Mystery wrasse

[CNDReef]

Thinking about getting one as a natural predator for my tank. Here’s where it gets tricky, my tank is BB but only have 3 fish in it. I read they cocoon instead of burying itself, if that’s the case I’ll probably get one. For my 40b

 

[Justfebreezeit]

If its anything like its cousin the sixline than barebottom is no problemo.

I currently have a pink streaked, yellow banded wrasse, and a hooded fairy wrasse that all cacoon in my current barebottom.

 

[CNDReef]

Thanks for the reply.
Which would be the best at picking pyramid snails and flatworms?

 

[Scurvy]

I would say the Mystery is best of those mentioned for pest control. Then probably the Pink streaked and Yellow Banded last due to their less assertive/cryptic demeanor. Though they do hunt they tend to be less traveled. Whereabouts in the Boston area are you? Norwood Here.

 

[CNDReef]

Weymouth ma

 

[CNDReef]

You on BRS?

 

[Scurvy]

I occasionally check in there but when I was getting into the hobby a few years ago the group didn’t seem very well traveled and I wound up settling in here. More recently though activity levels look to have gotten better overall. Visited with Frank180 and Manny’s Music on a few occasions. I think my membership expired a few months ago now that you mention it and I recognize the avatar now that i look :)

 

[Abhishek]

40b is way too small for a mystery wrasse . It’s one of those jerks that generally develops a dislike for any other fish with time .
Honestly , you would be inviting quite a lot of problems introducing a mystery .

What pests do you have ? There are many peaceful Halichoeres or a little tougher to keep Anampses that will work .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[CNDReef]

40b is way too small for a mystery wrasse . It’s one of those jerks that generally develops a dislike for any other fish with time .
Honestly , you would be inviting quite a lot of problems introducing a mystery .

What pests do you have ? There are many peaceful Halichoeres or a little tougher to keep Anampses that will work .

Regards,
Abhishek

I don’t have any pests and would like to keep it that way lol
I don’t QT but try to find natural predation.
What other wrasse would you recommend instead?

 

[CNDReef]

I occasionally check in there but when I was getting into the hobby a few years ago the group didn’t seem very well traveled and I wound up settling in here. More recently though activity levels look to have gotten better overall. Visited with Frank180 and Manny’s Music on a few occasions. I think my membership expired a few months ago now that you mention it and I recognize the avatar now that i look :)

Yup it’s me Chris A lol

 

[Abhishek]

I don’t have any pests and would like to keep it that way lol
I don’t QT but try to find natural predation.
What other wrasse would you recommend instead?

Halichoeres chrysus and Halichoeres Iridis are my 2 favorites for pest control and very mild in nature

 

[CNDReef]

If that’s a yellow coris wrasse, I don’t have sand. BB tank

 

[Abhishek]

Well you can always have a small bowl of sand or a small pile at the back of the tank . That’s what I do normally

 

[Softhammer]

I completely disagree with the above as I have had many of the aforementioned over many years. Don’t even attempt a Halichoeres wrasses without a full sand bend. It can be done but won’t be long lasting. I have had mystery wrasses ever since they were first imported. Spent about 600 on that one, had it for 8 years until it slept in a powerhead. Never have had a tank without one since. On my 4th due to a series of moves and incompetent fish sitters and one power outage. My average life span has been at least 5 years each. Their care is absolutely no different than a 6 line wrasse. They get slightly bigger but as long as you have a decent amount of rock they’ll be just fine. Never have been aggressive to anything other than Pseudocheleinus wrasses. They do sleep in a mucous net so can suffocate if water flow stops. Some doofus crashed their car into the local transformer and caused an 8 hr power outage. So a battery backup pump is always good, no matter what the fish may be. I’d do it. Feed them well, they like to eat. They were also instrumental in eradicating pyramidellid snails on my clam collection. Also.. a major biggy, not that they can’t, but I have never had one jump. Lost 2 Iridis, 3 yellow coris and 2 xmas wrasses due to jumping. Half of which occurred with screens on the tank...

 

[CNDReef]

I actually like the fact it gets bigger since I won’t have a lot of fish in there

 

[adtravels]

I love my Mystery wrasse, model citizen, quite shy and beautiful. had for over a year eats every thing I put in the tank. Their mouths are like something out of an aliens movie as they can fully extend and retract them. very scary to see.

 

[adtravels]

I love my Mystery wrasse, model citizen, quite shy and beautiful. had for over a year eats every thing I put in the tank. Their mouths are like something out of an aliens movie as they can fully extend and retract them. very scary to see.

 

[CNDReef]

Beautiful fish

 

[Abhishek]

I completely disagree with the above as I have had many of the aforementioned over many years. Don’t even attempt a Halichoeres wrasses without a full sand bend. It can be done but won’t be long lasting. I have had mystery wrasses ever since they were first imported. Spent about 600 on that one, had it for 8 years until it slept in a powerhead. Never have had a tank without one since. On my 4th due to a series of moves and incompetent fish sitters and one power outage. My average life span has been at least 5 years each. Their care is absolutely no different than a 6 line wrasse. They get slightly bigger but as long as you have a decent amount of rock they’ll be just fine. Never have been aggressive to anything other than Pseudocheleinus wrasses. They do sleep in a mucous net so can suffocate if water flow stops. Some doofus crashed their car into the local transformer and caused an 8 hr power outage. So a battery backup pump is always good, no matter what the fish may be. I’d do it. Feed them well, they like to eat. They were also instrumental in eradicating pyramidellid snails on my clam collection. Also.. a major biggy, not that they can’t, but I have never had one jump. Lost 2 Iridis, 3 yellow coris and 2 xmas wrasses due to jumping. Half of which occurred with screens on the tank...

If you say so and suggest a mystery in a 40
gallon ! Of course I don’t know anything as am
just a novice .

But I would get a second opinion from some of the people who are more knowledgeable than me like @eatbreakfast and @evolved

 

[CNDReef]

I know some fish are hit or miss with aggression and the the more people that have experience with it ,the better informed I’ll be to make a decision