The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[JoJosReef]

You were right. Saw another today and it was really really pretty. I think it was either a female or young male and it was very vibrant. Mad though because I busted my camera by bonking it on my tank to tell my diving partners about an octopus.

Of course after that is when I saw the potters, a male A chrysocephalus, and later 4 female A chryso’s


After playing with dragons yesterday and having this guy swim up to us today I think this is why wrasse are my favorites

New video · Sunday, Jan 12, 2025 🎬

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Where were you diving?

 

[Slocke]

Where were you diving?

For the leopard right here.

Why? Starting a heist against the State of Hawaii??

 

[Slocke]

For the leopard right here.

Why? Starting a heist against the State of Hawaii??

If it is a heist who's in your squad and what are their specialities?

 

[JoJosReef]

For the leopard right here.

Why? Starting a heist against the State of Hawaii??

Never even thought about trying that area! That said, visibility was horrible most of the time I was there, so probably wouldn't have seen any Potters to begin with. Lucked out on Cook day, but no Potter or eels (one eel in the shallows at Two Steps, though).

 

[Cael Gallery]

Well pretty much the worst possible outcome happened. I have uronema, so the neoguinacus must've died from internal uronema. In the video i posted, notice my lennardi's tail. I don't know how i didn't notice that when i recorded it but i did an hour ago. I freaked out, i took it out of the tank to minimise spread as per humblefish.com and i did have to euthanise it which really sucked. I immediately dosed 25mls of 3% h202. I read that a treatment that occasionally works is 20mls every 12 hours ( in my size tank) of peroxide for 30 days. I dosed that just so the rest of the fish who don't show signs of infection don't break out (hopefully) while i rush to the fish store to buy some formalin which is what i'll be treating with for about 10 days to hopefully eradicate it. Fingers crossed i don't have any more losses. Weirdly i haven't added anything to the tank in weeks, except for some liverock about a week ago.

 

[Slocke]

Never even thought about trying that area! That said, visibility was horrible most of the time I was there, so probably wouldn't have seen any Potters to begin with. Lucked out on Cook day, but no Potter or eels (one eel in the shallows at Two Steps, though).

Only way to get there is via boat or swimming through the boat channel from the harbor so it's not possible if snorkeling. Most of the dive sites are dangerous to get to from the coast.

 

[Cael Gallery]

Had to euthanise this beast today. That really hurt. 2 of 2 fatalities have been Anampses species. I guess in the absence of chromis and anthias they are the next most susceptible to uronema?

 

[Slocke]

Had to euthanise this beast today. That really hurt. 2 of 2 fatalities have been Anampses species. I guess in the absence of chromis and anthias they are the next most susceptible to uronema?

That's awful. I'm sorry
Beautiful fish

 

[Cael Gallery]

That's awful. I'm sorry
Beautiful fish

I had just gotten it onto mysis and masstick too. Didn't eat when i first got it. I think i was close to getting it onto pellets :((((((

 

[i cant think]

there’s only 2 Thalassoma in currently, my T.lutescens and my T.nigrofasciatum. About a week and a half ago, i sumped my T.quinquevittatum again for harassing my pixy wrasse. Trust me when i say this, i’m on holidays so I’m watching my tank for a couple hours a day spread out over the day and neither of the 2 Thalassoma bother anyone. At most the nigrofasciatum might chase the lutescens away a short distance but almost exclusively at feeding time. Otherwise they stay out of eachothers way and show no interest in other fish

Honestly, no matter how much you want to say your tank is 100% peaceful, you’ll get “battles”.
I have it in my tank, and mine is filled with peaceful wrasses - 90% of the time they’re fine and cohabitating, the other 10% is when they’re battling for the top position. My Iridis and Aquamarinus are currently the 2 that are every so often battling for the very top of the wrasse hierarchy.
I have seen the same thing in 8 foot tanks, fish are fine and then they switch, more so with tangs as most people who own 8 foot tanks don’t have smaller species like wrasses.
I have watched my “nano” fish (specifically my Lavender Firefish and Choat’s Leopard) pick on each other every so often.

They don’t have to be murderous with their “battles” but even if they’re constantly going for it or it’s longer than usual, it will result in a death of stress. And watching your tank for hours in the day, it’s the same thing I do - it took me a good month of watching at night/lights dimming or increasing to spot the “battles”.

 

[Cael Gallery]

Honestly, no matter how much you want to say your tank is 100% peaceful, you’ll get “battles”.
I have it in my tank, and mine is filled with peaceful wrasses - 90% of the time they’re fine and cohabitating, the other 10% is when they’re battling for the top position. My Iridis and Aquamarinus are currently the 2 that are every so often battling for the very top of the wrasse hierarchy.
I have seen the same thing in 8 foot tanks, fish are fine and then they switch, more so with tangs as most people who own 8 foot tanks don’t have smaller species like wrasses.
I have watched my “nano” fish (specifically my Lavender Firefish and Choat’s Leopard) pick on each other every so often.

They don’t have to be murderous with their “battles” but even if they’re constantly going for it or it’s longer than usual, it will result in a death of stress. And watching your tank for hours in the day, it’s the same thing I do - it took me a good month of watching at night/lights dimming or increasing to spot the “battles”.

Yeah, but neither of the Thalassoma are going to fight a wrasse half their size that's at the bottom of the wrasse heirarchy if it were a competitive thing. That would be more of a chase-away-from-food thing. At the end of the video i posted you can see my dragon chase the T.nigrofasciatum away. It isn't really a chase, more like a "lunge" then the other fish gets the message. That's the extent of the chasing between the wrasses, and what i mean whenever i say my fish 'chased eachother'. The only things in my tank that actually chase are my desjardini and angels. Anyway, uronema sucks but at least i can show it isn't because of the Thalassoma. They get such a bad rap. Except in the case of T.lunare and in my experience certainly T.quinquevittatum, which are straight up belligerent and completely deserve the hate despite how nice they look.

 

[TylerHaworth]

These in the wild vids are making time pass so slowly, I have a dive trip planned for April.

 

[i cant think]

Had to euthanise this beast today. That really hurt. 2 of 2 fatalities have been Anampses species. I guess in the absence of chromis and anthias they are the next most susceptible to uronema?

Wrasses, Chromis and Anthias are all highly susceptible to uronema.
It’s the only really bad disease that threatens wrasse dominant tanks.

 

[Slocke]

Finally saw some wrasse and I saw a ton!
Obviously, there were the dragons which I had a ton of fun playing with. Just picking up a rock near one and it will come right over. I think that baby is maybe my best spot ever. Also saw Coris gaimard at all stages of life. Wow they are pretty.

I also saw two firsts, Macropharyngodon Geoffoyri and Pseudojuloides cerasinus. @i cant think the pencil was incredible!! However @JoJosReef the leopard was surprisingly bland. Couldn't really see any blue or yellow on it so it just looked bland. Probably just the lighting though.

Very different to Maui where the predominant wrasse were Thalassoma here it was definitely Coris

List of seen wrasse:
Thalassoma duperray
Coris ballieui
Coris Gaimard
Coris venusta
Gamphosus varius
Novaculilichthys taeniorius
M geoffoyri
Labroides phthirophagus
Pseudocheilinus evinidus
P octataenia
Pseudojuloidea cerasinus

List of seen wrasse:
Halichoeres ornatissimus
Thalassoma ballieui
Thalassoma duperray
Coris ballieui
Coris flavitata
Coris Gaimard
Coris venusta
Gamphosus varius
Novaculilichthys taeniorius
Macropharyngodon geoffoyri
Anampses chrysocephalus
Labroides phthirophagus
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
Pseudocheilinus evinidus
Pseudocheilinus octataenia
Pseudojuloidea cerasinus
Stethojulis balteata


Updated list, definitely got H ornatissimus females mixed up with a C venusta. New ones are in blue. I do wish Stethojulis were easier as they are very pretty wrasse.

 

[Tcook]

List of seen wrasse:
Halichoeres ornatissimus
Thalassoma ballieui
Thalassoma duperray
Coris ballieui
Coris flavitata
Coris Gaimard
Coris venusta
Gamphosus varius
Novaculilichthys taeniorius
Macropharyngodon geoffoyri
Anampses chrysocephalus
Labroides phthirophagus
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
Pseudocheilinus evinidus
Pseudocheilinus octataenia
Pseudojuloidea cerasinus
Stethojulis balteata


Updated list, definitely got H ornatissimus females mixed up with a C venusta. New ones are in blue. I do wish Stethojulis were easier as they are very pretty wrasse.

No jordani?

 

[Slocke]

No jordani?

Nope. Nor have I seen an Achilles tang.

 

[TARHEEL78]

Any idea what could have killed this fish? Curious if the white spots are potential diseases or just a coloration issue.

 

[Slocke]

Any idea what could have killed this fish? Curious if the white spots are potential diseases or just a coloration issue.

Was it flashing? Could be loss of scales

 

[TARHEEL78]

Was it flashing? Could be loss of scales

I don't think there was any flashing. This fish came from a store, was acclimated and fed(ate good) and 2 hours later was lying dead.

 

[Tcook]

I don't think there was any flashing. This fish came from a store, was acclimated and fed(ate good) and 2 hours later was lying dead.

Any signs of head strike? Not the classic markings of uronema but what kills that fast???