Flasher Wrasse Diet

[EllieSuz]

I'd like a Flasher Wrasse to be the next addition to my 60. Research indicates that they eat a variety of foods out of the water column, but I want to know if they also hunt copepods, like other Wrasses. I don't want to add anything that competes with the Mandarin for pods. If you have Flashers, have you ever noticed them picking at the rocks? Thanks.

 

[wrasseguy2]

you will be fine with a flasher..what other fish do u have? i feed my flasher mysis, pellets, a frozen mix and cyclopezee..i never see mine eat pods of the rocks

 

[EllieSuz]

I have a Flame Angel, Starry Blenny, Yellow Clown Goby, Oscellaris Clown and a Green Mandarin. I think owning a couple of Flashers will just be the beautiful finish to my livestock list. One more question: I never see any females for sale at such places as LiveAquaria, etc. Are they ever available? I would be open to any of the Flashers: McCoskers, Carpenter's, etc. Thanks, WrasseGuy, for your quick response. Just what I wanted to hear.

 

[twiggyb]

I have a McCosker and I can never find females for him either. Flasher's don't normally eat copepods so you should be fine, mine never picks at the rocks and I have a mandarin also. beautiful fish, he hangs out with my clowns. Wish I had a harem for him though

 

[mulbroc]

flasher wrasses are hermaphrodites once a female is seperated from the male they become males in time.

 

[wrasseguy2]

females are for sale in the DD as well as other places..also you will need a top on the tank eggcrate will not work..i use 1/4 holes in some bird netting that i got at home depot and it works great..there are quite a few other people that use this type of top as well

 

[EllieSuz]

Yes, I have a 1/4" mesh top on my tank.

 

[wrasseguy2]

thats what i am talking about

 

[phuzzykins]

I occasionally see my McCosker's flasher wrasse picking at pods (I have more isopods than amphipods or copepods) on the rocks, but never my filamented flasher wrasse. I wouldn't say that it's an active hunter, but it does pick at them if it sees them.

 

[Elysia]

Fish roe is a great food to add to your wrasse's diet -- something that they would normally eat in the wild. My fairy wrasses love it. They also love live black worms and mosquito larvae (when the weather is appropriate for it.)

 

[EllieSuz]

Well, I got a McCosker's and he's an appetite wrapped in fins. He eats frozen mysis and fortified brine, Spectrum pellets and flakes. He hid in the rock for a few days, but now he's out in the water column and doing great. Thanks for the good advice. I'm getting two juveniles to become females. The question is, if I quarantine them for four weeks, will one of them already start to change to male? What's the typical length of time for a juvenile to become male? By the way, I watched him try to jump the first day he was in the tank and he bounced off the mesh cover.