The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[OutColdCRNA]

Received my replacement Melanarus wrasse from dr. Reef. He sent me two to replace the lunare wrasse I received by mistake. I question is could I keep both melanarus in the same tank? Tank is 65 gallon 48” wide. I assume the answer is no. I can keep the second in a small frag tank if need be. Other fish in the main tank are a clown pair, adorned and carpenters wrasse. Thanks!

 

[OutColdCRNA]

Currently both Melanarus are in a 12 inch acclimation box in the display. One is definitely smaller than the other. So curious if keeping the pair in a display would be problematic or would one turn male and display brighter colors? Or should I house them in seperate tanks?

 

[AZReef13]

I’ve never bought from them, but I do receive their mailing list. For people looking for pink streaks, I figured I’d share.

This is the cheapest I’ve seen pink streaks:

Pink Streaked Wrasse

Pink Streaked Wrasse, Cryptic Six-line Wrasse SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pseudocheilinops ataenia OverviewReef Compatible: YESDiet: CarnivoreTemperament: DocileOrigin: Indonesia

reefprostore.com

I have bought 3 Pink Streaks from them 2 at one time when higher, reason for the third I had one just pass away after months in tank eating. got my bigger one a nice small replacement a month ago adapting well and eating. Plus I know 2 others that bought 2 and both are doing well. Yes they do get some crazy priced fish. I haven't had any issues.

 

[JoJosReef]

Haven't been to the office today, but coworkers were in for a surprise and sent me video of both Mb and Hc out and active!

New video by Joseph Campo

photos.app.goo.gl

New video by Joseph Campo

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Slocke]

Received my replacement Melanarus wrasse from dr. Reef. He sent me two to replace the lunare wrasse I received by mistake. I question is could I keep both melanarus in the same tank? Tank is 65 gallon 48” wide. I assume the answer is no. I can keep the second in a small frag tank if need be. Other fish in the main tank are a clown pair, adorned and carpenters wrasse. Thanks!

The answer is no. Will your LFS take one?

 

[OutColdCRNA]

The answer is no. Will your LFS take one?

I figured that was the answer but wanted to double check. Thanks!

 

[Petcrazyson]

to just flipping their fish.

Literally :downcast-face-with-sweat:

 

[Tcook]

I figured that was the answer but wanted to double check. Thanks!

Surprised he sent you two and not a different species. He must know they won't tolerate each other. It also makes me laugh whenever I see online retailers listing pair, or bonded pair, for cirrhilabrus wrasses.

 

[JoJosReef]

Surprised he sent you two and not a different species. He must know they won't tolerate each other. It also makes me laugh whenever I see online retailers listing pair, or bonded pair, for cirrhilabrus wrasses.

He did the same for me for both the H. chrysus and M. bipartitis. Think he just wants to ensure you get one alive, especially on a re-send. In my case, we spoke ahead of time about trying out shipping in sand, which worked best. (2/2 alive vs. 1/2 alive without sand).

 

[i cant think]

It also makes me laugh whenever I see online retailers listing pair, or bonded pair, for cirrhilabrus wrasses.

I’ve seen these sold even in LFSs as bonded pairs and I have the same reaction, it’s going to end in the same result: one single possibly wounded male if not 2 dead wrasse.

I’m back home tomorrow so hopefully we still have a flavianalis and finifenmaa in the tank (I’ve not heard that anything’s vanished/jumped yet).

 

[JoJosReef]

I posted this everywhere, but just got into the office and grabbed a quick video of the tank. Mb and Hc are both doing fantastic. And I observed what I can only describe as a "fish burp" from my dainty little Mb! She lunged for a pod on the rocks, came up, opened her mouth and horked out the remains of said pod. Then she gobbled it back up.

New video · Thursday, Jul 27, 2023 🎬

Tap to view!

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[zoomonster]

Second attempt from a different vendor and finally got a live Naoki and got a blue flasher and Coris along with it. Both healthy and were eating out of the bag. Pintail lurking on right. Also have a near 10yo 6 line, Melanurus and lubbocki. Thought I was getting a replacement for my 10yo cleaner that died tomorrow, but it got cancelled from order for poor health.

 

[JoJosReef]

Seriously loving the new tank dynamic. Everyone is swimming together!

 

[Tcook]

Seriously loving the new tank dynamic. Everyone is swimming together!

That first pic is gold.

 

[Slocke]

Second attempt from a different vendor and finally got a live Naoki and got a blue flasher and Coris along with it. Both healthy and were eating out of the bag. Pintail lurking on right. Also have a near 10yo 6 line, Melanurus and lubbocki. Thought I was getting a replacement for my 10yo cleaner that died tomorrow, but it got cancelled from order for poor health.

You’ve got great taste in wrasse!

 

[steveschuerger]

My experience:
TLDR: their customer service is slow and garbage and the one fish I got was basically dead.

Ordered an Anampses cearulepunctatus. It arrived alive but floating upside down. I managed to keep it alive for one week by tube feeding until I eventually tried surgery which was successfully but the fish didn't survive the night.
I left a mediocre review and to their credit they offered me a refund (minus shipping) however it was in the form of a store credit gift card that expired after one month. I was away for a few weeks so had to order something quick so I tried again with the cearulepunctatus. I ordered and heard nothing from them for a week. Finally I emailed just to hear, a few days later, that they had run out of stock. but hadn't bothered to inform me. So I asked them to cancel and refund me. They refunded the shipping this time but sent the rest back to the gift card which had expired and they refused to give me a new one. At no point did they apologize or seem to remotely care about their products or customers.

As a counterpoint I once had a similar issue with Biota where they also had a stocking issue but they immediately apologized, refunded me, and then emailed me when the fish was back in stock.

I’ve bought both fish and corals. The coral is a beautiful glitter tipped Goni. Still going strong. The fish were a Black Back/China Pearl wrasse and a Gold Assessor, both of which didn’t last very long. And as you said the customer service was non existent. Despite the good luck with coral, I’m going not buy from them again I think.

 

[steveschuerger]

Seriously loving the new tank dynamic. Everyone is swimming together!

My gosh, that’s what I just ordered. Did you somehow steal my reef identity and divert them? (Gorgeous pics by the way)

 

[JoJosReef]

My gosh, that’s what I just ordered. Did you somehow steal my reef identity and divert them? (Gorgeous pics by the way)

Lol! No, Steve, but I do draw inspiration from your IM tank(s) for sure! No, this wrasse selection was a grueling internal/external debate since March. #1 was C. rubeus, but couldn't find one. Then I became interested in the Macropharyngodon wrasses, and bipartitis was the one I liked most and my wife liked it, too. #2 on my list was H. iridis, but in the end I decided H. chrysus was a better fit for my smaller tank. One day I'll have an iridis! Pair of pinkies would be great too!

And to think that up until March, I thought wrasses were just uninteresting, well-dressed minnows!

 

[steveschuerger]

Lol! No, Steve, but I do draw inspiration from your IM tank(s) for sure! No, this wrasse selection was a grueling internal/external debate since March. #1 was C. rubeus, but couldn't find one. Then I became interested in the Macropharyngodon wrasses, and bipartitis was the one I liked most and my wife liked it, too. #2 on my list was H. iridis, but in the end I decided H. chrysus was a better fit for my smaller tank. One day I'll have an iridis! Pair of pinkies would be great too!

And to think that up until March, I thought wrasses were just uninteresting, well-dressed minnows!

Well technically minnows are freshwater cyprinids.But you’re right, there are plenty of well dressed but boring fish. The Bangaii that I have are a good example. But my wife likes em so they get to stay.

 

[Michael A Kurolvech]

I'm curious have most wrasse owners stopped vacuuming their sandbeds? I've recently added 3 wrasses and I'll probably add 3 more. I don't have issues with either phosphates or nitrates so I'm considering just adding a sandsifting star to my CUC. The more I read on wrassses the more I believe my glass lid should never come off. The main reason I remove the top is to vacuum during water changes. Think I'll just siphon off 10 gallons and replace and see.