Melanurus Wrasse Behavior

[AquaBelle]

I just introduced a Melanurus Wrasse to my 55 gal reef aquarium. I have a docile Yellow Tang and a Randall Prawn Dragon Goby. I acclimated him for 30 minutes so he could adjust to the current temperature and then added 4 cups of water from the aquarium and waited 20 more minutes before letting him leave the bag. He seemed fine at first. He even opened his tail a few times. ny other Big Green friends. It's only been, uh, ouch, almostBut now he only spoons with a rock or hovers in one spot at the bottom of the aquarium. Also, he won't eat but when I released him I had two small juvenile healthy clowns and both disappeared overnight. Is hovering normal for this new wrasse and could he have eaten the clown?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Do you have a sandbed? If so what size grain? Melanurus wrasses will bury at night or when frightened. Did you open the bag when temp acclimating or leave it sealed? There was a typo in your mention of time frame, but if it just the first day it may just be stressed, however, in most normal cases it should choose to bury. If it is not burying, but also not active, I would be a little concerned.

 

[TheEngineer]

Do you have a sandbed? If so what size grain? Melanurus wrasses will bury at night or when frightened. Did you open the bag when temp acclimating or leave it sealed? There was a typo in your mention of time frame, but if it just the first day it may just be stressed, however, in most normal cases it should choose to bury. If it is not burying, but also not active, I would be a little concerned.

I agree with all of this. My melanurus buried itself immediately after being released into the tank and I didn't see it for a few days.

 

[AquaBelle]

Thanks for your helpful responses, icecool2 and eatbreakfast. My current sand bed is a little less than 2" but he hasn't even tried to bury himself. I'm about to add 2 additional inches of Arag-Alive Fiji Pink fine reef sand with live Aragonite in case she's stressed because she's not trying to bury herself at this point. She just hovers in one spot for the day, sleeps spooning against an exposed rock when sleeping, and then hovers in a different spot the next day. I say "she" because she is not nearly as colorful as the males.
She's been in the aquarium for for 5 days and she was only active for 1 to 1 1/2 days. She even fanned her tail twice.
I'm also concerned as she hasn't eaten pellets, flakes, krill, or mysis shrimp...although I've come to the conclusion the she must have eaten the 2 juvenile clowns. Both of the clowns were quite active for 4 weeks and then 2 days after I introduced Ms. Wrasse they both disappeared overnight and she had a potbelly the next morning. My Tang and Dragon are very docile so I'm seriously confused. Is my Wrasse stressed, dieing, or just plain mean (aggressive).
BTW-sorry for the detailed tome but I'm known as the fish murderess of Pensacola! So this time I'm starting over very slowly and will only be adding 3 more fish over the next 6 months. Any additional thoughts or comments will be most appreciated. I miss my precious clowns. (Sad)

 

[TheEngineer]

I doubt your melanurus had anything to do with your clownfish. Did you QT this fish before putting it in your tank?

 

[helldiver]

are melanarus wrasse reef safe

 

[ThePriceSeliger]

are melanarus wrasse reef safe

With caution. They may get a taste for smaller inverts like crabs and snails. Mine ate a small blood shrimp about a month ago.

 

[TheEngineer]

are melanarus wrasse reef safe

Yep

 

[helldiver]

cool I love wrasse and just bought a melanarus today and seen him knipping on the rock and it scared me

 

[eatbreakfast]

Agreed that it is unlikely that the melanurus had anything to do with the disappearance of the clowns.

It is also unusual for a melanurus to be uninterested in food. They usually accept food immediately. How long has it been setup?

 

[JakeK]

Worms? From what I have read Halichoeres species typically come in with worms and need metro and/or prazi. I have treated all my fish with those though not together.

 

[Robink]

are melanarus wrasse reef safe

No.

 

[AquaBelle]

I doubt your melanurus had anything to do with your clownfish. Did you QT this fish before putting it in your tank?

He was qt but only for 1 week. I know I should have qt'd longer but he seemed fine. Probably a mistake.

 

[AquaBelle]

He was qt but only for 1 week. I know I should have qt'd longer but he seemed fine. Probably a mistake.

Agreed that it is unlikely that the melanurus had anything to do with the disappearance of the clowns.

It is also unusual for a melanurus to be uninterested in food. They usually accept food immediately. How long has it been setup?

The aquarium has been setup for 11 months.

 

[TheEngineer]

He was qt but only for 1 week. I know I should have qt'd longer but he seemed fine. Probably a mistake.

Was it eating in the QT?

 

[Dan1789]

Qt for less than 4 weeks is kinda pointless imo, not familiar enough with wrasses to explain the behavior though.

 

[eatbreakfast]

It really depends on what you are using qt for, that determines how effective it ultimately is. It does seem to be some sort of parasite. Flukes and intestinal worms are quite common with wrasses. They can be treated with prazipro in a reef as it is a reef safe medication except for ornamental worms.

 

[McMullen]

Did your clown die? What is your water chemistry like? Your wrasses may indeed have parasites, but is there something else going on? Clowns are typically pretty hardy.

 

[AquaBelle]

Was it eating in the QT?

Yes. Once a day but not much.

 

[Alisha]

Hopefully everything works out for you. I have had a melanarus for a couple of years he's kind of a bully we recently moved everyone into a qt and he didn't come out of the sand for almost a week! There's barely any Sand in the qt tank I just dumped 2 small bowls in a corner and he does fine with that. He's never killed another fish but he does do some chasing! I feed my trigger clams and the melanarus loves them.