thank You <Regards, Eric R.> Green Wrasse Hi, I was wondering if the Green Wrasse (Halichoeres chloropterus) when people say not reef safe for this fish what do they mean E.G. they eat coral polyps, crustaceans ETC ? <According to fishbase.org, "Feeds mainly on hard-shelled prey, including mollusks, crustaceans and sea urchins"... And as it is a small species, a high/er score on blanket "reef safeness". Bob Fenner> Halichoeres chloropterus--Reef Safe or No? (5/11/05) Hi, I was wondering if the Green Wrasse (Halichoeres chloropterus) when people say not reef safe for this fish what do they mean i.e. they eat coral polyps, crustaceans, etc? <By "not reef safe," it is meant that they eat something that reefkeepers want in their tanks. Anything that eats corals is therefore not reef safe. Other things are more nuanced. The species in question is known to eat various invertebrates, a number of which (flatworms and parasitic snails) are actually pests. They may nip at featherduster worms, but are not reported to nip at corals. They'll take out smaller crustaceans as well. Therefore, they advisory is "with caution" when it comes to reefs. Hope this helps, Steve Allen.> Wrasse Selection 4.3.05 Hi, I was wondering is the Green Wrasse - Halichoeres chloropterus safe to keep with a BTA and 2 clowns and also corals (if there is any corals to avoid when keeping this fish please inform me) <Although every fish on the reef eats SOMETHING, a wrasse of this type is especially hard on reef aquaria. Only in the largest aquaria is it a decent combination. A fairy wrasse would be a much better choice. Good luck, Ryan> Halichoeres hoeveni vs. Halichoeres melanurus - Will the Real Wrasse Please Stand Up? >I wanted to get information on the Halichoeres hoeveni. Is it reef safe? And what abut feeding requirements and how big will it get? And lastly temperament? Yours, Mark >>Hello Mark, Marina this morning. It seems that a search using that name nets me a referral the Halichoeres melanurus. Once we get that far finding this fish on fishbase.org is pretty easy. To answer your question, in my experience most fishes of the Halichoeres genus are outgoing and won't be bullied around. However, this guy hits about 5" (12cm) in length, and is relatively small-mouthed, as it feeds on small invertebrates. Expect this fish to snack on the small stuff, and you'll need to treat it (re: feeding) as you would a mandarin dragonet. So, in general, yes, "reef-safe", though expect some snacking. A refugium or good supply of "pods" will be most helpful for this little fellow. Don't forget, now that you have the proper name of this species, please use our Google search to find more information on this fish. Wrasse Impasse? (Missing Canary Wrasse) I recently bought a Canary Wrasse (4 days ago to be exact). I haven't seen him much, I am aware of wrasse behavior for the most part, but I think he has been hiding a little too long. I don't think he has been out much more than 2-3 hours since I brought him home. Should I be worried yet? I have a Neon Dottyback that seems to be a bit of a brat, a Longnose Hawk, and a Lyretail Anthias, This beautiful fish is new as well and seem to be doing well. Is it time to worry ???? Thank you, KJ <Well, KJ- I would not worry just yet. As you are aware, these guys are very adept at hiding in the sand or rockwork until they are ready to come out and be sociable! One of my favorite fishes! Even though the fish is in hiding, the fish can find food to eat in the rocks and sand. Halichoeres species wrasses can be a bit secretive, but will eventually spend lots of time out in the open where you can see their interesting behavior. I'd give him/her a little more time. If more than a week goes by without seeing the fish, then I'd start to get concerned. Although the Neon Dottyback can be a bit of a troublemaker, I'll bet that he is not harassing the clever and tough wrasse. These guys can hold their own! Hang in there, keep observing, and do be prepared to take action (removing a the fish if it is in distress, etc.) if it is required. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> The Mean Green Wrasse? (Halichoeres chloropterus) Hi, I have a Green Wrasse (Halichoeres chloropterus) and was wondering if the are compatible with corals and anemones ETC???? Thanks! Ryan <Hi Ryan. I'm a huge fan of Halichoeres species wrasses, and have kept many of them over the years. The H. chloropterus is one of the larger members of the family, and is every bit as compatible with corals as the others, IMO. Like most Halichoeres species, they will decimate any tubeworms, snails, feather dusters, and other small crustaceans that live in your system. They are not aggressive fishes, for the most part, but they can become "cantankerous" once they become acclimated to their new home. They have great personalities, but can become a bit of a behavioral problem in a smaller tank, or one that houses smaller fishes. All in all, I think that this is a great fish if you can accept their personality traits. Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F.> Wrasse compatibility I have a 72 gallon bow front reef tank with a pugnacious six line wrasse. I have a Halichoeres argus in another tank and would like to add him to the 72 gallon tank, however, I am wondering if the six line and him would get along. < I'd say you will be fine. I don't picture either of them causing any problems. > Another option I have been pondering is to set up a fish only tank with some more aggressive fish - triggers, moray eel, and a puffer. Would the Halichoeres argus be able to handle this tank? < Yes, I think so. Especially if he is 4 inches or longer. I think that would be fine as well. > For the more aggressive tank, what type of filtration would you recommend? < Lots of live rock, and a very large healthy refugium. > Thank you for your help. < Blundell > Radiant Wrasse I originally purchased the wrasse to put into a 40 Gal. SPS tank that has 70+ lbs. of LR. It is bare bottom except for a 1 foot square alcove in the rocks that gradually rises from ?” in the front to Approx. 5” in the back of the alcove. It also has 40 Gal. Refugium upstream and a 20 Gal. sump containing an overkill skimmer. A 1500 gph ( 0 head ) pump returns the water through a Mechanical, carbon, U.V., and heater modules. My question is will the wrasse be compatible with a Swissguard Basslet (L. rubre), and a Scooter Blenny (S. Ocellatus) which spends its nights buried in the sand (except for eyeballs). I had the intent of using the wrasse to help the scooter blenny control flatworm. I slipped up and didn’t do my usual 4 week coral quarantine because I got some from a friend. I don’t have a lot of flatworms. I think the blenny is doing some damage to them. He doesn’t eat any of the food I feed the tank, not even Mysis. I do see him picking at the rocks and sand all day and he is chunky. It could be all the pods in the tank too. The only other occupant is a Flameback Angel (C. aurantonotus). <I don't see any problem with adding the fish.> My other option is to put the wrasse into a 40 Gal. Anemone (lots of polyps, mushrooms) set up that is identical to the SPS setup. This includes all equipment, refugium, LR, BB, and 1ft. square sand bed. This tank only has a pair of Solomon Island Perculas. The Chevron tang will also be going into that tank. I guess I could put the wrasse in this tank to keep the pods in check and leave enough for the scooter blenny in the SPS tank. This will insure he is working for his keep as I am not sure how it will do on flatworms. Thanks for all your opinions in this email and all other info you have shared with me on all FAQ’s, Mahalo, Dennis <Dennis, I think either option will be viable. I would like to point out that the QT is too small for those fish. Even though it is a temporary home. The wrasse will get along in either tank. I would probably put the fish in the first tank. Good luck MikeB> Case of the Missing Yellow Wrasse...last seen in an uncycled newly set up tank (7-25-04) We just started our salt water tank yesterday and everything seems to be going well. We left for a little while and when we returned our yellow wrasse was gone. < Am I understanding this correctly....you started a Marine Aquarium yesterday and placed a yellow wrasse in the tank the same day? I hope I have misunderstood something here. If this is so someone gave you some very bad advice. > I heard that they bury themselves under the gravel, but how long do they usually stay there? Yes they do, they also hide in rock work and jump. That fish could be anywhere. > How long is it before it is unsafe? In terms of hiding I have seen wrasses disappear for a week to emerge just fine. However in an uncycled tank the fish is not safe at all. If the tank has not been cycled as I am understanding from what you have written you should find the fish remove it from the tank and return it to the shop that sold it to you as soon as possible. It will not survive the cycling process. > What should I do? <Biological filtration needs to be established prior to the addition of fish. This is accomplished by what we call cycling your tank. Please read the following articles ... Biological Filtration http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup/filtration/biological/biofiltr.htm Establishing Biological Cycling, Filtration in Marine Systems http://www.wetwebmedia.com/estbiofiltmar.htm and the related FAQs > I appreciate any information that you can give me. Thank you. < Your welcome, best of luck with your new tank, Leslie > Halichoeres compatibility -- terminator or Kumbaya???? 5/24/04 Hi there. Hope you're having a pleasant day. <well, with thanks and hope for you in kind> The dilemma: We have two primary tanks, a 200 and a 45 gallon. In the 45, we have our small and juvenile fish. Had a Yellowcheek wrasse (Halichoeres cyanocephalus) in there with a Lemon Meringue (Halichoeres leucoxanthus) for over a year, each being roughly an inch and a half long. About a week ago the Yellowcheek started turning on the Lemon Meringue, with intent to kill. Chomped a bit of the fins off the little guy before we popped him into the 200 for safety, where a larger Yellowcheek lives. That one immediately hit a torpedo attack on the lemon. We'd had a previous pair, each about 4 inches long, together in the 200 for about 3 years, no problems. We pulled the lemon out of the 200 (he's my favorite fish), put him back with his other friends in the 45 and put the small Yellowcheek into quarantine. <ah, good> What are the odds -- oops, as a Baptist I'm not supposed to know about those things...ahem. Let me rephrase that. What might be the chances that the two Yellowcheek fellows might get along in the 200 gallon neighborhood? <not likely it sounds at this point. Territorial drive is stronger than sexual drive more often in closed aquaria> We have mainly triggers and tangs in there now, with the larger Yellowcheek and a Mexican rock wrasse. Plenty of fine grain sand, barnacles and live rock in there as well. I've never tried mixing wrasses of the same species before. <it can be very difficult indeed, and works better when both go into new tank at the same time. Little chance here with one established> Thanks much, Susan Kooiman <best regards, Anthony> Substrate Material For A Canary Wrasse I have read that a canary wrasse required a sandy bottom to hide in if needed. I have crushed coral and Puka shells. Should I not get this fish? James Hall <Good question, James. I've kept these guys in both fine and coarse substrates, and they seem to find a place to sleep or hide in regardless of substrate type, IME. As long as you have rocks with good nooks and crannies for the wrasse to retreat to when he feels the need, you should be fine. While we're on the subject of substrates with this fish, these fishes display an unusual behavior that can confuse the unwary hobbyist into thinking that his or her wrasse is sick: They tend to dive towards the substrate and dislodge some grains of material with their snouts. This looks for all the world like the fish is "scratching" itself to relieve a parasitic itch, but it is simply a normal "hunting" behavior, in which the wrasse is trying to unearth worms or other benthic creatures for a tasty treat. Just another wacky behavior by these very cool fish! Regards, Scott F> Good Wrasse/Bad Wrasse? I just looked up info on the canary wrasse that you mentioned. It says it is also called a yellow wrasse and that only an expert should try to keep it. <I think that you are mistaken. The wrasse that I referred to is a Halichoeres chrysus, one of the easiest of the wrasses to keep. In fact, in Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes" (the classic pocket reference in the hobby), he rates it a "4" (on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being the easiest to keep fishes). Do recheck. remember, several fishes my be known by the same common name, which is why I referred to it by the scientific name. I've kept these fishes for years with no troubles. They are hardy, fun to watch, and colorful. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Frightened Canary (4/21/04 Hello WWM crew, <Steve Allen with you this evening.> We have had a Canary Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) in our tank for about 6-7 months now. He was doing great up until a couple weeks ago. He was really active, swimming around the entire tank, curious, and his feeding/sleeping schedule was like clockwork every day. But lately he's seemed out of sorts. He disappears for a day or 2 at a time and doesn't come out at his normal time for feeding like he used to. If he does come out, it's usually later at night. We feed him when he comes out and he eats, so we're assuming being hungry isn't the problem. But also, now that he's been gone for longer periods of time we've noticed the other fish (a tomato clown, and a damsel <What kind?> that's being given up for adoption soon) will chase him around and pick on him when he does come out of hiding. They never had problems getting along before. <None that you noticed anyway. I have little doubt that they started at some point before he started to hide and you just didn't happen to be there at the right moment to see it. It does not take much to spook this Wrasse.> We've tested the water, and everything seems normal. His coloring still looks normal too. The Wrasse is our favorite fish, we don't want to lose him. Any idea what might be causing his strange behavior? <The Tomato and the Damsel. They are well known to grow more aggressive with age. This Wrasse is obviously afraid. Unless you have some other aggressive fish, they're the culprits.> How long can he stay in hiding before we should start worrying about him? <You probably have to choose between the Wrasse and the other two. One thing to try first would be to remove the Tomato and the Damsel to a quarantine tank and re-arrange the rocks in the display. Then put them back in after the Wrasse has had a couple of weeks to settle down. However, I fear they will start back up where they left off fairly quickly.> Thanks, Kerry <Hope this helps.> Yellow wrasse and flatworms 2/17/04 It has been a couple of weeks since I got a yellow wrasse to take care of some flatworms. I am happy to say that I can not find any flatworms anymore so either they're all eaten or they are in hiding. <once in a while I'm right about some things <G>> Anyhow, along with the flatworms, the wrasse has also eaten all the little white pods on the glass and rocks (and I had LOTS). <heehee... yeah, they are funny that way. Most wrasses are this thorough on microcrustaceans> How do I go about re-introducing pods into the tank without a refugium? <there is no other way to sustain them with active predation in the tank. That's one of the reasons why refugiums are so very beneficial. I feel most every tank should have one> I was told by my LFS that the wrasse shouldn't be able to eat ALL the pods. <ridiculous> Was wondering if perhaps I don't feed enough. <nope... no worries. This wrasse and so many other fishes would have reduced the pods just the same (Pseudo's, mandarins, etc)> Tank is 55G with also 2 ocellaris and 1 cleaner shrimp and snails/hermits. Feeding is 2-3 times a day alternating between Cyclop-eeze and Spirulina flakes (I think there's enough at each feeding because they stop eating even tho there's just a little left). I also feed 2-3x/week some SF bay frozen food (the Marine cuisine blend). Is this feeding regime good enough for them? Thanks. <emphasize frozen foods like the Cyclop-eeze (and mysids, minced krill, fish roe, etc) rather than the brine shrimp based products (weakly nutritious at best). And do look into getting some of the internal refugium kits to help with pod growth. Anthony>
- Mixing Wrasses - Hello all at WWM, I have a female Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres ornatissimus) that follows me from one end of the tank to the other. My kids like to watch her dive into the sand bed at night after the lights go out. How DO they breathe under there anyway? I recently saw a male at a LFS that has a gorgeous bright ruby red color and is around the same size of 4" long. would it be o.k. to introduce a male into my tank ( 200 gal. with plenty of live rock ) with her or might she resent the presence of a male in her territory? <It's my thinking that this wouldn't work out. These fish are solitary in the wild - almost never seen in pairs. I don't think, even given the amount of space you have, that this mix will work. If you enjoy the interactions of your current wrasse, I'd leave it be as these will certainly change post addition.> I read on your site they are solitary but she gets along fine with everyone else... <Solitary meaning they don't hang out with others of their kind.> Coral Beauty Algae Blenny Royal Gramma Azure Damsel If not the male, how about another type of wrasse such as the Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus Solorensis)? <Well, that Cirrhilabrus would be a fabulous choice not only because it is a real looker, but because it would work much better than another Halichoeres.> I want to make conscientious decisions on stocking the tank to make sure all inhabitants are happy as possible. <Good think you asked in advance.> Thanks in advance for your answer. Cheers! Joel <Cheers, J -- > - Canary Wrasse Disappearance - Hello all: I just added 2 canary wrasses to my 125G FOw/oLR. As the tanks at the LFS did not have sand beds, both wrasses happily dove into the gravel when introduced on Sunday afternoon. Both made an appearance on Monday afternoon and both ate well. However, I have not seen either wrasse since Monday. I read the articles on the website that stated that these wrasses may hide for two or three days, but this time period seems unusually long. <Not for new introductions...> How are they surviving if I feed the tank while they are buried? <They are likely going hungry for the moment.> Do you think that they will appear in due course? <I do hope so, but you might also check the floor behind the tank. These fish can fly through the air with the greatest of ease... need to keep your tank well covered to prevent accidental loss.> As always, your input in valued. Thanks, Mitch <Cheers, J -- > - Expensive Tastes - Jason: Thanks for your reply. <My pleasure.> The mystery has been solved... my porcupine puffer saw both of these fish as an opportunity to satisfy his hunger pangs. <Oh bummer... those puffers do things like that. Sorry to hear of your loss.> Mitch <Cheers, J -- > Going Bananas For A Canary Wrasse! Thank you so very much Scott. <Always a pleasure to help!> I've done some looking on the web, and apparently they are a hard to keep fish?? How much truth does this hold (Canary Wrasse I'm talking about here). <To be quite honest, I have found these to be very easy to care for. They eat just about everything, and are quite active.> Is there anything I have to look out for.. need to do/change anything special that they require. Anything at all? <I'd just provide them with clean water, lots of rock, and a sand bed to bury themselves in at night. Quarantine them like any other fish, and provide a variety of foods to keep them healthy. If you are adding more than one, I'd put 'em all in at the same time for best results...Fun additions to any community tank! You'll love 'em!> :)cheers Thank you SO much for you help so far! Cheers Garth <No problem, Garth! Have fun with your new system! Regards, Scott F.> Going Bananas For A Canary Wrasse! (Pt.2) Thanks Scott. <Glad I could help!> I have about a 1.5" crushed shell grit base. Pieces being around 2-4mm in size. Will that be ok? <Well, I'd consider mixing in some finer sand with this material. The ideal stuff would be oolithic aragonite in the "sugar fine" size. Your present substrate would work, but I'd consider the finer stuff.> I have seen local dealers with this base used with the (as they call them banana wrasse) canary wrasse. But was after a professional opinion......... as said before I don't trust any LFS's. <Well, these wrasses are quite adaptable, but I'd opt for something finer and softer, just to be on the safe side. If the LFS has been keeping them in the more coarse material without incident, then it is certainly worth a shot...> A BIG CHEERS FROM DOWN UNDER <And a high five from the Northern Hemisphere! Send us some big waves soon, okay? Think you can do that? :) Regards, Scott F.> --Garth-- Yellow wrasse and a batter dipped... er... cleaner shrimp. Hi, Thanks for your excellent and very informative site. I wish I had seen it before I started, I could have made some better decisions! <Hehe, didn't we all> I have a 30 gallon FO with some (hopefully) culturing limestone reef rock, some scattered LR rubble (to provide coralline cultures etc.), and a <1 inch Fiji pink aragonite substrate. Filtration is an Eclipse 3 system with BioWheel (I know the limitations but its all I'm going to have for a while). Carbon filter cartridge is changed every 2 weeks and filter pad is cleaned daily, PolyFilter is in continuous use in the filter tray. Lighting is a CSL 24" 65 watt compact fluorescent SmartLamp (50 10K/50 actinic) retrofit kit. Water changes are 10% weekly. Circulation is augmented by a 160 powerhead. I'm adding a small amount of Seachem reef calcium daily to help get the coralline going. I'm in the process of getting a skimmer going under the Eclipse hood. <Cool, it's a big pain though, involving chopping the hood up a bit. I know of several people who have fit cheap SeaClones in there.> The tank has been operating 3 months and is stable with SG 1.023, Temp 78-79, PH 8.2, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrates <10 ppm. Stock was initially 3 small damsels for cycling, 2 died due to constant attacks from the very aggressive yellowtailed blue (fins and eventually bodies bitten). <Lovely...> After the tank stabilized, we added 1 Engineer Goby (Convict Blenny?) <I've always wondered why they have two very distinct and different names...> which is doing well hiding under the rocks and digging his own elaborate cave system. <Careful that he rock doesn't collapse> I knew I should probably remove the damsel but it was thriving and I just didn't. But now I wish I had. I then added 4 turbo snails and 1 small serpent star. Then one 1.5" false percula clown was added. We're trying to keep the stock level quite low in this small a tank. With the Clown and the 1 aggressive damsel being the only free-swimming fish in the tank, the Clown was dominant at feeding time and most other times. Then this strange behavior would occur where the Clown would sort of hover, head down, in front of the damsel's preferred rock hole, while the Damsel would act aggressive and nip at the Clown's pectoral fins. The Clown would seem to completely ignore this. This went on for about 1 month with no apparent damage to the Clown. A few days ago we noticed the Clown acting more submissive in general and his tail fin had been chewed almost completely off. We knew it was the damsel (saw him doing it some later) but the Clown (who's behavior and feeding was normal otherwise) still seemed oblivious to these assaults. Due to the fin damage, it was already too late to save the Clownfish. I've since torn the tank apart in order to get rid of that damsel. What do you think would cause this seemingly healthy and normal Clown to allow these lethal attacks from a smaller damsel? By 'allow', I mean this apparent sort of 'sitting-still' and taking it behavior. <That's very odd, I don't know what to tell you!> Anyway, we now have another small clown which is doing well so far (a few days) by itself with the always hiding Goby. We just got a 2" Yellow Coris wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) along with a skunk cleaner shrimp on the advice of our LFS. This may not have been the best idea given that I am now reading on your site that there is a possibility that the shrimp may become a shrimp snack for the wrasse. <Yep> The shrimp is little smaller than the wrasse maybe 1.5" head to tail. What do you think the odds of losing the shrimp the wrasse are? <90% when the wrasse gets larger> Should I complain to the LFS because when I specifically asked if the wrasse might attack the shrimp they said 'no'? <IF you think complaining will get you anywhere. Maybe simply pointing out that in the long run these critters may not get along together will be enough> Should I just wait and see? I want to keep the wrasse well-fed but it disappeared after 30 min nosing around the tank. I assume its buried (the LFS mentioned this behavior as well). <Yes they do that, he'll wake up every morning buried in the sand> Should I make an effort to feed it when it re-appears or should I just wait till the normal feeding time even if it has re-buried by then? <Don't expect normal behavior out of it for a week or so being that it's a new fish. Keep it well fed and remove it if it gets much larger than the shrimp. Good luck! -Kevin> Thanks for any help you can offer! Rob Pensacola, FL Subterranean Yellow Wrasse Hello Fish Guy(s), Yesterday, we purchased a Yellow Wrasse for our 35 gallon tank. The store clerk warned us that when they get scared, they burrow into the sand/rock in the tank. So, we expected that he would do this when we added him to the tank, and he did. Only, that was yesterday at about 4pm. We have seen hide nor hair of him since. No rocks moving, no head poking out, nothing. We're starting to get worried. Is this normal for the Wrasse? How long will he be indisposed? <Is normal, may spend another day or so out of sight, most nights. Do you know what species this is? May be Halichoeres chrysus... or something much larger (too large for your size system). Please see here re: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm and possibly the wrasses (diversity, in blue, at top) beyond. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Kerry Re: Yellow Wrasse It is the Halichoeres chrysus. Is this ok for a 35 gallon? Or is he one of the larger Wrasses? <One of the smaller species, but this is about the smallest system I would keep one in> Thanks for the help, hopefully our Wrasse will make an appearance soon. <Me too. Bob Fenner> Wrestling with Wrasses <Scott F. here with you this lovely evening> I am thinking of adding an Halichoeres chrysus or two to my 65 gallon reef tank to help control flatworms. <They are excellent wrasses. They are hardy and attractive and do well in small groups.> One of the fish I currently have is a P. fridmani. Will the canary wrasses be OK with this fish? Fred <Should be fine as long as there is enough rock work and shelter. Fridmani tend to be more secretive than these extraverted wrasses. These are great fishes, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them.> <Regards, Scott F.> Halichoeres chrysus and cleaner shrimp compatibility Hi Craig, <Hi Jun, Phew! Just now catching up on mail!> I actually have a couple of questions for you. First. Do you think a banana wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) a cleaner shrimp killer/eater? <Hmmm, wouldn't chance it! Likely wouldn't be good.> Secondly, my purple tang is now ich free (he is still in QT, just finished copper treatment). He is now eating but had develop HLLE from poor water condition (Ammonia, nitrite both .25) due to QT not cycled. I was doing 25% water change daily and adding cycle to keep ammonia and nitrite down. Should I keep doing water changes in my QT? or should I just let the cycle to continue by adding cycle in QT (how often?). Can not catch my banana wrasse and bicolor blenny in my main tank (they didn't get the ich) so I was unable to run my main tank fallow. It's been 2 weeks that these 2 fish are ich free nor showing any symptoms. My question is, if I keep my purple tang in my 20 gal QT for 4 more weeks until he is really healthy, do you think that he's got the chance of fighting off ich once I reintroduce him in my main tank. I also heard that you can not really get rid of ich in a system (is this true?). Sorry, I got carried away and ask more than a couple of questions. Thanks again. <Continue water changes, hopefully your QT is catching up bio-wise. I like to run a filter at least for mechanical filtration. This is one of those cases where getting the Tang to eat medicated food would be great. Start him on it before moving him and then continue for a while afterward and if he gets any "spots'. I would try to get the Wrasse and Bi-color Blenny to eat it as well. The idea isn't to "get rid" of ick or any other of the various maladies, it is to provide a well balanced ecosystem where ick is under control, naturally. When it isn't, then we act to get the system back in order and provide poor conditions for ick to flourish. He should do fine with the medication in his system. Boy, good luck with this Jun! Craig> Halichoeres chrysus I would like to purchase a Halichoeres chrysus (yellow wrasse) for my 55g, however, I do not have sand substrate but crushed coral that is fairly course. Does this species "need" sand to survive? <Yes... you might be able to make a "bed" for this fish in a tray of a few inches depth made of glass or plastic...> I do have about 10 lbs of extra aragonite reef sand laying around that is extra from another tank. If I put a few heaps along the back wall or under some LR structures, would this suffice? <Needs to be deep enough for this fish to "get all the way under"> My only fear with this method is that the sand will simply fall through the "cracks" so to say of my 3-4" inches of courser substrate. Have you seen this method used, or have you any other suggestions? Thanks for the time. <Many wholesalers just use Tupperware or equivalent with fine coral sand... Bob Fenner> CJM Halichoeres chrysus (yellow Coris wrasse) We purchased a yellow Coris a little over a week ago and the LFS told us it was eating flake and frozen food. So far we haven't been able to entice it to eat anything--we've tried frozen Mysis, krill, blood worms, daphnia, brine shrimp and formula 1 flake. No luck with anything. It seems to be checking the rock and bottom for copepods etc but we doubt there is enough in the tank to sustain it. Any suggestions? <Live brine shrimp. Brine will not serve this fish's nutritional needs for a long period of time, but it will likely get him started feeding. Gradually wean him off the brine with some Mysis> We would catch it an return it to LFS but it hides in the sand at the bottom and, only comes out a few hours a day. <Are there other fishes bothering the Coris? He may be hiding from them or he may just be checking the place out. Sometimes it takes several days or a couple of weeks for fish to adjust to captivity and sadly...occasionally fish never adjust..> Thanks for the help. Karen <My pleasure! David Dowless> Canary Wrasse Woes Bob (Steve), <Actually- Scott F. this morning!> Nice to talk to you again. I have had some fairly good success with my reef tank (thanks in part to your assistance). I now find myself in a rather interesting problem. All reports I have read, people I have talked to, and internet sites visited (including yours), list the Canary Wrasse as fish and reef safe. Until recently, I have never had any problems with mine. He (I am guessing sex based on the number of dorsal spots) has never seemed to be very aggressive at all, sticking close to my banded goby on most occasions. This morning I noticed him nipping at my star polyps and chasing my banded goby. Have you heard of or noticed this type of behavior before in a canary wrasse? Is it possible that this is as a result of finally feeling comfortable in the tank (he has now been in the tank for about a month), and being close to full size, trying to establish dominance in the tank? Short of replacing the wrasse with a smaller version or a different fish entirely, what do you suggest I do to tame this apparent growing menace? Sincerely, Mark <First Mark- forgive me for this if I'm mistaken, but by "Canary Wrasse", I'm assuming you are referring to Halichoeres chrysus? Assuming this is the fish, here's my take on the situation: These wrasses are not known to eat corals, but they do pick on tubeworms now and then. Also, they are known predators of flatworms and Pyramidellid snails, etc. Perhaps the fish was merely foraging for these prey items among the star polyps? Were the polyps actually damaged? Is he eating well, and have you been providing him with meaty foods? Finally, the chasing of other fish can sometimes be confused with the cleaning behaviour that these wrasses do engage in from time to time. My suggestion at this point (once again, assuming we're talking about the same species) is to observe him for a while longer to see if the undesirable behaviors persist. If he is truly nipping coral polyps and aggressively engaging your other fish, you may have to remove this individual to keep your aquarium a healthy, safe place for all of your specimens. Good Luck! Scott F.> Disappearing Christmas Wrasse I also bought a small Christmas Wrasse and he always seems to disappear about 4 pm. Really weird and then I don't see him to the next day. Any info on him would be appreciated. <This is rather well documented. Many wrasses bury themselves at night for protection. You can begin further investigation/education here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/index.htm -Steven Pro> Pseudojuloides cerasinus (Halichoeres) Bob- Attached please fine a picture of what I believe is a female Pseudojuloides cerasinus. I was unable to find a photo on your site of the female, so wanted to submit this to you. This is the best shot out of about 20. :) <Thank you for sending the image along... but am almost sure this is a Halichoeres garnoti (initial phase)... a wrasse from the tropical West Atlantic... Please see here re: http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.cfm?ID=4851 For Pseudojuloides cerasina http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.cfm?ID=3663 and http://www.wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm For Halichoeres garnoti> I'll be working on getting some better shots, if you have any interest at all, please let me know your preferred sizes. <Most anything in focus, colored, balanced... suitable for Net presentation (up to a few hundred kilobytes) is fine... you might want to place your pix on our sister server/site: WetWebFotos.com > Thanks for the great web site- <A pleasure to share. Bob Fenner> Brent Barr Yellow wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) compatibility Hello, <Hello> I'm considering adding a "Yellow Coris Wrasse" (Halichoeres chrysus) to my 75 gal. system. Current occupants are a Royal Gramma, Neon Goby, some hermits, Astrea and Nassarius snails. I eventually would like to add a Percula Clown, Longnose Hawk, and possibly a Flame Angel. Do you see any compatibility problems here? <It may eat your snails, even the hermit crabs if hungry> I'm particularly concerned if the similar shape and color between the Royal Gramma and wrasse might be an issue? <Not likely if they grow up together> Also, I have aragonite substrate. Is this soft/fine enough for the wrasse, or does it require "beach-like" sand? The Nassarius snails have no problem burying in it. <Should be no trouble> Thanks in advance for your response. John H. <Bob Fenner> Halichoeres chrysus Hello WWM Crew! <Hi Tracy> I have perhaps a simple question. I have had two saltwater tanks for about 8 months. And so far I consider myself very fortunate and have had very little loss. I had a Sebae anemone die. I do not do the proper research before I purchased it. <Too common> At the LFS it was white and unattached. It did not last long. Since then I try and do as much research on a species before I every purchase it. I have a Halichoeres chrysus (Yellow Wrasse) in my tank. I have had it for about 8 weeks. It is doing great, I do not seem to have any problems with it. Recently when I was researching species compatibilities, I saw one of the on-line suppliers list the Halichoeres chrysus as "expert only". <What? I disagree... this is likely the hardiest of wrasses of the genus (a Halichoeres as you state, though the most common name is "Yellow Coris")> I have had good fortune and I try to take proper care of my tanks, I am far from an expert. More like a novice. What are the difficulties or concerns associated with the Halichoeres chrysus ? Thanks <Little and none. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm and the Linked FAQs. Bob Fenner> Wrasse Compatibility Hello; <<Hello, JasonC
here...>> How are you today? <<I am well, so far... thanks
for asking.>> I am thinking of getting a Golden Wrasse
(Halichoeres chrysus) for my 30 gallon tank. <<Only 30 gallons?
This fish would fit - they max out at about four inches - but
that's a small system for a fish who will cover every inch.>>
I also have a couple of peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp and some
feather dusters. Will the wrasse be okay with the shrimp, or will he
eat them? <<Well, there is always that chance, but the odds are
lower because the shrimp were there first. Still... if you miss a day
or two of feeding, you might be missing a shrimp. I wouldn't put it
past the wrasse to take a sample.>> I also have a refugium that I
grow amphipods in, and if necessary, I could feed him the amphipods.
<<Also a good source of food.>> Thanks for all your help in
getting me going in the marine hobby. (It would have been a lot more
difficult without your help.) <<Glad you find the site
useful.>> Kevin
Halichoeres cyanocephalus: Yellowcheek wrasse Hi Bob, or Steve, or Anthony :) <whasssup?> Can you please help me ID this little guy? <yep... unmistakable: a young male Halichoeres cyanocephalus> It was sold to me as a "Brazilian flasher wrasse", <AKA Yellowcheek wrasse... gets BIG, almost a foot long and quite beautiful. There's a wicked picture of a terminal male on fishbase.org at http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=3662&genusname=Halichoeres &speciesname=cyanocephalus > but the only fish that I see it could be is a Sunrise Dottyback. What do you think? <nope... different face, no yellow on the tail... two very different fishes. You have a Yellowcheek wrasse> I have had this fish for over six months now, and it's the only fish in my care that I am unsure of - Help! <I hope that you have a big tank or plan for one :)> Thanks for everything, Manuel <best regards, Anthony> Christmas (ornate) Wrasse Not Eating Hi Bob/all, I brought back a Christmas wrasse (I think it's an ornatissimus) from vacation in Hawaii last Saturday. It did ok on the plane, but looked like it was ready for more room when I put it into my aquarium. My blue (hippo) tang, currently king of the hill and eating like a horse, immediately started picking on it, causing it to bury itself in the gravel night and day. <Normal and necessary for this fish to bury itself at night in the sand. Unusual to be buried during the day. Agreed, probably scared.> I've since moved it to the sump, to be by himself. <Doesn't sound like a good home unless your sump has a refugium, too.> However, he hasn't eaten since I've brought him home. I've tried flake, frozen brine shrimp, and frozen shrimp. Do you think live brine shrimp would help? <Perhaps as an appetite stimulant, but poor nutritionally. Maybe try some frozen bloodworms, too.> Or, if one of these guys fails to start eating, he usually keeps failing and he's a goner? <No quick reactions please.> Thanks. I've enjoyed your website, definitely my favorite reference. Tim <Good luck. -Steven Pro> Halichoeres chrysus Good evening, <And you> Question re Halichoeres chrysus, Adult. I have a 120 gal reef tank with a few soft corals a mushroom and about 130 pounds of live rock. I have recently introduced this fine, apparently healthy specimen. Great depth of color, full, clear fins and tail. Eating like a horse. After a settling period of two days, it has started to act strangely, violently flicking itself, quick respiration and the middle black dot on it's top fin turns grey. The thing is, this fish seems to be reacting to me approaching the tank and putting on some type of defensive display? <Maybe> Is this fish known to perform this way? What else could be causing this? <"Adjustment" to the system, setting, tankmates> Water parameters are PH 8.23, Ammonia <.1, Nitrate and Nitrite are 0, temp. 25.5 centigrade, salinity 1.025. <These all are good. Bob Fenner> Many thanks, Jordon Wrasse Follow-up with a Coral Question Hello there, <Good morning.> I think I solved the mystery. The wrasse was just hungry! I have been feeding sparingly as I am still in the initial month of stocking and had clearly underestimated this fish's appetite. This evening I fed it some large krill and it wolfed them down whole until it was bulging and calmed right down. <Glad to hear it.> On another note, a recently introduced Lobophyton keeps skirting after a day or so of opening (fully and apparently very healthy). It has now done this three or so times i.e.. Open for a day, closed for three/four days. I have tried to move higher/lower and into current and out but don't seem to get him settled? Should I just leave him in "a" position for a few weeks to see if this works or keep moving? Any other thoughts? Tank stats below. <Please stop moving him around. I know it is difficult to resist that urge to do something when things do not look right, but forcing a coral to keep adapting to changing light is a very good way to kill it. Patience is the ultimate virtue in this hobby.> Many thanks, Jordon <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Halichoeres chrysus Burying Habits The new Halichoeres chrysus is really going at the sand bed. I have a 1/2 inch of fine coral sand. Question is, does this guy NEED a deep/er sand bed? The LFS said no and I can't find any reference to any depth requirement. Should he be able to burry himself or just dig around? <It will need to bury itself. -Steven Pro> Halichoeres chrysus Burying Habits I just answered my own question! I couldn't bear looking at him dive into the glass bottom any longer and so I pushed some sand into a heap and 10 seconds later he was buried in it and has been there ever since! I think I will leave this mound there and just stir it up every now and again so it doesn't go septic. <No need to worry about stirring the sand. The wrasse will take care of that himself. Best regards, Jordon <Have a nice weekend. -Steven Pro> Reef Wrasses Anthony, <yes.....> You will be pleased to know that I have swapped the Coris for a nice little canary wrasse. <if we are talking about Halichoeres chrysus, then I am quite happy for you!> I did try to talk myself into the Coris but your comment re killing corals slowly did it for me. <alas... a beautiful fish, but not suited for a reef tank> Thanks again! <always welcome! Kindly, Anthony> Halichoeres chrysus Yellow "Coris" wrasse (although not really a Coris sp) Yes, a newly introduced Halichoeres chrysus, another beautiful wrasse but hopefully reef friendly and not so boisterous! I will still be keeping an eye on him but so far (2 hours) the Kole I have is giving him a hard time not the other way around. <indeed they are very peaceful/passive> On another question I sent a few days ago, my Lobophytum "skirted", came out better than ever and now has disappeared (polyp-wise) for a few days, 3 or 4 . Relocation? Or still a growth spurt as you advised back then? <when going through fast growth spurts they cycle like this often. I cannot say for certain without seeing it though. Have faith if its polyps reliably return after just a few days and look very well> Thanks, Jordon, PS I am keeping your advise re the 300 gallon for support when the time comes, as I strongly suspect it will!! <excellent, best regards, Anthony> Help with clownfish/wrasse Hi Bob, you have been tremendously helpful in the past. Thank you. If you have the time, please see if you can help me with the following questions: My set up: 30 gallons, 45 lbs premium Fiji live rock. Just bought a true Percula and am upgrading to a 92 gallon reef later this year. When I do, I want to add an anemone. Can you recommend a few that are will host the Percula and are relatively easy to find? <Please read through the many FAQs on Anemone selection, use posted on WWM starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemones.htm> In the meantime, while I'm in my 30 gallon, a friend suggested to get a pink tip because he has heard of them hosting the odd Percula. Have you ever heard of this? Also, could I add a saddleback clown with a tank (the 92 gallon) that already has a Percula? <I would NOT try this... please study... this is an a possibility fraught with danger> When I go to a reef set up, I know I have to get rid of my (small at the moment) red Coris wrasse. Do I have to get rid of my (also small) golden Coris wrasse too? <Not likely, this is a Halichoeres chrysus I'll assume> I currently have inverts (cleaner shrimp, assortment of crabs) and plan to add more in the reef set up. Are there any wrasses that are OK with inverts that I could put in a reef tank? Thanks again Bob. <Many. Please read through WetWebMedia.com Bob Fenner> Re: Multiple Halichoeres wrasses (marine livestocking) Hi, Bob, Thanks for the comments below; really appreciated. I know there is always a risk when introducing new fish to the tank but I hate to introduce something that is likely to cause to problems. <I feel the same way> Just wanted a little clarification. You thought my H. marginatus would likely be fine with a H. ornatissimus or a H. iridis. Since you actually said something to the effect that odds were they'd all do fine, do you think it wouldn't be too much risk to try all three? They are nice fish and seem reasonably hardy plus with they swim out a lot. <Should be fine. Do look for a "larger" (about same size to start with) iridis> My H. marginatus seems to be a feisty fish and held his own on introduction against a fairy wrasse (trapped and returned to the LFS) and a Pseudochromis sankeyi but my yellow "Coris" did not (the sankeyi pestered him) and the "Coris" had to be removed. Thanks to a cracked tank, I have a chance to reintroduce everything and given the fish interactions, I'm wondering how important it is to control fish reintroduction order. The P. sankeyi is going back to the store but I'd like to replace with several P. fridmani (I've read they will tolerate each other; rare for a Pseudo). <Not really... there's a huge spectrum of "compatibility" in the genus... especially tank-raised specimens tend to be easy-going> I have a P. asfur and a purple tang as well as a flame angel , Rainfordi goby and C. fisheri angel. My thoughts are to introduce the fridmani and Halichoeres wrasses simultaneously, followed by the tang and angels. My asfur is very shy though. Maybe it should go in first? <Not necessary> Do you think I could later add some fairy wrasses or would that be risky with the pseudos or the Halichoeres? The tank is 210G. The only other fish would be my 9 Chromis viridis and a clown pair. That's probably it for the fish stock in this tank. <Should be okay as well... though will hide more with the wrasses present> BTW we've talked about my maroon clown pair before- looks to me like they have mated and may be ready to spawn. They are a tad ornery but really aren't too bad to the other fish so I'm thinking of keeping them rather than getting a perc pair. However, now is the time to remove them since I've never seen them swim into a trap. What do you think? Not too risky or asking for trouble later when they get even bigger? Thanks! Marc <Can be feisty indeed... will likely "rule the roost" for a good hundred gallons. Bob Fenner> Multiple Halichoeres wrasses Hi, Bob and company, <Hello Marc> Your Halichoeres faq suggests you can keep multiple Halichoeres but I'd like to double check before trying. How well do wrasses of this genus do with other members of the same genus that look similar? With others of the same species? <Better than members of the same species at times> I have a yellow "Coris" and a H. marginatus (I think: kind of dusky but with turquoise band on tail and darkish red/green/blue on the body; hard to match to your pics.) These two get along fine. I've recently "discovered" this genus after ignoring for years and am quite taken with them. Do you think I could add a H. ornatissimus or H. iridis safely to my 210G reef? <I give you very good odds that these will all do fine here. Bob Fenner> Thanks! Marc Yellow Coris Wrasse Bob, I recently purchased a yellow Coris wrasse, <Halichoeres chrysus: http://wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm> whom I thought was a reasonably reef-safe fish. He doesn't seem too interested in the flake food I feed, or the pieces of shrimp or scallops that I feed the Lionfish every 3 days. But I just witnessed him tearing small snails off the rock and shaking them in his mouth, dropping them. Is this normal? <Yes> I have hundreds of snails (they reproduce once in a while in my tank - previous email...), but they are periodically sucked into the intakes, and I need as many of them as possible. (serious algae issues in this 300g tank) What to do? <Use other algae control methods... these are detailed on the WWM site> Also, I noticed earlier today the dreaded Aiptasia gaining a foothold - wished I had seen them earlier - would've waited to add the wrasse and put in Peppermint shrimp - or do you think they will be safe to add now that the wrasse is in there? <Worth the risk... but would likely try a Chelmon or other... oh, see you mention this below> I will read up on Aiptasia control, maybe a butterfly (copperband?) - though I have heard that if they are not weaned onto other foods - they soon will perish. I hate to buy a fish that I know is doomed, guy @ the LFS says he will get rid of all the Aiptasia, therefore doing the job I need him for, so what if he dies after that. I feel that is a very short-sided point of view, and told him I didn't agree with that type of philosophy! <Read about the Glass Anemones, their control on our site.> Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble - and as you say - "Be chatting my friend"! Mike Berrett <Indeed. Bob Fenner> Neon Wrasse Hey Robert- Could you help me with the scientific name for the Neon Wrasse. <Hmm, nothing comes up for the common name on FishBase.org... Maybe this is Halichoeres iridis. See the pic on our site here: http://wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm> I've read various articles and books mention the neon but there is no reference to its background or requirements. <A more recent import... about "medium" in hardiness, much like other members of this "super-genus"... Bob Fenner> Thanks Mike Fish identity Hey Bob, It was nice to meet your wife and see you again. <A delight my friend> Can you help out and look at the attached mail and try to identify for fish. <Hmm, well, I did what try to sharpen this image... can't make it out very well... but it does look like a juvenile of a genus Halichoeres Wrasse... not much help here... Please do look over the scant photographic coverage of this "super-genus" posted on our site: http://wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm Does your friend know which part of the world this fish was collected in? Please do look through the resource: FishBase.org for much more in the way of photographic listings of this genus. Bob Fenner> John Dawe the unconscious marine aquarist <You're cracking me up John> www.masm.org Tailspot wrasse ?????? hey bob, can we consider the Tailspot wrasse ( Halichoeres melanurus) reef safe, as far as coral, hermit crabs and snails ? <Hmm, not absolutely... I'd say it's somewhere between 30-40% likely reef safe. Bob Fenner> I cant find very good info anywhere on it. Thanks again Rob Huss <The HUGE genus Halichoeres has very little written about it in the aquarium interest. Have you seen the coverage on our site: http://wetwebmedia.com/halichoeres.htm Bob Fenner> Question about Halichoeres wrasses I have a well-established h. ornatissimus in a 180 gallon reef. Can another Halichoeres sp. be added to the same tank? Specifically, I am looking at a H. iridis. Thanks for your time Brian Daniell <Yes, and thanks for writing. This speciose genus of Wrasses are often found in "more than one" associations in the wild... And Halichoeres iridis is one of the smaller, more gentle (some of the larger members of the genus get too big, rambunctious) to associate with the "Christmas Wrasse" (what a family, there are three "other" official Xmas labrids!). Pix and more on the genus et al. stored on the site: www.wetwebmedia.com Bob Fenner> Re: Wrasses Thanks for the pointers. I looked at your site and then FFExpress. They have a H. Iridis for sale. Is this a difficult species to keep? It looks really neat and only gets 4 and a half inches long. Thanks again, Everett <Not a difficult species... and very beautiful and peaceful. I give the big double thumbs up to Halichoeres iridis. Bob Fenner> |
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