lepard vs melanurus wrasse - which one?

[malawinovice]

75 mixed reef

2 oc clowns
1 purple dottyback

will add a flame angel,

I had a lepard wrasse before, but power outage and he no more.
I really had a tough mental battle searching for him each day and wondering if he was okay.

Is a melanurus pretty enough without the difficult nature of the lepards?

thanks

 

[Ralph ATL]

yes, as are many Halichoeres! Great choice! Males especially.

 

[AquaticFins]

Absolutely. I couldn't recommend the Melanurus more - far more durable.

 

[malawinovice]

Can I stock more than one species of halichoeres?

Could I later add a yellow coris wrasse?

 

[Ralph ATL]

Yes, but no guarrentees. Look at my current tank on bottom of post.

 

[anbosu]

Do they sell the melanurus anywhere online?

 

[Ralph ATL]

LiveAquaria and Bluezoo

 

[skanderson]

in my 300 i have a 4" melanurus wrasse, a 3" yellow wrasse, and a 5" christmas wrasse. they all get along perfectly well. if you have the space i would consider getting a few juveniles and try to raise them. this will increase your chance of getting a male to become a terminal male.

 

[DJPB]

1 more vote for melanurus, awesome fish!

 

[malawinovice]

i thought the wrasse, as a single fish in the tank, would become a male?

 

[rgentry123]

which leopard in particular are you thinking about? i have 2 and personally would have another reef without one. that being said they are extremely difficult fish to keep and if you have never tried a difficult fish or finicky eater before it may not be the best choice and the relatively hardier melanarus would be a better choice. not to mention once they attain full adult coloration they become a reeally beautiful fish.

 

[malawinovice]

I had the lepard (Macropharyngodon meleagris) and he did well. Feed well, had for 2 months.

Power outage, lost lepard, coral beauty and two damsels.
Clowns and orchid dotty back did fine.

I just was on edge each morning searching for the lepard.