Indigo or shy Hamlet?

[El Langostino]

Just wondering if anyone has one of these or has known someone else who has? What are these fish like in a reef? Safe with corals, small fish and crustaceans?

http://www.etropicals.com/product/scateg.cfm?siteid=41&pCatId=1220

Here's the link where I saw them for sale, which advertises them as reef safe....but you never know with anything affiliated with foster and smith, always trying to make a sale and such.

 

[El Langostino]

Anybody Know anything of these fishes? In various pictures I've seen, the mouths do look quite large even for a relatively small fish, but then again they are groupers.

 

[eleodes]

i saw a shy hamlet in the LFS just last week. it was a very nice looking fish. i have no experience keeping them.

 

[Jiggz]

i had an indigo hamlet a few months ago. it was a great looking fish, but it was really shy. it hid a lot n only came out when it was feeding time, it ate silver siders. it didnt touch any of my corals (LPS) but it did eat most if not all of my shrimps. it ate 3 skunk cleaners, 3 fire shrimps, and 2peppermint shrimps. it died due to ich, i want to get another one but can find it anywhere and i added more shrimp into my tank so i dont know if im willing to lose them again.

 

[Grouperhead]

Hamlets are cool little fish. They are predators however, so they may not be the best choice for your reef. They are shy and retiring by nature, but after they get acclimated and comfortable, they'll be out more and more. If you don't have any small fish or shrimp, it will be fine in your reef. But, I wouldn't risk it with anything small enough to fit in it's mouth.

 

[Thurge]

Its in the same household as Groupers and such. If it can eat it it will

 

[55gSW]

Your question was answered on the fact sheet from Fosters and Smith. Note the last line.....


"A wonderful addition to your marine aquarium, Hamlets are very interesting, beautiful fish naturally found in the rocky reefs and shallow water of the western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Hamlets will not harm live corals or sessile invertebrates, but they will consume small fish and crustaceans."

 

[El Langostino]

Fair enough, and I actually did read that. However, as always, I just enjoy reading the opinions and real life experiences of actual people, rather than just one line from an online vendor.