Help me pick a wrasse!
- Thread starter dixiedog
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dixiedog
New member
I like the mystery a lot! A little more expensive and a little more likely to be aggressive, though, from what I've read.
But, more importantly, my wife has cast her vote for H. melanurus/chrysotaenia, and she tends to get what she wants around here for some reason.
hey well it is a nice hobby to share with your chica. my gf wasnt super excited about the mystery wrasse but somehow she grew to really enjoy it. i had gotten mine (on sale) for about 55 bucks, it was well worth the money too and i wish i had kept it safer.. there has only been about three fish i have been totally captivated by at the lfs and those are the mystery wrasse, dragonette and a blue spotted toby puffer. one jumped out of the water to its death, one ive never purchased because of its eating habits and the last i had to return because i wanted to keep coral which it loved to eat.. i just wish i had a small ocean big enough to house them allllll
dixiedog
New member
Dang! :lmao:
Yeah it stinks to lose fish to jumping. No more of that for me. I made a mesh top using the 1/4" netting that BRS sells, then sprayed the netting with black Krylon to make it 'disappear' as much as possible. Since I have no wires going over the rim into the tank, it looks super sleek and clean, and is 100% escape proof.
evolved
Wrasse Nut
The fact of the matter is, the scientific classification is such that it is not a separate species. The specimen in your photo exhibits the classic markings of a melanurus; the red stripe which bifurcates through the eye, the pattern on the caudal and anal fins, the vertical "bars" with break the pattern along the body, and even the yellow coloration at the base of the pectoral fins.
Personally, I think it's possible what was originally labeled as a "vroliks", was just a melanurus during a female-male transition.
That is certainly a male, yes. Wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites; they begin life as female and transition to male as space and the environment require. A harem will only have one terminal male, but there are often other sub-males (transitional males) in the mix waiting to take his place. If not, yes, the alpha female will begin the transition. Terminal male status is just that; terminal. Reversal to female is possible, but not typical, during the transitional male phase, but not once the transition is complete.
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dixiedog
New member
You certainly know your wrasses, don't you Evolved??
I'm on board with you on the species thing. I became convinced when I saw that Fishbase automatically redirects you straight to H. melanurus when you search for H. chrysotaenia. Sorry if I doubted you at first, it won't happen again!
I'm on board with you on the species thing. I became convinced when I saw that Fishbase automatically redirects you straight to H. melanurus when you search for H. chrysotaenia. Sorry if I doubted you at first, it won't happen again!
evolved
Wrasse Nut
No worries at all; just a passionate, committed hobbyist here. :thumbsup:You certainly know your wrasses, don't you Evolved??
I'm on board with you on the species thing. I became convinced when I saw that Fishbase automatically redirects you straight to H. melanurus when you search for H. chrysotaenia. Sorry if I doubted you at first, it won't happen again!
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