The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[CoralWealth]

I usually use freshly hatched brine shrimp to get picky wrasses eating. Another food that I find very effective is Fauna Marin Ocean Plankton.

Hmm, I could make some fresh live brine shrimp as I do have that fish hatchery that I havent used yet.

 

[Rybren]

My Yellow Tail Tamarin would only eat pods at first. Once I started feeding BBS and the Ocean Plankton, it started picking them out of the water column and very quickly thereafter started eating everything I put in the tank.

 

[CoralWealth]

My Yellow Tail Tamarin would only eat pods at first. Once I started feeding BBS and the Ocean Plankton, it started picking them out of the water column and very quickly thereafter started eating everything I put in the tank.

Thats a good idea, I will set that up at lunch and hopefully will have some babies to feed by tomorrow. I forget how long it takes, havent used it in over 4 years haha

 

[HairyGary]

Thats a good idea, I will set that up at lunch and hopefully will have some babies to feed by tomorrow. I forget how long it takes, havent used it in over 4 years haha

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck!

 

[MichaelClark55]

Here's just one danger of common names:
"Bluehead fairy wrasse" probably means Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura in the US. A reasonable reef-safe option that does not need sand, as Cirrhilabrus do not bury.
"Bluehead wrasse" probably means Thalassoma bifasciatum in the US. A terror of a species not well suited for a reef tank, and does need sand, as Thalassoma do bury.

You're probably seeing conflicting information as you're not reading about the same species in all places.

Can I add a Male Christmas Wrasse (2-2.5") with 3.4" Male Melanurus?

 

[evolved]

Male Christmas Wrasse

Yet another good example of why common names can be terrible. What species do you mean? That common name can apply to at least 5 different species...

 

[MichaelClark55]

Yet another good example of why common names can be terrible. What species do you mean? That common name can apply to at least 5 different species...

Sorry, I was bing lazy! I am sure I have Halichoeres melanurus the one I want to add I think by seeing it in person is a Halichoeres ornatissumus but it's at LFS and I am going on sight alone. My Melanurus has had a broken jaw for over a month now. He eats ok by gliding into the food so I don't think he could be aggressive even if he wanted to.

 

[evolved]

Sorry, I was bing lazy! I am sure I have Halichoeres melanurus the one I want to add I think by seeing it in person is a Halichoeres ornatissumus but it's at LFS and I am going on sight alone. My Melanurus has had a broken jaw for over a month now. He eats ok by gliding into the food so I don't think he could be aggressive even if he wanted to.

H. ornatissimus is usually rather aggressive - I'd definitely avoid it.
If you had a chance at H. claudia or especially H. biocellatus (the other two common "Christmas" Halichoeres), the chance of success would be higher.

 

[Mortie31]

It is in a big acclimation box in my display tank so it is separated from all the other fish and has no aggression which makes me even more nervous

Vivienne wrasse need a sand bed it’s probably as stressed as hell being stuck in an acclimation box, which will only add to it not eating, id let it loose in your display as it will likely die anyway if you don’t do something...

 

[MichaelClark55]

Thanks Hunter, that is what I was afraid of. I will try and confirm for sure which species it is.

 

[MichaelClark55]

H. ornatissimus is usually rather aggressive - I'd definitely avoid it.
If you had a chance at H. claudia or especially H. biocellatus (the other two common "Christmas" Halichoeres), the chance of success would be higher.

Just confirmed it's a Halichoeres claudia

 

[evolved]

Just confirmed it's a Halichoeres claudia

Sometimes it's easier to determine based on where it came from.
Hawaii = ornatissimus
Elsewhere (usually Fiji) = claudia

 

[CoralWealth]

Vivienne wrasse need a sand bed it’s probably as stressed as hell being stuck in an acclimation box, which will only add to it not eating, id let it loose in your display as it will likely die anyway if you don’t do something...

It has been released since Saturday, I did have sand in the acclimation box for him. He is swimming around great and picking at rocks, etc but still wont eat any food that I feed to the tank.

 

[Rybren]

It has been released since Saturday, I did have sand in the acclimation box for him. He is swimming around great and picking at rocks, etc but still wont eat any food that I feed to the tank.

Is it not going after the Baby Brine? Did you try the Ocean Plankton? If you can find them, live or frozen black worms might work.

 

[CoralWealth]

Is it not going after the Baby Brine? Did you try the Ocean Plankton? If you can find them, live or frozen black worms might work.

Didnt go after it at all, I know it is eating the pods off the rock and sand now but that isnt enough. Still looks really healthy and not skinny at all so I am not that worried yet however I want it to start eating frozen/flakes as soon as possible. I thought maybe it would since everything else goes crazy when I feed the tank but it just swims past everything.

 

[Mortie31]

It has been released since Saturday, I did have sand in the acclimation box for him. He is swimming around great and picking at rocks, etc but still wont eat any food that I feed to the tank.

Sorry I missed you saying he’d been released, have you tried cyclopese?

 

[CoralWealth]

Sorry I missed you saying he’d been released, have you tried cyclopese?

No I havent, I could try that though.

 

[Bars]

I picked up a blue flasher wrasse earlier today. No space for a QT tank unfortunately, so I added him to the display tank after about 45 minutes drip acclimating.

First problem: his mouth got stuck in the net while getting him out of the bag. Managed to get him loose and he seemed alright. Took about 20 minutes, so I can imagine it has been pretty stressful for the little dude. Unexpectedly had to go immediately after releasing him, so I couldn't keep an eye on him.

Now a second concern right away. I just got home and found him laying on his side on the sandbed. He moved when I checked to see if he was alive, went back to laying down a minute after. Didn't eat either, but I'm not too worried about that yet.

Any thoughts? No one's bothering him, but I am worried my CUC will go at him tonight.

 

[HairyGary]

I picked up a blue flasher wrasse earlier today. No space for a QT tank unfortunately, so I added him to the display tank after about 45 minutes drip acclimating.

First problem: his mouth got stuck in the net while getting him out of the bag. Managed to get him loose and he seemed alright. Took about 20 minutes, so I can imagine it has been pretty stressful for the little dude. Unexpectedly had to go immediately after releasing him, so I couldn't keep an eye on him.

Now a second concern right away. I just got home and found him laying on his side on the sandbed. He moved when I checked to see if he was alive, went back to laying down a minute after. Didn't eat either, but I'm not too worried about that yet.

Any thoughts? No one's bothering him, but I am worried my CUC will go at him tonight.

Appears to be very stressed for the most part. Just keep an eye on him for now.

 

[Bars]

Appears to be very stressed for the most part. Just keep an eye on him for now.

Should I move him to the sump for now so he won't be bothered by anyone? Or better to just let him be?