Halichoeres... show some love

[adamwheel]

My Claudia was gorgeous and grew like a weed but became far more aggressive than my other Halichoeres wrasses. I couldn't even add snails or crabs. He devoured them immediately. Only one case but I will avoid Claudias in the future.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I'm going to be adding sand to my display for the first time in a long time....
Additionally, I will be trying a small Halichoeres wrasse for the first time.
Tank is a 120 gallon, (48x24x24) with minimal rockwork.

I'm bouncing between the H.malanurus, (most likely) and the H.claudia.

Which do you guys suggest for a first time wrasse keeper?

H. claudia is traditionally more aggressive than H. melanurus, though they certainly have individual personalities. Whichever you decide, using a social acclimation box when introducing new wrasses is always a good idea.

 

[maxxII]

H. claudia is traditionally more aggressive than H. melanurus, though they certainly have individual personalities. Whichever you decide, using a social acclimation box when introducing new wrasses is always a good idea.

Would you reccomend adding a Melanurus wrasse last then? There will only be one Halichoeres in this tank.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Would you reccomend adding a Melanurus wrasse last then? There will only be one Halichoeres in this tank.

No, their aggression is limited mostly toward other wrasses.

 

[bat21]

If I added a Halichoeres melanurus, would my hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp stand a chance? Such a beautiful fish, but from what I've read it seems I have to choose between small inverts or a Halichoeres.

 

[eatbreakfast]

If I added a Halichoeres melanurus, would my hermit crabs and cleaner shrimp stand a chance? Such a beautiful fish, but from what I've read it seems I have to choose between small inverts or a Halichoeres.

They are a risk. I have kept Halichoeres with shrimp and cuc without issue, but others have had them decimate their motile inverts.

 

[bat21]

They are a risk. I have kept Halichoeres with shrimp and cuc without issue, but others have had them decimate their motile inverts.

Yeah. I would take the chance, but my wife, who enjoys the tank as often as I do, refuses to let me buy a fish that might force her to witness a murder.

 

[maxxII]

Have Halichoeres wrasses been documented eating/killing Anemone crabs? I've got on that is interesting & neat, but I'm willing to either get him into a new anemone or a new home entirely if needed.

 

[evolved]

My Claudia was gorgeous and grew like a weed but became far more aggressive than my other Halichoeres wrasses. I couldn't even add snails or crabs. He devoured them immediately. Only one case but I will avoid Claudias in the future.

H. claudia is typically quite mild, but H. claudia can be confused with H. ornatissimus, which is rather aggressive. It's important to know where the fish comes from; Hawaii would be H. ornatissimus and elsewhere would be H. claudia.

They are a risk. I have kept Halichoeres with shrimp and cuc without issue, but others have had them decimate their motile inverts.

I've always found them to be preferential. While mine will go after some hermits and snails, some species of hermits and snails are at less risk. Specifically, trochus snails and black hermits.

 

[nirvanaandtool]

Here's my male Melanurus. Awesome fish but extremely curious, snails and hermits beware.

 

[Daniel Machado]

Not the finest pics, but...

Halichoeres poeyi.

Best regards.

Daniel.

 

[yaleforks]

I think a Halichoeres Biocellatus????

 

[DaveRaz]

Put a claudia and melanurus in QT today. I plan to let them rest a week before starting Prazipro.

My concern is the cupramine. I guess we shall see how it goes! Fingers crossed!

They arrived in great shape from Coral Imports. And both were eating New Life Spectrum pellets within minutes after acclimation. Here is a video.

http://vid388.photobucket.com/album...oads/C4D5586B-4029-499A-A391-61A1DA78D6A2.mp4

 

[DaveRaz]

 

[Aquahallic]

nevermind...gotta love google image search.

 

[Cosmojo]

Some stunning fish in here, I have a Melanurus, have had it for about 18 months now, started in a 65, now it's in a 120. I will have to break out the camera.

 

[hogfanreefer]

My Vrolik's Wrasse.

 

[SkullV]

Love my H. cosmetus! One of my favorite fish for the home reef.

 

[maxxII]

I had an H.ornatissimus for about a year. As mentioned, it was aggressive.
I toook him back to the LFS with the intent of trading him on a Vrolik's wrasse, (H.crysotanea). While I was in the store to pick up the Vrolik's, I discovered they had a pair of earmuff wrasses, (H.melasmapomus). I've had the pair for about a week.

The male is approximately 6 inches long and the female is approximately 3 inches long.

Both are doing well and are eating NLS pellets and the usual mix of Hikari Mysis, Spirulina enriched brine shrimp, and Rod's Food.



Female:

Male:



Pics of the male from the store:





Iphone/Ipotato photo of the pair showing size difference:



Beautiful fish, wish there was more information out there about them.

 

[hogfanreefer]

I had an H.ornatissimus for about a year. As mentioned, it was aggressive.
I toook him back to the LFS with the intent of trading him on a Vrolik's wrasse, (H.crysotanea). While I was in the store to pick up the Vrolik's, I discovered they had a pair of earmuff wrasses, (H.melasmapomus). I've had the pair for about a week.

The male is approximately 6 inches long and the female is approximately 3 inches long.

Both are doing well and are eating NLS pellets and the usual mix of Hikari Mysis, Spirulina enriched brine shrimp, and Rod's Food.



Beautiful fish, wish there was more information out there about them.

Beautiful! I've had my Ear Muff a few months and it's one of my favorites. Mine is eating pretty much anything I feed except for nori.

And this is my H. biocellatus when he was in QT.