Lunar Wrasse Trouble: 4-6-08 I have an aggressive tank (45) with a 10" Snowflake Eel, Dwarf Lion, Lemon peel Angel and Lunar Wrasse. I just bought another wrasse (Red Coris Wrasse) and added him in, I haven't seen the two of wrasses go at it yet, but have noticed that the new red chromis (a little bit bigger than the lunar) has been very timid, shy and burying himself. (He did come out a little bit for a while and then went back into the sand). I seen the lunar take a strike at the red chromis wrasse once in the 3 days I've had them. I don't want either one of them to die, WHAT SHOULD I DO??? Can I put the Lunar Wrasse with my other (65) tank with: Coral Beauty Angel, Neon Velvet Damsel, 2 Blue Damsels, 2 Yellow/Black Striped Damsels, Arrow Crab, and couple of Chromis? Take the Lunar back, be patient?? What? <Okay, lets start with the aggression: Lunar wrasse are very aggressive fish by nature and will bully other fish and definitely other wrasse especially if she was there first. In the other wrasses defense, Red Coris wrasses do bury themselves quite frequently so this is not abnormal behavior. You can wait this out and see if its just your Lunar Wrasse having a superiority complex, which she will get over. Now with that being said, both of these Wrasse are going to get massively huge and require a 75 gallon minimum tank. You will not be able to keep them with small fish like your damsels because then the Wrasse will have an easy meal. So I would look into a larger tank for the future, or take them back to your LFS before you get too attached to them. Good Luck, --Yunachin>

Lunare Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) General Info  2/9/07 Hello! <Hi Jennifer!  Mich here!>   I bought a lunar wrasse after a certain (un-named) pet store told me that he would be ok with most fish... uh, wrong. <Best to do your own research, not rely on other's misinformation.> Even though he didn't try to eat my clowns, he did stress them when I put him in (maybe just to active?), they got marine ich, end story- I lost a dwarf lion fish, and two clowns to ich. <Sorry for your loss.> Now the question is how to rebuild? What type of fish would be compatible with a lunar wrasse in a 75g? <Lunare Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) need to be kept with more belligerent or larger fishes.>   Is this tank to small? <The smallest recommended is 75 gallons for this fish.> From more reliable research I see that they can get very big and aggressive. <Yes, can get to nearly 10 inches in length, can be predatory on smaller fishes and may harass any newly introduced tank mates.  But they sure are pretty!>   Thanks for your time! <Welcome!> Jennifer

Lunare Wrasse, compatible? Bob, I was doing some surfing looking for wrasse info when I found this site.  <Pleased to meet you> I'm very new to the aquarium hobby (started a 75 g. last November) and hoped you could give some advice. My tank consists of a yellow tang, Huma trigger and speckled Hawkfish (no coral/inverts). I purchased a lunare wrasse a couple days ago and the Hawkfish seemed particularly annoyed with the new guest.  <Yes... they don't particularly care to share... space, food, attention> When I released the wrasse into the tank, he swam casually across the tank and was promptly attacked by the Hawkfish.  <Yes. I have seen this and other genus Halichoeres wrasses chasing, eating Hawkfishes in the wild> Since then, he hasn't left the protection of the lace rock. I have been feeding my three regulars a steady diet of frozen plankton and an occasional piece of Nori on a food clip, but none of the plankton even makes it to the wrasse. I tried feeding him some brine shrimp, a few of which he ate, but I read that they aren't very nutritious. <Not able to sustain such an animal as this, no> Do you think the wrasse is going to fit in with the others? <Doubtful. I give the situation less than 50% of likelihood.> I tried adding more rock and rearranging the tank a little before adding the wrasse. I heard this can reduce the territorial aggression of the other fish. <Yes, a good move> Any suggestions about feeding would be greatly appreciated. Also, can I add any type of snails or conch with these types of fish? <Not really a good risk with the trigger. I would trade in the Lunare and look for a hardy tang species instead... or one of many other choices. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Allen

Bloated lunar wrasse Hi Bob: I just found your site. After reading several pages of very interesting info. I would like to ask 2 questions. I have had a spotted and a figure 8 puffer a cinnamon clown and a lunar wrasse for about 7 years. About 2 weeks ago my figure 8 puffer got what looks like a bloated area on his left side by his fin. I netted him and burped him and felt the area. It felt like rock or coral, which he eats quite often. He was only able to swim on him side and stayed near the top of the tank. <Good work, observation, relating> He seems to be getting better now. He swims to the bottom and the area seems to be smaller. <Yes, fishes "do shrink" when sick, not eating...> Now my lunar wrasse appears bloated on both sides and appears to be gasping. My wrasse has always been an aggressive eater and would hardly eat today. I have never experienced anything like this with any tank. I love my fish and hope you can help me to help them. Thank you for any info. you have. Shamie <Sounds like manifestations of "old age", environmental degradation (do you have water quality tests? Am interested particularly in alkalinity), and/or nutritional deficiency of some sort... Would try improving their world by adding a bit of live rock, supplementing their foods, water with a vitamin, iodide and HUFA prep. (something like Selcon). Bob Fenner>

Wrasse Ailment? Thalassoma in a tiny world... temporarily   3/25/06 Hello, love the website. I've got a 30 gallon FOWLR setup that's rather sparsely inhabited right now, a pair of tiny blue chromis, a flame angel (Currently with   a reflection fixation) and a Lunar Wrasse <These last two species need much more room> that I rescued from a PetCo. The wrasse is by far the most active outgoing fish I've ever seen and so far has gotten along great with all his tankmates. The other day though I was watching him and noticed an odd sort of bump about midway down his back. Curious I moved some rock and netted him to examine the dump. It doesn't resemble ich at all, or a piece of his small dorsal that's been pulled loose. <Very likely resultant from a physical injury...> It looks like a piece of blue lint. Figuring it was just something that had gotten stuck to him. I tried to brush it off. To my surprise it seemed to be attached to his back. Stumped, I released him back into the tank. After a few minutes of sulking I coaxed him back out with some Formula One pellets and now he's happily swimming around again. Near as I can tell it isn't bothering him. Any ideas? <The world's primary troubles are due to overly bloated large civil servant bases (including militaries... civil servants with guns)... The way out of this particular predicament is to do away with career, lifetime, free retirements...> And while I'm writing, is a 65 watt PC light fixture enough to do some photosynthetic corals and anemones? Or should I go for the 2x65?   The tank is 18 inches deep. And don't say Metal Halide, between bulb, fixture and power costs I just can't afford it in the long or short   term. <Posted... on WWM> Thanks Eric Jackson. <Please read re these species "Systems" needs... on WWM... Thalassoma wrasses should not be kept in under 100 gallon systems... Bob Fenner>

Wrasses & Triggers - 03/06/06 Hello, <<Howdy>> Just a quick question.  I will still look on the site but I don't seem to get the answers I want although a lot of helpful information. <<Indeed>> My question is this; what wrasse can live with a lunar wrasse, if any?  I was thinking green bird or (banana/sunset) is it possible to have any of them live together? <<Mmm, the Lunar Wrasse can be feisty...but this "could" work in a large tank (100+) if the Lunar is added last (the Banana Wrasse <Halichoeres chrysus> is probably the better choice to house with the Lunar Wrasse). Second question is can a Niger trigger fish live with a Huma-Huma trigger fish.  I know that size of tank plays a factor in this.  I have a 100 gallon. <<Too much fish flesh for this tank my friend.  The Niger trigger will outgrow this tank pretty much on its own (please take mature sizes in to consideration), but I think you could get away with the Huma-Huma and the two wrasses.>> I have been scouring your site for these answers and everyone has all kinds of questions about them but never for the ones above I'm looking for. Thanks, Michael