Hoeven's Wrasse

OK, so I was considering getting the Hoeven's Wrasse uphoto was selling. The only problem is that I wonder about it and the dusters in my tank. Liveaquaria says it'll pick at nearly any kind of worm, including dusters; I really don't want to give up my dusters though. He says he's never had dusters in the tank, but has never seen the wrasse pick at anything. Would it be a sound move to get the wrasse?

 

same wrasse... different common name
http://www.3reef.com/forums/tropical-fish/melanurus-wrasse-88537-2.html#post893705

 

It's a risk IMO, it's up to you whether you want to take that risk. Fish behavior can vary from individual to individual and from tank to tank. You might be able to lessen the risk by ensuring it stays well fed by feeding small amounts multiple times a day so it doesn't get hungry in the morning and go pecking around the rock for tasty morsels, for example.

 

These halichoeres wrasses are hit or miss on whether they will actually eat the dusters.

My large radiant wrasse won't touch them, and they are supposed to eat dusters. A friends melanurus must be eating his dusters in his 120g because he does not have any in that tank.

 

FWIW..I have 2 halichoeres wrasses in my tank (melanurus and chrysus) and still have every feather duster that was in the tank before them. They haven't touched any shrimp either.

 

I have not heard of any halichoeres wrasses eating ornamental shrimp. Usually when they say "with caution" for reef safeness, it's due to the feather duster thing, and that is it.

 

I've had a few people tell me and also read that they can show aggression and/or eat small ornamental shrimp. Just thought I'd toss it in there.

 

I've been told that too once or twice, but it's never been by anyone that I put my full confidence in.

I also have been told that a melanurus can get to be a bully when full sized, but my friend's melanurus is 7+ inches long and not mean at all.

Then again, fish don't read books, so just like you can have a purple tang that eats acans, you can get a shrimpivore wrasse.

 

half the people that write the books are biologists anyhow, not reefers! haha

 

Yikes, 7+ inches? Aren't they a bit active of a fish to go in a 55 gallon tank at that size?