Halichoeres melanurus(Pictures added 12-3)

I finally purchased a wrasse after waiting for several months! My wife bought me a Halichoeres melanurus for my birthday. I am 99% sure it is a male, pictures to follow

 

Great fish. I love mine.

 

I really wanted a fish that would be helpful in pest control for the reef and even keep the helpful guys numbers in check. Figured between him and a six line would be the two best options and when it comes to looks the melanurus wins hands down.

 

Yeah mine is 5 inches, only my black tang is bigger than him, and he shows no aggressiveness. Might eat a hermit or dozen, but I have added a small cleaner shrimp and he left it alone.

 

Awesome fish! happy birthday!

I love mine too. they will help with pests, but like mentioned above, they will take out a few snails or crabs given the chance. That is why they are catergorized as "with caution" for a reef.

 

nice add! loved mine, he's only eaten a few crabs

 

The males get crazy colorful when displaying for females before they spawn. The purple nearly glows. Pretty fish!

 

Well he was released after about an hour of drip acclimation. I had to kind of accelerate it because I was going out, was kind of nervous because the store water was 1.021 and mine is 1.026!! I was kind of surprised he didnt dive for the sand right away, all the other fish came to great and show off and he just swam with them unphased until they lost interest. Then had to leave and by the time I came home he is nowhere to be seen (lights out) so Im thinking he dove into the sand somewhere.

I dont mind losing a snail or crab here and there, worth it IMO. I wont have any females for him to display to so I guess I will never see the crazy coloration but pretty fish none the less.

Will post pictures in the next few days after he is acclimated and I get time

 

Well he hid in the sand for the first night as expected but was out before the lights even came out. Spent the whole day out and bonding with the flame angel as she seems to follow him around picking at the rock work like he knows the best spots to graze or something. Was able to try and snap a few pictures, bad quality the damn guy is fast and seems to know where I am and stay on the other side of the reef.



This one was with flash by accident