wrasses plus shrimp

[Chefbill]

When it says a wrasse may not be safe with small, ornamental shrimp...which are the talking about? Sexy shrimp? coral banded? peppermints and camel?
Specifically, my tank has a dusky, Hoven's, McCosker's and a yellow coris wrasse. Is any shrimp safe? I have a coral banded in my sump from my 29g, I was worried about the fish though in this case, the shrimp getting a sand sleeping wrasse. I like the look of blood and fire shrimp too. Too much to pay for fish food, but if a full grown speciman would be safe, I'd be pleased.

 

[bevans116]

I have a large hovens wrasse with peppermint shrimp, a fire shrimp, skunk cleaner shrimp and never had a problem.

 

[evolved]

When it says a wrasse may not be safe with small, ornamental shrimp...which are the talking about? Sexy shrimp? coral banded? peppermints and camel?
Specifically, my tank has a dusky, Hoven's, McCosker's and a yellow coris wrasse. Is any shrimp safe? I have a coral banded in my sump from my 29g, I was worried about the fish though in this case, the shrimp getting a sand sleeping wrasse. I like the look of blood and fire shrimp too. Too much to pay for fish food, but if a full grown speciman would be safe, I'd be pleased.

It's the Halichoeres species you have there which present some risk. I would almost promise sexy shrimp will be tasty treats. Everything bigger should be safe, but occasionally some specimens of Halichoeres will go after cleaners/fire shrimp and the like (you can improve your odds by added them once the lights are off and the fish is in the sand). Coral banded I wouldn't much worry about.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Of the three Halichoeres species you mentioned I would rank their trustworthiness this way:

Safest- yellow coris. I have never had this species go after Lysmata shrimp or larger.

2nd- melanurus/hoevens I have never had one go after Lysmata shrimp, though others have reported established males going after small cleaner shrimp.

3rd dusky wrasse. These get larger than the previous 2, so are capable of taking down larger prey, though well fed fish are much less likely to hunt than fish fed less frequently.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I had one that got along with a cleaner shrimp for a about 6 months until one day it got sick of its antics and beat it on a rock and then swam away to eat pods and look at its reflection.