Wrasse Question

[thecommentr86]

Hey Guys I have a melanarrius wrasse that seems to have developed a taste for cleaner shrimp and I don’t know why. The tank is a 55 gallon. I had a flame hawk originally which ended up eating all my shrimp and it took him around 3 months before he went insane and ate basically every single invert I had other than hermit crabs overnight. Before this he was peaceful and I bought him in a tank where he was housed with other shrimp. I ended up giving the flame hawk back to the LFS. I’m unsure if during this the wrasse delveoped a taste for cleaner shrimp as before this he never attacked them. In the tank I currently have 2 fire shrimp and a crab which the wrasse never bothers but if I put a cleaner shrimp in he waits for it to molt and attacks it I assume while he leaves the fire shrimp and crab alone. Is this normal behaviour for one of these wrasses. Should I get a fairy wrasse instead or just not get cleaner shrimp. Kinda upset because I look the little dance they do.

 

[lapin]

Every fish is different. Its a hit or miss with what they like for dinner.

 

[homer1475]

One caution with melanarus, they often times decimate an invert population.