Help with Melanurus wrasse

A

ajreefer721

New member
Ever since I lost my six line wrasse I've been looking into other wrasses. I want a Melanurus (hoevens). In the pics below you can clearly see a difference in the two, and they are both considered Melanurus (per Google) What is the difference if any? I see these two variations in all my searches. Is one male or female? Or a different species all together?
d243947cf27979dc49211b3a2859cce6.jpg
36909523498d92cf025c5cb3a032dcbf.jpg





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are these reef safe in your opinion? I have heard 50/50 on them. my LFS has some but have been afraid to pull the trigger? Would they also be copepod eaters? I have 2 mandarins in the tank so I avoid the wrasses who are known copepod eaters like leopards.
 
steallife904 said:
are these reef safe in your opinion? I have heard 50/50 on them. my LFS has some but have been afraid to pull the trigger? Would they also be copepod eaters? I have 2 mandarins in the tank so I avoid the wrasses who are known copepod eaters like leopards.
Click to expand...

I think they are definitely pod eaters and will compete with the mandarins, mine is constantly picking at the rocks and eating aceol flatworms and pods. As far as reef safe the only issue I have is with snails, he will peck at them and if he can pick them up and carry them around for a bit.
 
Mines doesn't nip at any corals, but will pick up snails and bash them against rocks to break the shell. Cool thing to watch, but tired of buying snails.
 
steallife904 said:
are these reef safe in your opinion? I have heard 50/50 on them. my LFS has some but have been afraid to pull the trigger? Would they also be copepod eaters? I have 2 mandarins in the tank so I avoid the wrasses who are known copepod eaters like leopards.
Click to expand...

Mine had to be moved to my display refugium temporarily because of a algae outbreak in the Dt. Since he harassed snails, i just moved him over there. He does eat pods, but is more interested in frozen, flake, and pellet food. If you have a fuge right now and are cultivating pods, i don't see a problem with adding one. If you don't have a fuge and are adding pods to the dt for the mandarins, might starve the mandarins if you add one.
 
Mine doesn't go after any of my snails, cleaner or fire shrimp that were already there before I added him, but did eat some Peppermints I put in after to take care of some Aptasia. He picks at the rocks all day so is definitely competition for Mandarin. He's the most active fish in my tank exploring every nook and cranny.
 
I love mine, model citizen. He is quick as a torpedo! A bit violent when he is going for food and has a tendency to spook some other fish at first but after everyone else knows theirs food there is no issue.

Fun to watch, always wandering around, never bothered and LPS or SPS or the Green Sinularia I have, but cant vouch for him when it comes to polyps though....
 
I've never heard of a Melanurus eating corals, they just eat the ornamental inverts, so they aren't considered reef safe. In my experience if you buy a juvenile it'll turn super male coloration with time.
 
Great fish. Will destroy shrimp. And get ready to occasionally have it go insane and constantly flash at its reflection and get sand everywhere. Everywhere!!!!

But I LOVE these fish. If I didn't already have a wrasse (mystery) I'd have another.
 
I'm heading to a LFS tomorrow to check some out. I already called and they have a few in stock. I'm super excited


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Funny thing is I had a Chrysus first and he would flash at his re-election all day then when I added the Melanurus the flashing stopped. They get along great except when my white lights turn off then the Melanurus gets a little territorial towards the Chrysus till the blue lights turn off and they bury themselves.

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