Melanurus Wrasse hiding during feeding time

toruk

New member
I got a melanurus wrasse last thursday while I was off work. He was pretty much out and about right from the jump and I was able to feed him in the middle of the day when he was active. But I have noticed he wakes up late and goes to bed early. This is a problem because now I am back at work and when I feed my fish around 7am(lights come on at 6) he is nowhere to be found and when I feed them again at 5pm he is nowhere to be found. Will he eventually adjust to waking up as the lights come on?
 
Ok I don't mind waiting I was just curious if they had like an internal clock or if they are actually in tune with the lighting in the tank.
 
You could try a auto feeder in between those times, to see if that works. Just to give him some food before he starts testing your CUC for a dinner (if you have any).
 
My wrasse bailed on me for 9 days once... showed up eventually and was fine. Think u just need to give him/her time. I too was worried about what mine was eating as he was never there at feeding time but was healthy when he eventually showed.. his sleeping and waking times are now in tune with my lighting schedule.

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My Melanurus hid a lot at first, disappeared for days at a time. Eventually, he got more comfortable and he's pretty much the centerpiece of my system now. As long as the tank mates are appropriate, he'll be fine. They tend to pick at rock (and inverts if they get hungry enough), so I wouldn't be too concerned in the meantime. You might lose a few snails/crabs in the meantime though.
 
Im ok with that thanks for the replies. He is coming out more in the evening but I am still not seeing him in the morning. I guess it will just take some time. I am able to feed him at night however. He is with a small pair of maroon clowns. I have read that melanurus wrasse can be a little boisterous so I am hoping he will be ok with the clowns. The female is already developing an attitude.
 
I've heard and observed that they take a bit to sync up with the lighting schedule. It used to be that mine 'slept in' as well. Now he's up as soon as the daytime lights kick in. He definitely doesn't seem to be much of a nighttime fish though, he's buried in the sand pretty much as soon as it goes to actinic at night and is never out when it's just blues in the morning.
 
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