The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[OrchidMiss]

Do you guys ever get bummed out or sad when you think about your fish, like thinking about how this pretty creature shouldn’t be in my tank and should be in nature?Especially when it comes to wrasses, where all of them (with few exceptions like cleaner wrasses) are not captive bred and are collected from the wild.

I sometimes get this “moral crisis” from time to time, and am curious if others ever feel the same way.

I try and make myself feel better about it by thinking about how their life is much easier in my care. All the food they could ever want or need, no need to be constantly concerned about predators, the ability to more or less “chill” and not have to worry about the usual dangers and struggles with life in nature, and so on. I also like to try and think that they were already collected, and me caring for them saves them from being stuck in some fish store or neglected.

Sorry for the random “downer” post, but I was just thinking about it last night and wanted to ask if anyone else ever feels the same.

You're certainly not alone.
I was actually thinking something along these lines when I put the ribbon eel in my 110 yesterday.
Especially, since they can be tough to get eating in the home aquarium.
Then, God forbid someone jumps, or doesn't eat and dies - I feel like I failed the fish. Definitely not alone.

 

[JoJosReef]

Do you guys ever get bummed out or sad when you think about your fish, like thinking about how this pretty creature shouldn’t be in my tank and should be in nature?Especially when it comes to wrasses, where all of them (with few exceptions like cleaner wrasses) are not captive bred and are collected from the wild.

I sometimes get this “moral crisis” from time to time, and am curious if others ever feel the same way.

I try and make myself feel better about it by thinking about how their life is much easier in my care. All the food they could ever want or need, no need to be constantly concerned about predators, the ability to more or less “chill” and not have to worry about the usual dangers and struggles with life in nature, and so on. I also like to try and think that they were already collected, and me caring for them saves them from being stuck in some fish store or neglected.

Sorry for the random “downer” post, but I was just thinking about it last night and wanted to ask if anyone else ever feels the same.

Yes and no. Yes, because I'm like, "there you are swimming in N gallons with the same scenery every day.

Then my M. bipartitis comes right up to the glass and stares at me, and I think, "Nope! You're right where you belong. Here, have a shot of freshly hatched baby brine!"

Edit: sure, there's also plenty of baby brine and other stuff in the ocean, just mean that I will take as good care of her as possible and make sure she's fat and happy.

 

[Slocke]

You're certainly not alone.
I was actually thinking something along these lines when I put the ribbon eel in my 110 yesterday.
Especially, since they can be tough to get eating in the home aquarium.
Then, God forbid someone jumps, or doesn't eat and dies - I feel like I failed the fish. Definitely not alone.

Second this. I feel bad getting my Soapfish too. Especially as I’m traveling soon and I can’t get it to eat anything except guppies

 

[Slocke]

My LFS had fat and eating A Twistii and A cearulepunctatus but I’m leaving soon. Worst of all they had the right sized tusks for my tank. Ah well

Am I right that this is a yellowfin flasher?

And what cleaner are these?

 

[SaltyT]

My LFS had fat and eating A Twistii and A cearulepunctatus but I’m leaving soon. Worst of all they had the right sized tusks for my tank. Ah well

Am I right that this is a yellowfin flasher?

And what cleaner are these?

Yep, that's a yellowfin flasher... and those are bicolors - nice looking ones!

 

[i cant think]

Why is it we don’t see any of the more ‘common’ wrasses? I mean carpenteri was once a common wrasse everyone had seen or owned (LFSs had like 5-10 males quite frequently). Now instead we see Mccoskeri and other rarer flashers more often - I mean I’ve not seen a Carpenters in years but then my young male appeared (who is absolutely flashing and settled).

 

[Slocke]

Why is it we don’t see any of the more ‘common’ wrasses? I mean carpenteri was once a common wrasse everyone had seen or owned (LFSs had like 5-10 males quite frequently). Now instead we see Mccoskeri and other rarer flashers more often - I mean I’ve not seen a Carpenters in years but then my young male appeared (who is absolutely flashing and settled).

My LFS was sure that was a carpenters but I was sure it was a yellowfin. Thus why I asked.

 

[Slocke]

Also I collected a few bristleworms and tossed them in the predator. My fish quickly learned not to touch them except the dragon who just loves them. I wonder if that’s why it flips the rocks. Assuming bristleworms are as common in the wild.

 

[i cant think]

Do you guys ever get bummed out or sad when you think about your fish, like thinking about how this pretty creature shouldn’t be in my tank and should be in nature?Especially when it comes to wrasses, where all of them (with few exceptions like cleaner wrasses) are not captive bred and are collected from the wild.

I sometimes get this “moral crisis” from time to time, and am curious if others ever feel the same way.

I try and make myself feel better about it by thinking about how their life is much easier in my care. All the food they could ever want or need, no need to be constantly concerned about predators, the ability to more or less “chill” and not have to worry about the usual dangers and struggles with life in nature, and so on. I also like to try and think that they were already collected, and me caring for them saves them from being stuck in some fish store or neglected.

Sorry for the random “downer” post, but I was just thinking about it last night and wanted to ask if anyone else ever feels the same.

Honestly, I do and I don’t. I don’t personally think we will ever see every fish captive bred but there are plenty of fish I find deserve to be out there more than in tanks. Species from surge zones are definitely some that cross my mind as wanting to be in the ocean (then, like above I see how playful they are and that likely wouldn’t survive in the wild).

 

[SaltyT]

Why is it we don’t see any of the more ‘common’ wrasses? I mean carpenteri was once a common wrasse everyone had seen or owned (LFSs had like 5-10 males quite frequently). Now instead we see Mccoskeri and other rarer flashers more often - I mean I’ve not seen a Carpenters in years but then my young male appeared (who is absolutely flashing and settled).

My LFS was sure that was a carpenters but I was sure it was a yellowfin. Thus why I asked.

My LFS has Carpenters, McCoskers, and Yellowfins mixed together and they sell them as "flashers" because they can't tell the difference lol Occasionally they get blue and eight line flashers... rarely linespots.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Would look so pretty with the bad guys...

 

[i cant think]

Would look so pretty with the bad guys...

All I see there is a photo of beautiful fish that would destroy my stocking haha

 

[OrchidMiss]

Lots of new wrasses at my lfs today

 

[Slocke]

Would look so pretty with the bad guys...

Thalassoma quinquevittatum !

 

[OrchidMiss]

Well..... I wasn't gonna buy a fish today..

Into the 110?

 

[JoJosReef]

Thalassoma quinquevittatum !

Please attach an audible for that.

 

[Slocke]

Quin (as in the mighty) que (like way but quay) vit (as in vitamins but only the English pronounciation) tat (as in tattoo) um (as in IDK)

Quin-que-vit-tat-um

 

[OrchidMiss]

Please attach an audible for that.

You missed the post where I had everyone spell them phoenetically?

 

[zoomonster]

Well, I guess my "2-3 Red Coris Wrasse: Juvenile is a little older than I thought. It's been eating like a hog, growing rapidly and I think it's starting to morph. Could be wrong but starting to see blue at base of tail and edges of fins. I never really have found a clear answer on the morph age/time?? Consensus from reading various sources was about 2 years.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I did it..