Help me choose a wrasse

[jfourn83]

Been having a problem keeping zoas so I started really looking at the tank .... Notice a ton of those little snails that look like turbos and I did notice pyramid snails and so many of those Dam little starfish..... So with that said I'm looking for a reef safe wrasse that will be housed with clams and shrimp

 

[jfourn83]

Oh yea no 6 line

 

[mchartier]

melanurus wrasses, also like the radiant wrasses. I've had melanurus wrasse in both tanks with cleaner shrimp with no issue but there are people that have had them take ou shrimp. I have seen mine knock snails off th glass then hover over them, never seen it eat any of them.

 

[THE WOOKIE]

i have a radiant wrasse and and he is awsome, always cruising the tank and darting in and out of rocks. he steers clear of my maxima and has never touched a hermit or any other part of my clean up crew. you may want to look into a harlequin shrimp to get rid of those pesky astrena starfish or whatever they are called

 

[Moe_K]

Been having a problem keeping zoas so I started really looking at the tank .... Notice a ton of those little snails that look like turbos and I did notice pyramid snails and so many of those Dam little starfish..... So with that said I'm looking for a reef safe wrasse that will be housed with clams and shrimp

Hmm. How big a tank?
If you've got at least a 30 gal tank, you could use the yellow coris wrasse. A little bigger fish (needing a little bigger tank) could go with the green coris wrasse.
Both will probably eat the snails, but may eat little shrimp as well.

 

[jfourn83]

Sorry 180 gallon

 

[jfourn83]

What about a melanurus??

 

[THE WOOKIE]

leopard wrasse....... just because they look cool

 

[Moe_K]

What about a melanurus??

Similar to yellow coris. My buddy Gustavo had one and he didn't like it. Too aggressive, he thought.
I had two yellow coris and liked them. They did hunt hermits and maybe turbo snails, though.

 

[niftyjosh]

Juvi Dusky
Juvi Melanarus
Juvi Pink-belly
......mostly any Halichoeres but those are my top 3.

Dusky and Pink-belly will destroy the small snails, any worm, nudi, and many other coral eating pests.

Juvi's tend to rely less on daily feedings and more on grazing so I would pick them over an adult.

My favorite...

(pic credit to QM)

Have grown several from juvi to adult...awesome personable wrasse.

 

[Moe_K]

leopard wrasse....... just because they look cool

I doubt they'd help w/ the snail issue.

 

[niftyjosh]

I doubt they'd help w/ the snail issue.

Actually, and my mind is blown that I'm agreeing with Wookie, they are excellent in pest control but have an abysmal survival rate and would only recommend them to people who have had a stable system for 2+ years with minimal invert grazers.


My 2 year old female. Even though she mows mysis, I need to add live pods from my Fuge weekly or she gets on the lean side.

 

[jfourn83]

Juvi Dusky
Juvi Melanarus
Juvi Pink-belly
......mostly any Halichoeres but those are my top 3.

Dusky and Pink-belly will destroy the small snails, any worm, nudi, and many other coral eating pests.

Juvi's tend to rely less on daily feedings and more on grazing so I would pick them over an adult.

My favorite...

(pic credit to QM)

Have grown several from juvi to adult...awesome personable wrasse.

Josh what wrasse is in that pic?

 

[niftyjosh]

Adult Dusky

 

[mchartier]

Also note most of these need a sandbed, preferably deep the 1.5". Some have used a Tupperware container full of sand if they are in bare bottom tanks.

 

[dz6t]

I have a large Melanarus wrasse and I have a bare bottom tank. It sleeps behind rocks every night. So you don't have to have a sand bed.

 

[jfourn83]

Also note most of these need a sandbed, preferably deep the 1.5". Some have used a Tupperware container full of sand if they are in bare bottom tanks.

Thanks matt

 

[THE WOOKIE]

Actually, and my mind is blown that I'm agreeing with Wookie, they are excellent in pest control but have an abysmal survival rate and would only recommend them to people who have had a stable system for 2+ years with minimal invert grazers.

View attachment 82162
My 2 year old female. Even though she mows mysis, I need to add live pods from my Fuge weekly or she gets on the lean side.

im on the hunt for one in RI right now. heard that sea creatures has one

 

[jamesdong009]

I have a melanurus wrasse in my display and frag tank and both have been doing well with hermits and snails. Not sure about shrimp, crabs, and clams though as I don't have any. One likes to swim with my foxface while the other with my kole tang.