Melanurus wrasse vs Yellow wrasse

[Fish Ed]

Halichoeres melanurus or Halichoeres chrysus
Which is better:
•Pest-eater
•Peacefulness towards tank mates
•Coral-safe
•Ornamental inverts-safe
•Hardiness
•Size
•Tank size
•Tendency to 'rearrange' rock work/corals
•Looks
•etc.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I voted Melanurus but it was close. As far as the criteria above here is how I broke it down:

Pest eater: equal
Peacefulness: chrysus
Coral Safe: equal
Invert safe: chrysus
Hardiness: melanurus
Size: Although Melanurus gets slightly larger, I wouldnt consider it enough to give either an advantage here.
Tank size: chrysus
Tendency to rearrange: equal
Looks: melanurus

Even though the chrysus "won" more catagories, the margins on those was small in my mind, whereas the margins in the catagories the melanurus won was greater. Maybe it is just sentimentality on my part as the melanurus was my first Halichoeres wrasse and now that is my favorite Genus of fish.

 

[SecretiveFish]

I have to preface this by saying I have only had melanurus wrasses because I liked the look better:

Which is better:
•Pest-eater - Both melanurus I had were great at this
•Peacefulness towards tank mates- First one was wonderful, second one was a terror that killed my barred hamlet (he was traded into the LFS with full disclosure)
•Coral-safe - Both were coral safe
•Ornamental inverts-safe - First one was, second one was not
•Hardiness - Both were extremely hardy (first one just died of old age earlier this year, he survived my many beginner mistakes)
•Size - Both maxed out around 4"
•Tank size - First lived his whole life in a 65g, Other one lived in 150 until I had to deal with ICH, then moved to 65 where he killed my fish
•Tendency to rearrange - Neither did this to me
•Looks: Hands down Melanurus - this is why I never tried the Halichoeres chrysus

 

[evolved]

I voted Melanurus but it was close. As far as the criteria above here is how I broke it down:

Pest eater: equal
Peacefulness: chrysus
Coral Safe: equal
Invert safe: chrysus
Hardiness: melanurus
Size: Although Melanurus gets slightly larger, I wouldnt consider it enough to give either an advantage here.
Tank size: chrysus
Tendency to rearrange: equal
Looks: melanurus

I pretty much agree with this, and it's really a coin toss for me overall.

Hardiness is a bit subjective, as are looks. I could beg to differ on those from what eatbreakfast has here, but not enough to really matter.

 

[reefs4lifee]

I don't have a preference. Personally I have both wrasses in my reef and they're nothing but model tankmates. They both pick on bristleworms, eat everything and look great. Of course the melanurus looks a little better because of the patterned design/color but the yellow coris wrasse is also nice because it's so bright. I've also had a green coris wrasse in the past who was a model tankmate as well and I am looking to get another one for my current setup. Overall, melanurus, yellow coris and green coris all get thumbs up from me.

 

[mbauma]

I have a yellow coris in my 140 and really like him. Very bright yellow and always about. He sleeps in the sand at night and doesn't bother my cleaner shrimp

 

[Moort82]

I'd edge yellow wrasse just because I've heard of less problems with them in terms of peacefulness and reef safeness. Melanurus would win for looks and you won't really lose with either but I'd be considering the white bellied wrasse instead of the yellow as I think they are slightly nicer looking and share all the good characteristics of the yellow.

 

[hogfanreefer]

Why choose? They go great together (actually I have a Vrolik's, which I regard as the same as a melanurus). Two of my favorite fish. Neither ever bother anything in the tank.

 

[JoelA7]

Anyone experience either eating vermetid snails?