Melanarus Wrasse acting strange

[reefsic]

So, my Melanarus wrasse has morphed into adult coloration which is awesome...red top head, yellow/orange cheeks, bars on back half of the body.

I've noticed that its been acting different since the morph. He keeps ramming face first into my side glass. It also does frequest flips on the sand bed (same corner of side glass). Also, when my Yellow Scopas passes through that same general area, he acts aggressive towards my Tang.

He's been in my system for approx. 2yrs, no problems. I purchased him as a juvenile. Eats fine, and doesnt show aggression towards any other fish in the system but the Yellow Scopas.

Is this normal?

 

[reefsic]

Anyone experience this type of behavior with a wrasse???

 

[flamron]

my melly has a pattern that he will follow almost to a tee. It looks weird because he loops up top around a powerhead and then down to the same side corner.

Slamming into the glass face first though, is worrisome. It he injures his mouth, he may stop eating. Any changes recently other than him morphing?

 

[reefsic]

my melly has a pattern that he will follow almost to a tee. It looks weird because he loops up top around a powerhead and then down to the same side corner.

Slamming into the glass face first though, is worrisome. It he injures his mouth, he may stop eating. Any changes recently other than him morphing?

Thats what I tried to narrow down; no changes in dosing regimen, temp is consistent, photoperiod and bulbs have not changed for the past 2yrs. Upgraded recently, about 2 months ago!

He still eats like a pig, still hovers and inspects every sps colony...also hovers around the sandbed looking for food! Just the aggressive behavior kicked in. He also flairs his fins, almost as if he is confronting his reflection! My previous setup was Acrylic and now its Starfire...any difference in what the fishes see???

 

[pinnatus]

Sounds like he is battling his reflection to me. And probably he is more territorial since he is now an adult, which is why his behavior seems changed.

 

[reefsic]

Sounds like he is battling his reflection to me. And probably he is more territorial since he is now an adult, which is why his behavior seems changed.

Yeah, thats what it seems! He's gotten more territorial and aggressive ever since the morph! Still an all around model citizen!!!

 

[scubasteve06]

I think when he was a juvie seeing his reflection didn't spur the aggression, but now that he's an adult it may be. Also since he has just morphed and he is seeing a different reflection now it could be spurring his instinct to fight any other wrasse that looks like him. Fish are smarter than we grant them...IMO