Coris gaimard question     1/19/15
Hello. I know red Coris wrasses are one of Bob’s favorite fish. I absolutely love their coloration and activity as well. About 10 months ago I ordered a red Coris online for my 260 gallon FOWLR aquarium. Unfortunately they sent me a much smaller fish than I ordered - it was only about 2-2.5 inches
<Wow; this is small>
and rather than having full adult coloration, it still has remnants of the white saddles (though it is otherwise adult coloration which is surprising given the small size). I assumed the wrasse would grow to 4” or more fairly quickly, but to my disappointment it has barely grown at all in the last 10 months. It’s still about 2.5” and still has the white saddles. The fish sometimes disappears for days to weeks at a time, but as soon as I think it has died it reappears spry as ever. It has been a peaceful fish an not bothered anything, though most of the fish in my tank are also aggressive (tangs, angels, triggers, etc).
<Ahh; yes; the other fish are mal-influencing the growth of your Coris>
Because my red Coris doesn’t seem to be growing, I’d like to get a larger one in the 4-6” range, but I am wondering whether two red Coris can coexist, even in my fairly large tank.
<I do think they will get along fine; including when they're both much larger here>
Also, I intend to add a pink face wrasse (T. quinquevittatum) down the line, as my last fish. Will the pink face get along with the Coris and my other wrasses (melanarus, Scott’s fairy. red velvet fairy, and harlequin tusk)?
<In this size system, likely so>
Many thanks for any advice you can provide.
Ben
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: Coris gaimard question    1/20/15
Bob,
<Ben>
Thank you so much for the prompt reply! I love all the info available on your site but didn’t realize I could ask a question of my own till last night. Glad I did! I am glad you think adding a second red Coris will be okay - I generally assume most fish won’t get along with conspecifics unless added together or creating a harem, which I know Coris don’t do.
<You are correct... do tolerate each other in the wild... where there's space! Don't congregate in pairs, groups, but subdominant smaller males and females are tolerated>
Forgot to mention I have a juvenile dragon wrasse as well, about 3.5”, that also hasn’t grown much in the 10-12 months I’ve had him.
<I'd be "upping" the amount of meaty foods you offer; at least once a day>
I suspect his growth/maturation is also being mal-influenced by the other fish, which is fine with me as I prefer them as juveniles and don’t want him to outgrow my tank.
<Ahh; I see... well; as long as they're not overly skinny>
I assume since the dragon is a different genus entirely that it would not present any compatibility problem with the other fish I mentioned.
<Usually not; no>
What about adding a Christmas and/or dusky wrasse as well? I understand that different Halichoeres species should get along okay with my melanarus, correct?
<These should be fine, as the Rockmover and Coris live near the bottom, others off the bottom>
Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!
Ben
<A pleasure. BobF>

Revising stocking plan. Lion + Wrasse?  Coris gaimard comp.   8/8/08 Hello WWM Crew, <S...> Last year I wrote in for advice on my stocking plan for a 125g tank, which was deemed to be the limit of the tank: P. volitans, P. antennata, Siganus magnificus, queen conch. Due to numerous delays, it took about six months before I had any fish in the tank. This turned out to be fine, as it allowed the tank to have its a bout of Cyanobacteria without having to impact any fish. I've had a volitans and the Rabbitfish in the tank for about five months now, and they are doing fine. The LFS I am working with has been having a hard time getting in a healthy P. antennata or P. radiata. Checking the online retailers shows that none of them have P. radiata for sale, and few have P. antennata. <Interesting> Forgoing my theme of a venomous tank and shooting for getting a third and last fish in there that will get along with the others, I have been researching the Coris gaimard. I figure that since the volitans is presently around 4", that if I were to get a C. gaimard of similar size (I'm guessing it would have adolescent/young adult coloration), <Possibly... can have adult coloration/marking at this size> it would be too large for the volitans to readily eat. What I don't know is if the lion will grow so much faster than the wrasse that it will be in a position to make a meal of it, or if the wrasse will be aggressive enough to nip at the lion. <Mmm, likely about the same rate...> Most other common 'Fish only tank' fish are liable to pick on the lion (triggers, puffers, larger angels) or grow too large for the bioload of the tank (groupers, eels). Tangs seem delicate, and I would prefer to stay with hardy fish. Is this a viable option, or should I go back to the research? Thanks in advance. <Is a good choice IMO... thank you for investigating before writing. BobF>

Coris Wrasse and Bird Wrasse Compatibility 1/18/08 Hi Crew! Fish have been doing great lately so I have not had to bug you guys much till now. I have a Red Coris Wrasse I have had for about 6 months and saw a green male Bird Wrasse I like and was thinking about getting. Will these two get along? The Coris Wrasse is 4 inches or so and Bird Wrasse is 5 inches or so. Any thought will be as always more then appreciated. <Depends on the size of your tank, if 100 gallons or more, should not be any problem keeping the two together.> Thanks Crew! <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

Red Coris Wrasse question... large fishes in too small worlds    1/11/08 Hey WWM, I am a relative newcomer to the marine aquarium hobby and have had a 55 gal tank up for about 2.5 years now. Currently my species include a Sebae Clown, Niger Trigger, <Needs more room than this> and a V-Tail Grouper, <Ditto> all of whom get along quite well. <Not for long> I have had my ups and downs on luck in maintaining the health of all my fish and a few hardships in the loss of some. As of late (the last 6 months or so) I have done a complete revamp of my tank and switched my substrate out from crushed coral to AragAlive Indo Pacific black sand and my tank is doing so much better, hardly ever needs cleaned. In addition to my 55gal I have a small 14gal BioCube (or whatever it is called) and I have a bag of AragAlive sand in that and a decent size live-rock, along with a 2 inch Red Coris. <Also re the room thing> This leads me to my main question... I have been doing a lot of research on this topic as of late, and have found many helpful answers...but wanted a more direct response. I have had this gaimard for about 4 months now and was just wondering of the general care for him. He eats aggressively and I feed him daily a good amount of red worms and sometimes chunks of frozen krill. I do pretty steady water changes, because (as I'm told is common with little tanks) the levels are hard to maintain and it's always dirty. <Yes> I try to throw in some Vit C weekly and do a weekly maintenance of the (cycle stuff...to help with Nitrates). I was also wondering the average timeframe for him to mature and change color, <Will be drawn out in such a small setting... a few negative feedbacks here...> if there is anything else I should be giving him (some sort of vitamins other than C), and what size I should wait for him to get before putting him in my larger tank. <... I wouldn't wait...> My V-tail is pretty large (about 5 inches) , but timid and my Niger is about 4 inches...and the clown is, well he's a clown, he'll try to eat live food but spits it right back out. As is common, the trigger is pretty aggressive and gives the grouper a run for his money, so I just don't want the little guy to get either eaten, or harassed to death (which might happen anyways, since he has been in there the longest). <A Coris gaimard needs more room than a 55...> I was just hoping with the wrasse that he would be able to hide (have enough rocks) and then grow and become aggressive as well. <Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against this fish in these settings... much more likely to perish from stress in a word> I had a Lunare Wrasse in there (died, I think due to nitrates in the substrate causing him to refuse to bed down), and he and the niger got along well. So, is it still a bad idea to put a 2 inch juvenile wrasse in there with these big guys (I'm assuming that's a big YES, but I am the amateur here). <Correct> Any help is much appreciated, sorry for the length of this, and I'm very happy to have found this insanely helpful website. <What you and your fish livestock really need is larger quarters... about twice what you have now... Is there someway to save up, provide this? Bob Fenner>

Coris gaimard... beh.   12/19/07 Bob & Team, <Howdy Joe> I have to agree with Bob about this wrasse, just started growing a small adult (about 4.5 - 5?) up in a 75g where I am trying to fatten him up and let him run the tank till I can get him big enough to go into my 240 with everyone else. Assuming lots of high protein food (in this case raw shrimp, ghost shrimp, krill, and Spectrum pellets) what is the typical growth rate of these wonderful wrasses? I have search all over the web and I find info that he will grow long term. The data I find is somewhere between 13.7? and 23?. Can you confirm the data? <I think the former number is pretty close. Have seen adults of this Coris throughout its distribution... for many happy years> I need him to bulk up to about 7-8? so he can complete for food in my bigger tank as my Queen Angel, Harlequin Tusk, Lion, several Tangs, Maroon Clown, and several eels. <Should be "there" in about six to eight months with good feeding> Thanks for your time. Joe McLaughlin <Welcome. BobF>

Coris Wrasse comp. and Fluidized Bed Filter  11/6/07 Hello Again Crew Two question if I could? I have a Red Coris Wrasse and was wondering if I could put another Coris Wrasse with him? <Mmm, maybe... the same species... C. gaimard? If they're small, likely so... let's say, under four inches overall length or so> I noticed in the LFS they keep 4 or 5 together. Mine is 4 inches and doesn't bother anyone else in my tank. I love them so colorful and bullet proof. Never has gotten sick and has lived through Ick and velvet outbreaks in the past and never got it where everyone else has. I was thinking about getting a yellow Coris wrasse to go with him. <Oh! this is actually a Halichoeres species. H. chrysus... will likely get along if there's room...> The LFS always tells me things will get along and then I get home and someone getting beat up. Second question. I was thinking about adding a fluidized bed filter. I read on a company site if you slow down the flow you can turn it into a nitrate reducer. <Mmm, not likely> I know they sell ones that are similar in design for reducing nitrates and was wondering your thoughts on it? The FBF seem like a great filter and Am not sure why I haven't seen or heard more about them? Is there a drawback I missed compared to a wet dry? Thanks Crew! <A few... these FB devices are engineered to be more like wet-dries... with their media in constant upheaval, agitation... I encourage you to keep reading re marine filtration methods for now... consider adding a sump/refugium... with a DSB there... instead. Bob Fenner>

Coris vs. Shrimp... I'll take the wrasse...  4/1/07 Hi crew, <Jana.> I'm sorry if this has been asked before. I have two skunk cleaner shrimps in my reef tank and am thinking of adding a Coris gaimard. Do you think that is okay or will the wrasse have the shrimps for a snack. <It is surely a risk. The Coris gets plenty big enough to make an easy snack of the Lysmata and most invertebrate life for that matter. I have heard of instances where pre-established Lysmata have been able to co-exist with rough and tumble predators because the predators makes use of their janitorial behavior.  In most cases, however; though (those in captivity) the shrimps will likely be consumed. Again I reiterate it is a risk....a large risk which increases as the wrasse gets larger. The one thing to keep in mind is that their are NO guarantees and there are SOME exceptions. However I always say the same thing when it comes to exceptions; some people jump off a 20 story building and live...but that doesn't mean it's a good idea though.> thanks for all you good advise, regards, Jana <Adam J.>

Coris, Porc Puffer comp.  - 1/22/07 Hi there! <Hey, Gary! JustinN with you today.> Can you please confirm or refute the following statement.  It will go a long in deciding if a Red Coris wrasse would be compatible with my porcupine puffer.  Thanks! <Ok> "Any fish or animal ( including a Red Coris) that buries in the sand can inadvertently be bitten by a puffer. It is their natural feeding/hunting instinct to blow the sand at night and look for food. Many buried wrasses have fallen victim to a puffer's teeth". <Confirmed, my friend. -JustinN> Gary

Re: Which Wonderful Wrasse? Red Coris, Australian Harlequin Tusk and Paddlefin Wrasse?   1/27/07 Hi Mich, <Hello again Gary!> I'm going to take a chance, but I think the rewards are worth it.   <I hope for all involved you are correct.>    I think I'm going to get the Red Coris. I had some concern about keeping it with my Porc for the reasons which I had mentioned previously.   <Yes.> However, there are people who I've spoken with who have kept these 2 fish together with no problems.   <I am not sure how large the risk of potential problems is with this combination, certainly there are many variables which will factor in the equation, but you are at least there is a risk.  Does your Porc blow the sand around at night?> Is it true that I need to feed the red Coris 3-4 times?   <Yes, these fish are grazer.> Does it matter if I feed it more than once in the evenings when I get home from work?   <Should be OK.> How much time needs to be spaced between meals?   <I would space it out as much as you can while the lights are on.> Several hours or a couple of hours?   Thanks! <Welcome!  -Mich>

Red Coris Question ?   7/10/06 Hi crew hope all is going well. <Better all the time> Well I couldn't resist and bought a Red Coris Wrasse (Coris gaimard) for my aggressive tank. <A great aquarium species in the right setting> And all is good besides he is hiding in the sand. Yes I know they dig and I am perfectly fine with that. But just out of curiosity how do Coris wrasse Sp. breathe underneath the sand with out breathing in the sand?? <Good question... I suspect they continue to ventilate their gills with "buccal suction"... expanding and contracting the throat, pulling in water through the mouth, out the gill slits... Perhaps this species can/does "go anaerobic" for a period of time... Bob Fenner> Thanks for  Your time Josh Schiff

Compatibility...Tusk Fish And Red Coris Wrasse   7/3/06 Dear WWM crew I hope all is going well! <Not bad.> I have a few dilemmas I am trying to solve and would like your opinion. I really enjoy your website by the way. <Thank you.> First question, I have a 90 gallon saltwater aggressive tank. The inhabitants at the current moment are a  Volitans Lionfish and a Australian Harlequin Tusk fish (Choerodon (Lienardella) fasciata) I was wondering if my favorite Red Coris (Coris gaimard). I am not real worried about the harlequin being a bully because he is easily bullied by others (I'd be willing to bet any fish that has a need to bully another fish would be capable of bullying my harlequin (Haven't discovered a good bite with those big blue teeth would stop bullying immediately) But I was wandering if the harlequin would be OK with a wrasse in his tank? <Should be fine.> Question number two, I have been debating putting corals in the tank. I love the reef but I love the angels. What do you think is a better fit? <This choice is yours to make.  The Red Coris is not reef compatible. Your inhabitants will outgrow the 90 gallon tank and I would not be thinking of adding more fish such as the angels you mention.  The Red Coris, under aquarium conditions can grow 6 to 8".  Specimens in nature can exceed one foot.  Lionfish can attain a length of one foot with the Tuskfish reaching 10 inches.> Thank you for you time and opinions <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> Your enthused saltwater hobbyist Josh Schiff Wrasse Compatibility  - 06/02/2006 I have a 75 gallon tank that has been cycling for 6 months with 4 blue reef Chromis.  I just added an adult Coris gaimard to the tank and from that point on I was simply amazed at the beauty that these fish possess.   <A gorgeous fish indeed.> They just beat out tangs as my favorite fish in the sea.  I was wondering however if it would be ok to mix this Coris gaimard with a Halichoeres ornatissimus?  And also how these fish would be with inverts (cleaner shrimp) and soft corals? <Dave, an adult Coris is an aggressive fish while the Ornate or Christmas Wrasse is rather docile.  Would be a gamble.  Both are not safe with ornamental shrimp and most inverts including Fanworms, small hermits, and snails.  The Coris is not safe with corals while the Ornate Wrasse reportedly is.  Keep in mind that wrasses do need a fine sand bed in which to burrow. Thanks! <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> Dave

Red Coris Wrasse injury - 5/12/2006 I'm sorry to keep bothering you guys, but I have another one for you.   In one of my tanks, a 90 gallon FOWLR, I have an adult Red Coris Wrasse. Given Mr. Fenner's affinity for them from what I read, hopefully a wealth of helpful information exists here.    <Am out where I most enjoy Coris gaimard... in HI> I noticed today that on his abdomen, just above the anus, he is swollen on both sides of the body.  On one side, there is just a "tad" of swelling, swelling you can only see from the bottom or top.  On the other side, it is more swollen, creating slightly white areas.  It almost appears as though my snowflake more or less took a chomp at him (I've seen him chase the Wrasse, mouth open).  There appears to be a very slight amount of white feces coming out of the anus, but only about 1/16 of an inch, not really enough to be sure of anything.   Behaviorally, if you didn't see the swollen spot, you'd never know there is a problem.  The fish is swimming actively, eating voraciously, taking mouthfuls of Mysis (even from my hand) and repeatedly spitting them out and eating them a few at a time until eventually he keeps them all down, an eating behavior he has always had.   <And something that I've observed many times in this species in the wild as well> I am inclined to leave this fish completely alone and see what happens. <This is what I would do> If the eel did injure him, I figure he'll heal on his own without my ... Uhh... "help."  However if it's a bacterial issue, I obviously want to address it as soon as possible.  I certainly don't want to mis-medicate. Thanks again, Dave <Bob Fenner>
Re: Red Coris Wrasse  5/14/06 Hi All, <Dave> Thanks for your quick reply.  The Wrasse problem I described below is getting worse.  I am now confident that it's not injury, as he has begun getting white sores/discolored spots on his scales along the top of his body just below the fins.  The fin areas directly above the spots are somewhat frayed, but not bad.  He seems to be gaining one or two sores per day, and the abdominal swelling is not improving.   This problem has still not begun to affect his behavior, but it's clearly progressing. Thanks once again in advance, Dave <... could still be resultant, tied to a/the physical trauma... What are you going to try? Vitamin administration to the water, foods? Lacing these with antibiotics? Bob Fenner>

Compatibility/Wrasses/Coris Gaimard   2/23/06 Hello WWM Crew, <Hello Paul> First off, I just want to say thank you for all the time and effort you put into responding to these questions/e-mails. <You're welcome>  Anyways, I currently have a 55 gal tank with 3-4 inch sandy bottom with about 40 lbs of live rock.  The tank is stocked with: Two Clown Fish (each ~3 in. the other about 4 in.) One Coral Beauty Angelfish ( 4 in.) Two Yellow-tailed Damsels (one about 1.5 in. the other about 1 in.) One other fish that I'm not too sure what it is (given to me by a friend), but its about 3 in., yellow and not aggressive at all (just constantly swims back and forth in the tank) One Pulsating Xenia One Leather Toadstool Two Mushroom Polyps (Green Ricordea) One Black Sea Cucumber (about 5-6 in.) ~ 20 Hermit Crabs ~ 10 Turbo Snails ~ 20 Nassarius Snails Recently I ordered a beautiful Adult Coris gaimard (3-4 in.) (aka Red Coris Wrasse) that should be arriving shortly.  I read these fish need room to grow, and I plan on upgrading the tank sometime in the near future.  I also saw that they are notoriously difficult to acclimate, but I have had good past experiences with the shipper and acclimation so I'm not too concerned with the acclimation.  I also read that most of my inverts (my cleaning crew) will be eaten within a few months by the wrasse, and while foraging for inverts the wrasse will knock over the rocks the corals are attached to. My questions are:  One: should I remove any of my current fish to avoid conflicts with the wrasse or to avoid overstocking? <The wrasse should get along with the fish you have and think you would be overstocking the tank with the addition of the wrasse.> Two: will the wrasse pick on my cucumber? <A very good chance he will.> (I wouldn't want to wake up to a dead cucumber in the morning, along with every other fish!)  Three:  are there any good alternatives for a   cleaning crew that would be compatible with the wrasse? <In nature the Coris will eat shelled mollusks including hermit crabs, urchins, tunicates.  Snails will be picked on.> Four: will the wrasse pick on any of my corals? <A chance.  This wrasse is not an ideal candidate for a reef tank so any inverts may be at risk here.>  Finally: any good ideas for a method to prevent the coral from being toppled over? <Glue it to the rock with reef safe epoxy.> (I was thinking to attach the rocks the corals are growing on via rubber bands to the larger live rocks in the tank, or maybe something like that.)  Any help/advice you could offer would be more than appreciated!  
<Paul, why would you order a fish already knowing what may be destroyed in your tank.  Doesn't make sense to me.> Thanks You, <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> Paul

Wrasse vs. Damsel  - 01/09/2006 Hello WetWeb crew, <Hello Jeff> Please bear with me! I've got a few quick questions regarding my Coris gaimard.  I've got a 55 gallon with 40 lbs of LR and 5 gallon refugium.  Current inhabitants are the wrasse, a yellow-tailed damsel, and a chocolate chip star.
<This may be picked on by the wrasse.>  I've had the wrasse for over a year.  He's happy and healthy.  I've had the damsel for even longer.   I keep getting differing info on tank requirements for the wrasse.  Is 55 big enough?
<Recommendations are 100 gallon.  The Coris can attain a length of up to 1'2" in the wild but captive specimens generally grow to 8".> Second) Today, I saw an injury on the damsel. I also saw the damsel hitting the wrasse with its tail. <Normal behavior for the damsel.> I imagine that the damsel is the aggressor (He has a history of murder),<They can be nasty.> but is it possible that it is the wrasse?
<The Coris can be aggressive also.>
I ask because the damsel is the one with the injury. I want to add a few more fish.  I will be removing the damsel.  Any suggestions for compatible fish? I want to add 1 or 2 small to medium sized fish with a flame angel last.  Is this ok or too much for the tank? <OK for now but as that wrasse grows you will need to upsize your tank.> Sorry for the many questions, but I've become very confused by some contradicting information and some people at my LFS who I think are more concerned with selling fish than helping me out. <Any other  LFS's in your area?.  Keep in mind that the wrasse does much better with a sandy bottom which it can burrow in for the night.  As they grow they are pretty good at getting hermits out of their shell and eating such along with many other shelled mollusks.> Thanks for the help <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)> ~Jeff

Wrasse Question  12/8/05 Bob <James today> I hope you can help me.  <Me too>  I have a 30 gallon tank with plenty of live rock and open sand patches. I have a dragonet goby and a maroon clown. I recently bought a Gaimard's Wrasse and he seemed to be happy. He wasn't bothered by any other fish and was out in the open for two days. He then buried himself. I have not seen him since. It has been about 6 days now. The tank is covered so I know he didn't jump out. Is this behaviour usual?  <Yes, for that length of time.>  I have tried to move whatever sand I can but have had no luck. There are still spots that I can't get to. Should I give up on it and take the loss? If you can give me any information that would be great. If I reached you by mistake, sorry.  <Jade, here is some info on the Coris gaimard for you to read. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/coris/gaimard.htm> Thanks for your help.  <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>

New additions  9/21/05 Good evening. <And good evening to you as well, Adam J with you tonight.>   I'm looking for some suggestions on  additions to my FO 55g setup. I currently have a Heniochus Butterfly, Percula Clown, Flame Angel. and a Longnose Hawkfish. <I fear this tank is or will shortly become overcrowded, the Heniochus will definitely outgrow it, and you are on the borderline as far as confines for the Flame Angel.> I have been unable to keep a Royal Gramma alive pre or post institution of QT. <That's unfortunate these are generally hardy and entertaining specimens.> I have been eyeing a Red Coris Wrasse at the local fish store.  Is my tank big enough and is the 2 inches of crushed coral suitable? <As I mentioned above your aquarium is/will be overstocked shortly, so I cannot advise adding any more fish. Especially the red-Coris (Coris gaimard) which has a tank busting potential of 15"+ and cannot be recommended to any aquarium less than 135 US gallons. (some aquarists even recommend 180)>   I would appreciate any hardy colorful fish suggestion you might have. <See above.>   As always, great web site! <Thank you, I will pass along the compliments to the appropriate parties. Adam J>

Yellowtail wrasse 8/14/05 Hey guys hope you're doing well today.  I was hoping that perhaps you might be able to shed some light on some peculiar behavior that my yellowtail wrasse is displaying.  First background info 100 g tank salinity 1.023, nitrates 0, nitrites 0, ammonia 0.  pH 8.4.  I bought this fish about a week ago without doing any research on it because, well, my wife said to (I know, not the best excuse).  Anyhow my question is two part.  First off, I thought the fish was dead because I hadn't seen it in two days after we bought it and I couldn't find the body either.  Then it comes about that the fish is alive and well and doing alright. <Common behavior...>   However, today I found him lying on his side and I thought that he was dead, but then about 15 minutes later I see him back up and swimming as though nothing was wrong. <Another common...> Then another 2 or three hours later I see him doing the same thing (although not on his side, just sitting there on the substrate not moving) then again he is back up and swimming around strong as ever.  Is this normal behavior or is something going wrong that I need to look into.   <Likely the former> The second part of the question is whether or not he will be fine living in a reef tank (I know, not reef safe) with a crushed coral substrate.  Its a beautiful fish and I would hate to have to get rid of it, but I'd rather not make its life miserable in a tank that its not meant for.  Thanks guys. CLB <Is this a Coris gaimard? Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/coris/gaimard.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Wrasse (Coris gaimard) Hey guys quick question. I have read the forums and see that Humu triggers grow fairly slow and slower than other triggers. About how slow are we talking here? I have a three inch Humu and would like to know approximately about how long it's going to take to be around 4 or 5 inches.  <Difficult to answer, all depends on tank size, diet, water quality, etc.>  Lastly, I searched forums about the Coris gaimard and only found how big it gets in wild not in captivity. So, generally how big does this yellow tail wrasse get in captivity?  And what size tank would you recommend for a growing yellow tail?  <Chrissy, this wrasse is difficult to keep, best left for experts. But to answer your question. In the wild they grow to just a little over a foot. A 100 gallon tank would be the minimum size. James (Salty Dog)> 

Red Coris Wrasse 18 Jan 2005 I've added a red Coris to my 55 gallon setup, which has a fairly light bio load. In responding to a past question, you had indicated he'd likely be a nice addition to the tank, considering that I got him small, at about 3 inches. He's terrific! He's active, peaceful, and eats a variety of foods, including flakes, seaweed selects green and brown algae, krill, etc. He seems fairly smart too! I've observed him taking pieces of Krill that are a bit too large, and scraping them on the live rock in an obvious effort to shred it so he can get more manageable sized bits. My question is, will he likely grow and change color in this tank? The LFS told me he'd get no more that 6 - 8 inches, but I've since learned that's not necessarily the case. Is the color change a factor of size, age, or both?  I'd love to see this little guy do well and watch the transformation. Are there any other specific foods that he would benefit from, such as to encourage the color change?  Thanks again!! <I like wrasses a lot, and the red Coris is full of so much personality. They can and often do change in the tank. In my experience you have to give them a variety of food and plenty of room to grow in order to encourage them to reach mature size and color. As for foods, make sure you give him foods with plenty of vitamins and variety. Once again in my experience, the change can take a long time. . . years, and they really must have good to great conditions and plenty of room to grow. Good luck, MacL>  

Red Coris colour change Hi all tank-watchers! <Hey Wendy how are you today. MacL here sneezing her fool head off.> I've had a red Coris happily for almost a year ? lately his coat looks like scuffed suede, all tatty, like crushed velvet. Is this a normal part of the colour change process? <My first inclination was to say yes it was color change but I am concerned about the wrasse chasing him.> Two days ago I noticed our six-line wrasse chasing him relentlessly all over the tank.... is this a case of ?get him while he's down? or could this be the cause of the tatty coat and I just hadn't seen the aggression earlier? <Well they do go to a much darker color as they age. You didn't say how large he or she was. That can make a difference. I can tell you that sometimes as they go through changes to adults they can look just so bizarre. Not raised scales or anything like that but the color which was so so bright just seems to dull and lack the former luster. Eventually they will get it back and been even more attractive. I always recommend feeding them with a excellent foods supplemented with good vitamins. MacL> Thanks xxx W

Happy With the New C. gaimard >I have picked up the gaimard, she is certainly beautiful and quite active.   >>Aren't they just gorgeous?  All those good looks, from juvie to maturation, and in a hardy, easy-to-keep package, too.  Really doesn't get much better than that. >I do have a good, smooth substrate already (as I had anticipated burying fish, like worm gobies, eventually making their way into my system).   >>Excellent, I love it when folks plan ahead.  You are really going to enjoy this newest addition. >I think you are right about them being able to eat sufficient amount of food, they are very fast. >>(Chuckling) NO KIDDING!  Now, just wait until you have to try to CATCH the little bugger! >Thanks again Marina.   >>You're most welcome, Reuben, I (we) gain our greatest rewards with success stories.  Truly, this is what it's all about. >I can totally understand the hardships involved in correcting e-mails, even those that are grammatically sound.  Keep up the good work, I know many aquarists are extremely grateful. >>Thanks for understanding.  I feel bad, busting people's chops, but each and every day we get reminders that this site is global in its reach, and especially for non-native English speaking people, picking things apart can be quite difficult.  This makes the goal of providing the best possible information more difficult, because for some folks trying to understand may be too daunting.  Collectively, we all thank you for your understanding on this, everyone's understanding.   >Reuben >>Take care, and do enjoy this little fish.  Marina

Hiding Coris wrasse First off...new to this site, and it's helped tremendously! << Welcome. >> My tank size is a 200gal. fish only, with only a 4" Scopas Tang inhabiting it. Yesterday, I visited my old fish store (shopped there for years, until 8 months ago). They had a gorgeous 7" Red Coris that I went back and purchased today. I talked to an old friend of mine, who works there, and he told me that they are a hardy species, will eat most meaty foods, and would be ok with the Scopas Tang in my tank. << I agree. >> I brought him home, and after showing off for my camera, and swimming for an hour or so, he decided to bury himself in the sand and go to sleep. << Sounds normal. >> I trust these guys, at this particular fish store with anything they say. Now, I look online and is says these fish are "expert only...difficult to care for". Any suggestions why? << I don't see them as difficult fish.  Good choice for a 200 gal.  I think I would offer him lots of meaty food, but otherwise I'd feel safe buying him (especially with that long time spent in a pet store). He'll come out, just don't disrupt the tank, and wait it out. >> Thanks!! Andy <<  Blundell  >>

Wrasse looking bad. Dear WetWeb crew, << Blundell here. >> Was hoping you could help me with a bit of a mystery.  Many months back, I ordered a large Coris gaimard from Jeff's Exotic Fish (great e-supplier, btw).  Well, it arrived and it was beautiful.  A little over 6" female! << Seen lots of those fish recently, they are great. >> Did very, very well for several months.  Then in June, I had to go away for a few days and left my fish in the care of a very concerned and capable neighbor. << But is still worried you didn't it?  Don't worry it is a concern to all of us. >> When I returned, my Coris was on the bottom of the tank, curled up into a C shape.  When she did swim at all, it was in tight, looping spirals, usually upside down. << Bad nutrition or bad water quality. >> Seemed to me to be an internal infection of some sort, so I removed her to my hospital tank and treated her with Maracyn (and Melafix, just for the scraping). << Can't hurt, sounds like a good idea. >> For almost two weeks she continued this behavior, and each morning I would check on her expecting her to be dead.  Then, after being away for a day or so, I returned to find her upright and healthy, though very thin and sluggish.  She greedily took food, and after several days of recoup time I returned her to the display (which is 150 gallons--the hospital tank she was in was only a 20 gallon).  She is still alive and doing reasonably well, but rather than fattening up the way I would expect, she simply grows thinner. << Not sure what you are using for food, but I would recommend some variety and possibly live foods. >> I know there is competition for food in the tank, but I feed both ends of the tank several times a day, and I watch her eat what I would think to be an adequate amount of food.  I feed enriched brine, Mysis, bloodworms, diced tiger shrimp << Really??? >>, angel formula (mainly for my angels!), leafy greens, and two good quality flakes--one vegetable and one meaty. << Well that is great. >> Specs: 150 gallon with good water quality: 0 Ammonia and Nitrites, Nitrates run high (70-90) because of the large, sloppy eaters.  I keep them in hyposalinity (1.011) to cut down on crypts, which have always plagued my angels. Occupants: Large Volitans Lion (8") Large Maculosus Angel (7", was 1" when I got it!) Med Queen Angel (5") Small Chain Link Moray (10") Large Foxface (7") Med Sailfin Tang (3") Med Arothron manilensis (4") Med Canthigaster janthinoptera (2") Those nine fish have been the stable population of the tank for months (most for many years). Any suggestions?  Is the Coris simply overwhelmed by his tankmates? << I don't think so. >> Possible internal parasite?  Is the low salinity an issue? << Well that is way low.  I would look into that. >> Any help fattening up this beautiful fish would be appreciated. << Yeah the salinity seems super low.  Also, I wonder if having those aggressive fish is causing short term, quick to happen, ammonia spikes. >> Thanks again for all your great work. Jim Jensen <<  Blundell  >>

-Yellow tail Coris wrasse- I have a few questions about my yellowtail Coris that I bought a while ago; After the 21 days in QT my yellowtail has been hiding in the sand bed a lot, and I was wondering how to get him to eat during all the others. The first week I didn't see him at all, and lately he'll come out for about 10 minutes; I've been a little successful running to the freezer and stabbing a piece of krill and putting it down in front of him on the feeder stick. Still though he's not staying out very long, and I've hardly gotten him to eat anything compared to the others. <Others? How many fish do you have in this quarantine tank!?> So I have lined up a few questions that might help me insure a long lived life for this beautiful creature: 1) If this continues how long can he go without food until I need to get worried? <Start worrying now, if he's in the sandbed, something has spooked him. From your above description, it sounds like you're not quarantining singly (which you should), so he may be getting stressed out by the other fish.> 2) On average when he does get fully introduced to the tank how long will he stay out of the sand bed, and around in the tank? <They're generally out during the day.> 3) What foods would you highly recommend for long lasting health? (I have krill, prawn, squid, silversides, formula 1 and 2 pellets, brine shrimp, and a few others on hand now) <Any kind of meaty seafood besides brine shrimp will be fine. Brine is ok too, but there's better foods out there.> 4) Also 2" of fine sand bed is all he's going to need for his adult years right, because he's doing awesome now but he's only about 5 - 6 inches. <Should be ok. I hope this helps! -Kevin> Thanks so much for the advice -- Nathan M

Red Coris versus Pistol Shrimp Hi again, <Hello there> Red Coris versus Pistol Shrimp.... who will win? <My money's nine to one on the Coris... as a matter of fact, I was just down at Kuhaluu Beach a few days back turning stones over to see what there was to see... and a beautiful pistol shrimp was under one... I whipped my camera around... but too late... A Coris gaimard that was following me about, to see what there was to see under the rocks this crazy "bi-fin" was turning, snapped it right up!> There's a Pistol Shrimp hiding out in my 130 litre tank... I'd rather he packed his bags and left, but I'm not game to try to evict him.... and for 6 months he hasn't caused anyone any trouble (to my absolute knowledge).  I - stupidly - believed everything I was told yesterday at the LFS - must have had 'sucker' written on my forehead - and came home with a 4cm Coris Gaimard. He's currently hiding under the marine sand... now I've researched him on your site - thank God for decent information - and realize the task ahead of me to keep him happy. (I've also just suffered the loss of a favourite seahorse in the other tank due to massive bad information from this LFS... so very sad today.) <Live and hopefully learn> Meantime - is the Pistol Shrimp a threat to him? <Doubtful> Also - is he a threat to the other tankmates: anemone and pair of clowns; 1 damsel; 1 flame angel; 1 canary wrasse; 1 blenny (he looks most like your picture of Salarias fasciatus, I asked for a bi-colour to eat the algae and was told he would do the same job); 1 sea cucumber (also bought yesterday).  <Mmm, only time will tell... but I give you very good odds for many months that they'll all get along> Should I try to return him to the LFS? Thanks for your help. Regards, Wendy <Cheers, Bob Fenner>
Re: Red Coris versus Pistol Shrimp  Well!! Today I found the blenny dead. A black spiky critter looming up from the sandbed. I thought - wow - the Coris was quick to get that Shrimp, but when I pulled him out it was the blenny. Not mangled, or beaten up, no chunks out of him that I could see. But he had changed colour and had stiffened into a neat 'S' shape.... like frozen in time. Anyway... if the Red Coris was the culprit... wouldn't he have made the blenny dinner? If that's not the case and you think the Coris did it... do I return the Coris while the LFS is willing to take him back?  <Very likely the dead fish would be consumed, at least chewed by the Coris if it was the cause of its death>  Also... funny how these things happen together. ... today I was offered a Mandarin Dragnet. I said I'd never try to keep one BUT this guy is eating frozen and has been kept happily by a friend for 18 months ( she's closing up her tanks, silly girl thinks traveling the world will be more fun) so this seems a good deal. BUT what's the chances of it surviving with a Red Coris in the tank?  <Not good. Too busy company, too much competition for food. I would not mix these two>  I also have a seahorse tank with a diamond watchman goby and a shrimp goby (minus the shrimp). Should I keep the Mandarin with them?  <Much more likely chance of success here>  Thanks Crew! I had no-one else to ask!! W  <Be chatting, Bob Fenner>
Re: Red Coris versus Pistol Shrimp Thanks! Maybe the God of marine creatures was helping me after all... the little red may solve the pistol dilemma.  Lots of smiles Thanks.  Wendy <You're generating them here! Bob Fenner>

Red Coris gaimard Thanks Mr. Fenner! I saw an adult stage Red Coris a few weeks ago at the LFS and was mesmerized with the stunning beauty of this fish. <They are gorgeous... Am in Hawai'i right now and this is one of my favorite species to find, observe on the reef here> I did some research on the fish and knew that it could grow a foot or longer. But after reading your section on how this was your favorite wrasse (definitely mine as well), I had my mind set on buying the fish. <My fave, but rambunctious as stated... a real "rock mover"> So far it has lived up to every expectation as you've said: amazing beauty, graceful movements, and quite intelligent. My question was, I read once somewhere that if you get a male recessive gaimard, the main body coloration is a bit darker than the females and the size potential is considerably smaller than the females, up to 8 inches max only. Is this true? <Not in my opinion. Have heard of determinate species in both Labrids and Scarids, in addition to ones that change from initial stage (females) into males... but Coris wrasses all seem to change from females... and all males are larger (makes sense) than females> Thanks for all the great knowledge that you and the crew provide to all of us marine enthusiasts (nuts) :) .   Michael <Glad to share. Bob Fenner>

__Dead Red Coris wrasse__ Hi, crew of WWM, I have one concern regarding my dead red Coris.  Well, you see I think it died under my crush coral substrate and I cant seem to find it to be able to take it out.  I currently have a 180 gallon with about 150 pounds of live rock and really do not want to uplift everything to find just this dead Coris.  Is it ok if I just let it decompose in the substrate?  Or will that be a problem towards my other 9 fish that are in there?  Thank you for your help. <Just leave him there he will decompose on his own MikeH> -PHT-

Coris wrasse on Pyramidellid snails hey, thanks for answering my question.  By the way, I have another question.. I hope you will answer it to. How good is Coris gaimard in eating Pyramidellid snails? Do you know its rate of feeding? per minute or per hour? if you don't know, I hope you can give me an approximate. I'm just curious. Thanks to all of you! more power! God Bless! <Raf> < again Coris wrasse not your best choice for removing the snail. Coris wrasse may eat them  but not for sure. Better off with Sixline or Fourline Later MikeH>
Re: Coris wrasse on Pyramidellid snails hi. thanks for bearing with all my questions. but I have one more to ask, what I'm trying to actually do is to know the feeding rates of these wrasses on any food that they eat (not specifically Pyrams, since u said that it's not a good choice). do u have any idea as to what the trend in terms of feeding do theses fishes have. any rough estimate to how quick they can consume a certain amount of food within a given time frame. thanks a lot for all the help:) <depends on how hungry the fish is, how big the fish is, what kind of food it is, is it living in the wild or in  captivity there are to many things to give you even a ballpark answer Thanks Mike H>

Coris gaimard - 46 gall a Tight Squeeze - 7/14/03 Dear friends: <cheers, bub> I am planning on purchasing a juvenile Coris gaimard. I've done much research and your website say it's a hardy specimen. <true with heed of specific needs: sugar-fine sand 3-4" deep minimum, several daily feedings (3+) for juveniles for their high metabolism, low and long tank big enough (100+gallons)> However, two different e-tailers (LiveAquaria & MarineDepotLive) have designated this fish as a: "delicate shipper and "Expert Only," and we cannot guarantee it after arrival. As an Expert Only species, we recommend that only the expert marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution should purchase this species". <understood and agreed... indeed they are sensitive to shipping like most wrasses. Hence the hardy once acclimated bit <G>> Why the conflicting remarks/observation? <shipping versus husbandry... two entirely different matters.> I've a F.O. 46-Gallon Oceanic bow front. Livestock include a pair of Chrysiptera cyanea, a Chrysiptera hemi-cyanea and a Cirrhitichthys aprinus. All are small in size. <no matter... this tank really is not suited top a C. gaimard for even the short run... adult size is over one foot long (35 cm) and keeping them in aquaria so small not only will shorten their adult size/potential... but likely their life. Not recommended for a 46 gall tank... let a small one grow out in a larger aquarium and spare the stunting> Please advice and thanks in advance. Best, BC <best regards, Anthony>

Coris gaimard Hi All I love the site--and along with everyone else am eagerly awaiting the upcoming WWM crew book on inverts. Just a quick question about the Coris gaimard aka Red Coris Wrasse: I've had my healthy juvenile (2-1/2-3 inch) now for about nine months in a 50 gal. tank (it's temporary--he's moving soon to a much larger tank). I'm surprised--not disappointed, just surprised--to see that he isn't changing color at all. I would think that in the wild fish would have to grow/change to adulthood much faster to survive. Do any of you know how long the transformation process generally takes from juvenile to adult? Or from juvenile to the first marked color transformation?  <This can be a long time... and is highly variable... I know of cases where it appears that keeping a specimen in small quarters seemed to forestall development/change indefinitely> I've got a powerful G2 skimmer so I keep him well fed--maybe even a little fat--in case this makes a difference. <I think it does> Ok, well maybe one more: I've seen many Red Coris Wrasses while diving in Hawaii. The young always stand out like beacons against the white sand. Why are the young so conspicuous? It seems like the color would be an attractor to bigger, hungry fish.  <Mmm, perhaps being so "obvious" is actually useful in avoiding predation... notice the bright colors, the false eyespots... perhaps mimicking a unpalatable animal like a Nudibranch, behaviorally complete with slow, largely "laying down" orientation> From an evolutionary standpoint it makes no sense to me--I'd think they would begin with the duller adult coloration and THEN become beacons for reproductive purposes. Just curious if you might know. Thanks again for your absolutely invaluable site, Adam <And you for being part of it. Bob Fenner>

Red Coris wrasse Good Morning all...I hope this day finds your tanks healthy, <<and you as well>> I bought a Red Coris (juvenile Yellow tail) wrasse. I watched this little guy about (3 inches) in the LFS for over two weeks in a quarantine tank, the owner was kind enough to leave him in there for me all by his lonesome since I had taken down my QT tank because I didn't plan on adding any fish to my tank. I have a Pseudochromis Paccagnellae and a Chrysiptera Cyanea in a 45 gallon fish only tank. I watched him eat and swim normally in the QT tank, he was in there for a total of three weeks, my LFS QT's all fish for one week before moving them to his for sale display tanks. Well now that I have him at home in my tank it has been about two weeks, he is not acting right... He spends the entire day swimming up and down in the right front corner of my tank up down up down all day its enough to make a person nuts. and I have read a few articles that say juveniles of this species are difficult to keep alive, can you tell me why? <<Most are lost to mis-care, or collective trauma from collection, shipping, holding, and delivery to your home.>> he is eating but not as well as my other fish, and the Pseudochromis doesn't seem to appreciate him being in the tank at all, what a nasty little bugger. <<This is not at all uncommon for a Dottyback - very mean for such a small fish.>> I have added a few inches of soft material for the wrasse to burrow into in the corner which he did find and uses nightly or when ever frightened, The other fish have not physically hurt him in any way no torn fins... not breathing hard, just not eating as well as I think he should and up down up down all stinking day...he does seem thin to me...and I have never seen him flair his tail open it is always gathered...the other two fish in this tank have been in there for a long time I moved the decor around as to upset territory and the wrasse has his sand bed to hide in ...I have tried several kinds of food I feed my fish a variety of foods he just nibbles on a few pieces, while the other two greedily gobble up what ever is offered. Any clues?.... Cherri Thanks in advance for your response! <<Cherri, there are some clues... first the Dottyback. I would re-consider keeping this fish; they're just too mean to keep anything else with them, and it could very well bother your Coris to death. Next the tank itself is a little small - a typical Coris wrasse will reach at least 8" and some as much as a foot, and all this at a very rapid pace. You will want to consider a larger system in the near future. As for the feeding and quarantine, even though this fella was quarantined at the store, you should still keep incoming fish in a separate tank to give them time to adjust to you and your feeding practices without other fish hassling them. As for feeding, the fact the wrasse is not eating a lot is not a good sign but not reason to give up hope - these fish are greedy eaters, and not typically picky about their food in the least. In fact, with a healthy Coris, you should be concerned that the other tank inhabitants get a chance to eat. With that said, you should really be throwing the kitchen sink at this fish in an attempt to create some better interest in food - perhaps you don't have the fave. If you haven't you might try Mysis, shrimp, clams, squid - I think you'll have some better luck. Lastly, it's only been two weeks since you introduced this fish, and in my opinion it usually takes a month or more for a new fish to feel comfortable in a new system. Give this article a read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/Coris/gaimard.htm Cheers, J -- >>

Coris Gaimard for Reef, Bull for Ceramics Store Good evening, <good morning <G>> Question re Coris Gaimard, Adult. I have a 120 gal reef tank with a few soft corals a mushroom and about 130 pounds of live rock. I want a Coris Gaimard, it's one of the fish I had my eye on when I set up the tank, but for whatever reason, what appears to be the balance of opinion regarding this fishes non-reef compatibility did not register. <wow... it would be hard to pick a much worse fish... at least a corallivore will impose a quick death to the polyps it consumes... heehee... big Coris species simply torture and wreak havoc, leaving each and every upended coral to suffer a slow, miserable and mucous death upside down on the seafloor> Can you tell me why this fish is not considered reef-safe  <for starters... they get enormous, topping off at a hefty foot in length (and active: needing a seriously huge tank if it will not be made to suffer)... and more importantly, they pick up and carry corals, and flip them over constantly and daily in their endless pursuit of crustaceans under "rock". For LPS Scleractinians... this can mean death by infection with the first tear in tissue... and death for all coral forcibly lain "face"/tissue down for hours. That is... assuming the formidable rasping death don't impose sufficient tears in tender coral flesh over time from repetition before the animal succeeds in flipping the coral "rock"> whatever that means for a fish which comes from the reef in the first place)?  <I don't follow you line of logic? Parrotfish and coral polyp feeding Butterflyfish also come from a reef... and yet they are not reef aquarium safe, my friend <smile>. And on a reef, Coris are flipping over rock and rubble by and large... the corals we keep in aquaria were often broken away from a fixed point on the reef and can now be tossed by a wrasse... but it would rarely happen to that extent in the wild... rubble not coral> And what the disadvantages/limitations of attempting to keep this species will be? <it a great and hardy fish for a fish only display. My advice is to buy a nice three hundred gallon tank for the purpose and enjoy a Coris <G>. If you need family or spousal approval... just say that Anthony said it was OK> Many thanks, Jordon <best regards, Anthony>

New addition Dear Anthony, <Cheers, Thanassis> after a month of problems with Oodinium, high Nitrite due to the copper, etc., I now have my aquarium relaxed again , and very important: no fish lost. <all very good to hear> I am reminding you the fish composition of my tank: 1 Acanthurus Lineatus (10 cm) 1 Blue Tang (7 cm) 1 Apolemichthys xanthotis (9 cm) 1 Gramma Loreto (6 cm) 1 Damsel (Chromis Xanthurus) (4 cm) I now want to have a Coris Gaimard Wrasse, 12 cm, which I saw yesterday.  <Hmmm.... a beautiful fish but gets large and quite rowdy. Will outright eat the Gramma and damsel eventually> It just arrived in my dealer's shop and in order to avoid problems I told my dealer that I will be away for 5 days and when I come back I would like to buy it. I have read some articles about this fish and I have the following questions: - Is it good to put it for 3 days in my aquarium with my glass separator? Of course I will take care for good aeration and water circulation within the area of the separator. I have heard the theory that within 3 days the fish will in a way "get the smell" of my aquarium, so the other tankmates will not attack him when the separator is taken away. <a separate isolation tank would be much better. "getting the smell" of the display tank is not as important as screening for disease and letting the fish get acclimated to your foods and feeding schedule> - This fish likes to bury in the sand. I have a gravel of 1/2 inch. Is it right to add some coral sand n a corner ? Will it be a problem with anaerobic bacteria? <this fish needs a very deep bed of fine sand several inched thick and will make quite a snowstorm every time it decides to bury itself. I don't think you will be able to avoid this need easily if you have hope for it to behave naturally and survive a long time> - If I give him a freshwater dip before I put him into my aquarium, what is the right procedure to acclimate the fish?  <The FW dip is good but be forewarned that wrasses respond quite stressfully to it and it will try to jump out of the bucket feverishly> I usually add some water from my aquarium every five minutes into the plastic bag that contains the fish and after 20 minutes I net the fish and drop it in my tank. What should I do in the case that I first want to make a freshwater dip with Methylene Blue? Basically, temp and pH adjust some dechlorinated freshwater, aerate, and place fish in for 3-5 minutes minimum. 10-15 minutes with known hardy species... see more info here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm> Best regards, Thanassis <kindly, Anthony>

Information on the Coris Gaimard <<JasonC here, I'm afraid Bob is away diving and won't return until 12/7>> Hi. My name is Airi Terui, and go to the Fresno City College in California. I have taken a biology class, and have researched "Coris Gaimard" (yellowtail Coris) as one of my assignments. I want to write about its life style, such as habit, food, geographic rage... then, I have tried to get information of its reproduction, but I could not find enough this information anywhere. I want to collect information as much as I can do. If you have an information about Coris Girard's reproduction, would you like to send me it? <<if I had some to send, I would. If you haven't already, do check out the links within the WWM site: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corisgaimard.htm >> Thank you very much. Airi Terui <<Hope this is helpful. Do check back with Bob when he returns. Cheers, J -- >>

Coris Gaimard Wrasse in Seclusion Hi Lorenzo, <Bob back again...> Thanks for filling in! I introduced a Coris Gaimard to my aquarium, exactly one week ago. He immediately dove in to the substrate and has hidden there ever since. He doesn't come up to swim or to eat. I know he is alive because I see undulations under the sand. I'm getting worried... Is there anything I should or can do? Your advise would be appreciated, Thank you, Jennifer <Hmm, not much really... best to wait... this specimen will "pop up" if/when it is ready... likely is coming out at night to check out the real estate. Do try offerings of bite-size meaty foods toward "lights out" time... this may hasten the unburrowing of your Coris. Bob Fenner>

Coris Gaimard Dear Bob, First of all, I'd really like to thank you for all the advise you have given me and everyone else. I read your Q & A's daily and it's been such a great help! <Ah, great to read> I know this is silly but I just felt I had to tell you, I saw for the first time today at the Aquarium Store in Concord, a Coris Gaimard! He had just arrived in a bag and they were unpacking him. I BOUGHT HIM !!!...and they are holding him for a week for me, thanks to your advice. You are absolutely right, he's gorgeous! I'm So Excited! I've patiently been patrolling three LFS for five months and he is the first I've seen and a fine looking specimen at that. <A very good looking species> My only concern, Bob, is my damsels. I have the original 7 from when I first cycled my 90 gal tank. The only other occupants are my 6 inch Puffer and my 4 inch Huma Huma. <Good choices as tankmates...> The damsels were unmerciful when I added the Huma but after several hours eventually backed off. Do you think I should remove them, (I kind of hate too, as I've become fond of them too) or do you think the Coris Gaimard Wrasse will be able to fend for himself? <Do give all a chance... Coris gaimard are tough fishes... able to move quickly, duck under the sand... and bite back... they know what damsels are and are able to hold their own> He's not a juvenile, he has great vibrant dark blue color with yellow spots, red fins, yellow tail and is about 5 inches long. As always, your advise is much appreciated, especially recommending this fab fish. Thanks, Jennifer <Do try them together... at a time when you can be present... move the decor a bit, feed the tank... ahead of releasing your new wrasse. Bob Fenner>

Red Coris, comp. Dear Sir, I bought a juvenile (near adult) red Coris (C. gaimard)( 6 cm) last week. I read a lot of articles about it but there were a lot of dilemmas. I know it is not good for a reef aquarium but I have got some anemones and a few big shrimp. I read it is not suitable for an aquarium when they are adult. Please send some information and your comments. Best wishes from Tkiye. Dr. der BOZDON.  >> Do take a look on our site re this species... and I would remove it now, before it consumes your shrimp: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corisgaimard.htm Bob Fenner

Red Coris wrasse, comp. Bob, Do you think the red Coris wrasse is reef safe? Or do I have to worry about him eating my clams etc.. Any help would be great. Thanks, Chris  >> Unfortunately, this animal (Coris gaimard) is definitely NOT reef safe.... gets too big (over a foot in captivity) and rambunctious (digging, eating wise) for such systems. Look for another, smaller, easier going wrasse species... Much info. on our site re your choices. Bob Fenner