Melanurus Wrasse help

[btb72]

Or actually i need a common name for a melanurus wrasse. I just picked up a beauty yesterday and its doing great eating mysis. This is my first wrasse, and i was seeing if there was any special care involved. Also will it soon move to pellets or anything of that nature? thanks
oh here is some pics
and ps he stays at the bottom of a 36" deep corner tank so almost impossible to get all the way to the bottom of it to clean the algea, so pardon the mess haha

 

[btb72]

he is about 4-4.5" long

 

[MCCOOL]

Mine loves pellets and flake, honestly it doesn't turn down any foods. Halichoeres melanurus goes by the common name hoevens wrasse I believe, although I always just refer to it as a Melanurus wrasse.

 

[btb72]

ok cool, ya i finally found him on LA, everytime it goes and hides in the sand, it makes a huge cloud of sand to go everywhere, is that normal?

 

[BeanMachine]

I have one too. Its a piggy that eats everything, pellets, mysis, flakes, you name it. They are also good flatworm eaters. Some will go after snails and crabs... mine does every once in a while but it doesn't bother me.

 

[BeanMachine]

ok cool, ya i finally found him on LA, everytime it goes and hides in the sand, it makes a huge cloud of sand to go everywhere, is that normal?

They do that when they are frightened or not used to their new home. With time it should only do that at night for bed time.

 

[btb72]

ok thanks for all your help.. he is really pretty!

 

[Hookup]

awesome wrasse... It's on my list the next time one is in an LFS, and looks good, its mine... IMO best wrasse due to it's awesome "look" and the uber-functionality... it's a win-win-win (3rd win is cause it's not expensive)...

 

[jakearoe]

They are a great wrasse, especially due to beauty and functionality. They can be a little aggressive - or maybe high strung is a better way to put it. I also had to move a clam to another tank due to nipping. Great fish, and I feel good knowing I have one patrolling my SPS reef...but they are not without drawbacks.

 

[Korrine]

They are a very nice wrasse. I would still have mine if I didn't move last summer I think mine was roughly 4 or 5". It should begin eating pellets and such eventually. Mine did. Try feeding it some large PE mysis if you have it. She loved it and would bang the large pieces against the rock to break it up. I never got a video of it, but it was cool to watch. Very good to eat your flatworms and pods.