All About Reef Safe Wrasses

Yeah I read it. Congrats on your research and effort btw I thought it was very good. I was just curious if you had any thoughts on them. I know they aren't reef safe, but that is why you said you didn't write about them.

 

Nothing more besides they don't really belong in a reef tank. And ALL wrasse are jumpers, so no shock there.

Beyond that, all my experience and effort goes into reef-related wrasses.

 

Thanks. I haven't had a wrasse in a while, but every wrasse i have ever gotten jumped eventually. We made a egg crate cover for the back of the hood, but they always seemed to find a way out some way or another.

 

Need your help again Evolved. I have a 28 gal nano and I would like to get a flasher wrasse for it. First question is to make sure it will do well in the 28. Many of the flasher's are listed as 30 gal. minimum. I see that many keep them in "larger" nano's, but just wanted your thoughts on that.

Second, assuming they will do ok, the LFS has a female/juvenile that I was hoping you could help ID. It is listed as a Filamented, but looks like a few species to my untrained eye. Sorry for the quality of the picture; it did not want to stay still of course!

 

From what I can see, filamented appears correct on that. I'd need to see the dorsal and caudal fin to be sure however.

That aside, I disagree with the "minimum tank size" requirements for flashers. Here's the thing: it's not the volume which limits them, it's the lateral swimming space. I wouldn't keep one in a tank less than 3 feet in length. They need that length to really swim comfortably and do their thing. I'm sure they can be survivable in 30g cubes, but you're going to watch them swim frantic circles around the tank from time to time. Something I would not be comfortable with.

 

you are the man thanks for the answer on my other tread ;D

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/look-what-i-got-d-139828-3.html#post1408173

 

Thank you for the immediate response! That is basically what I thought on tank size. As much as I would love to have one in there, I think I will look into other fish. I suppose a pygmy wrasse would still be an option though.

 

Hey evolved, first off thanks for the writeup and all the help you have given me in the past helping persuade me away from inappropriate choices! As much as I would love a leopard wrasse or the ornate christmas wrasse I have to agree with you in a 46gallon not being large enough.

So to the next option, a lfs just got in some Melanurus wrasse. My tank is covered with a glass lid to prevent escape (hopefully it wouldn't knock himself out from jumping into it??) and tankmates would be 2 occie clowns, a small flame angel, and a small blue hippo. A wrasse would prob be my last addition as the 5th fish.

Would a Melanurus be appropriate for my aquarium? Feeding Rods, mysis, or NLS daily. I see pods on the morning but the tank isnt exactly crawling with them. I do have qutie a few larger snails and hermits as a CUC that I would like to be left alone but no shrimp. Also have the common featherdusters that I like but wouldn't be devastated about losing. Main goal is to have a fish that will help stir up the sandbed better than the CUC and one that might eat baby ceriths and bristleworms to help keep their numbers in check.

 

As with any Halichoeres, losing an occasional snail and/or hermit is generally the cost of ownership. A melanurus is likely to go after those guys on occasion.

What are the dimensions of the tank? The volume is on the boarderline, but if the tank is 4' in length I would be comfortable with this.

The glass top cover should be fine. Tankmates are also fine (sans the tank not really being appropriate for a hippo). Feeding sounds appropriate as well.