Green Wrasse only comes out when I'm not around

[Chortanator]

Hi everyone,

I've had a green wrasse for 3 years now, and the previous owner had him for 2 more before that. For the first six months of having the tank, he'd come out from time to time and I'd be able to get a good look at him. Now, I only know he's still alive by hiding around the corner of the wall and peeking out to look at him, if I'm in front of the tank he'll never, ever come out.

I tried googling this, and I only got questions from people who had wrasses hiding for a few days or weeks. But this is going on 2.5 years. I read that shy fish might want fish that are out more often like cardinals, so I picked up 3 pj cardinals and a royal gramma 3 weeks ago, still no change.

Does my wrasse think I'm ugly? Does he just hate people? It's a 55 gallon with a ton of live rock, other than the aforementioned fish there are also 2 clowns, so nothing aggressive at all

 

[blaxsun]

I have a marine betta that spends most of the time hiding in a crevice with his tail sticking up. He comes out for feeding and when I leave the room. But when I return to the room he just glides off. Some fish are just like this.

The rest make a beeline for the corner of the tank because they're pigs and want to get fed all the time.

 

[i cant think]

Hi everyone,

I've had a green wrasse for 3 years now, and the previous owner had him for 2 more before that. For the first six months of having the tank, he'd come out from time to time and I'd be able to get a good look at him. Now, I only know he's still alive by hiding around the corner of the wall and peeking out to look at him, if I'm in front of the tank he'll never, ever come out.

I tried googling this, and I only got questions from people who had wrasses hiding for a few days or weeks. But this is going on 2.5 years. I read that shy fish might want fish that are out more often like cardinals, so I picked up 3 pj cardinals and a royal gramma 3 weeks ago, still no change.

Does my wrasse think I'm ugly? Does he just hate people? It's a 55 gallon with a ton of live rock, other than the aforementioned fish there are also 2 clowns, so nothing aggressive at all

If this is the wrasse I think it is then you won’t be able to keep it in a 55g tank for much longer. These species grow extremely fast and can get to 7” and if you haven’t been able to tell already, they’re active swimmers. I have a 4’ tank with a “green wrasse” that’s 4.5, pushing 5 inches and he uses all of the tank.

A photo of the wrasse will help me to confirm it’s the species I believe it is though.

 

[drakebuffie]

If your not around how do you know it comes out at all?

 

[i cant think]

I have a marine betta that spends most of the time hiding in a crevice with his tail sticking up. He comes out for feeding and when I leave the room. But when I return to the room he just glides off. Some fish are just like this.

The rest make a beeline for the corner of the tank because they're pigs and want to get fed all the time.

Wrasses aren’t like this, they will be prowling the tank all day, the only wrasses I can think of that will be hidden for a while in the day are the Wetmorella and Pink Streak Wrasses. The larger wrasses are much more active and don’t hide as often.

 

[blaxsun]

Wrasses aren’t like this, they will be prowling the tank all day, the only wrasses I can think of that will be hidden for a while in the day are the Wetmorella and Pink Streak Wrasses. The larger wrasses are much more active and don’t hide as often.

I have a melanarus and yellow coris that both sleep in pretty late. The melanarus is around 5" in length.

 

[i cant think]

I have a melanarus and yellow coris that both sleep in pretty late. The melanarus is around 5" in length.

The wrasse I’m thinking of can get to 8”. The description of “Green Wrasse” makes me assume, Halichoeres chloropterus that not only gets big but also aggressive as it ages. Here’s photos of mine, hopefully the OP can come back and say if it is this or if it isn’t.

 

[blaxsun]

The wrasse I’m thinking of can get to 8”. The description of “Green Wrasse” makes me assume, Halichoeres chloropterus that not only gets big but also aggressive as it ages. Here’s photos of mine, hopefully the OP can come back and say if it is this or if it isn’t.

That's a big sucker - like parrotfish size!

 

[i cant think]

That's a big sucker - like parrotfish size!

Yeah, when I say big Halichoeres I mean big haha. To think the smallest of that genus is 2 inch-4 inch and the largest can get 8”+

 

[AquaGemCorals]

I have the same issue but with my Anthias. They were out in the beginning and then all of a sudden they stopped coming out when I get around the tank. They just peek around the corner. As soon as I leave they are out. Idk why they all of a sudden got so scared.

 

[blaxsun]

I have the same issue but with my Anthias. They were out in the beginning and then all of a sudden they stopped coming out when I get around the tank. They just peek around the corner. As soon as I leave they are out. Idk why they all of a sudden got so scared.

You guys need to feed your fish!

 

[Reefer Reboot]

It's just a teenage fish, doesn't want to see or be seen by those that pay for it's upkeep!

 

[Chortanator]

The wrasse I’m thinking of can get to 8”. The description of “Green Wrasse” makes me assume, Halichoeres chloropterus that not only gets big but also aggressive as it ages. Here’s photos of mine, hopefully the OP can come back and say if it is this or if it isn’t.

Yes, this is the type of wrasse that I have! From the little bit I can see of him from time to time (making a fleeting second as I turn the corner and he notices me before diving back into the rockwork) he is just a little bit smaller than this.

 

[Chortanator]

So I assume it's not supposed to be as shy or skittish as it is? Even my larger clownfish has started to hide, and comes out when I'm around for food. Do I maybe have too much rockwork? I can get a picture in the morning.

 

[Chortanator]

Here are the last pictures I've been able to get of my wrasse, from October of 2020.In thesecond picture is also the black ocellaris that has since gotten an orange face, I don't know if that's related or not.

I did have nitrates that got to a very high level, but now they've been steady at 10 for the past month. Could high nitrates be a reason for shy fish? My blood shrimp became more confident when the water parameters stabilised.

 

[i cant think]

Here are the last pictures I've been able to get of my wrasse, from October of 2020.In thesecond picture is also the black ocellaris that has since gotten an orange face, I don't know if that's related or not.

I did have nitrates that got to a very high level, but now they've been steady at 10 for the past month. Could high nitrates be a reason for shy fish? My blood shrimp became more confident when the water parameters stabilised.

I’m assuming you got your Jade as a bright white specimen, if so that may be a male however I don’t see a deep black spot on the side.

 

[Chortanator]

I’m assuming you got your Jade as a bright white specimen, if so that may be a male however I don’t see a deep black spot on the side.

I purchased the whole tank from someone and it came with the wrasse, the large ocellaris, and a chromis that has since died. It was 4 years old at the time, and now it's 6 or 7 years old, so I'm not sure what it looked like when the previous owner got it. Here's the only video I could find of it from June of last year

 

[Chortanator]

Sorry it's such a terrible video, lol — I wish I could take another one but I can't even set up a remote camera due to the glare from the window

 

[i cant think]

So I assume it's not supposed to be as shy or skittish as it is? Even my larger clownfish has started to hide, and comes out when I'm around for food. Do I maybe have too much rockwork? I can get a picture in the morning.

These wrasses aren’t known for being skittish, nor should they be. I have cared for Atleast 5 specimens of this species, not one of them were skittish to the point this one is. My current one is skittish but that’s only when the camera is out, the rest of the time he prowls the tank coming out early on in the morning before lights on and going into the sand a couple minutes before lights out.

I purchased the whole tank from someone and it came with the wrasse, the large ocellaris, and a chromis that has since died. It was 4 years old at the time, and now it's 6 or 7 years old, so I'm not sure what it looked like when the previous owner got it. Here's the only video I could find of it from June of last year

Usually when young these wrasses stick to their name of “Green Wrasse” or “Jade Wrasse”. I tried to find a photo of mine when he was a juvenile but couldn’t. Here’s a photo of one as a juvenile though (Usually in the UK these come in small at 1-1.5 inches).

 

[Chortanator]

These wrasses aren’t known for being skittish, nor should they be. I have cared for Atleast 5 specimens of this species, not one of them were skittish to the point this one is. My current one is skittish but that’s only when the camera is out, the rest of the time he prowls the tank coming out early on in the morning before lights on and going into the sand a couple minutes before lights out.



Usually when young these wrasses stick to their name of “Green Wrasse” or “Jade Wrasse”. I tried to find a photo of mine when he was a juvenile but couldn’t. Here’s a photo of one as a juvenile though (Usually in the UK these come in small at 1-1.5 inches).

Do you think this is just a weird personality thing then? I don't have any fish in there that could possibly bother it - and from what I've heard, apparently they're supposed to be the aggressive ones. And it doesn't seem like it has a problem with the fish in the tank, just me being around the tank. Any movement in front of the glass will stop him from coming out. What prompted me to make this post was I was sitting a little ways away from the tank on my phone, and when I looked up, the wrasse was swimming around, but just the motion of me moving my head was enough to scare it back into hiding.

It still looks a little green? But as I've read apparently it turns silver as an adult. But I'd assume at 7 years old it would be an adult already, right?