Melanurus Wrasse?

[KillerReef]

I'm researching the rest of my fish list and came upon the Melanurus Wrasse. To me, it reminds me of the Lunare Wrasse(bottom pic), but it is reef safe. I have seen them look fantastic like the one below and boring as the one in the Live Aquaria link. Does anybody have any experience with this fish? Any home pics? thanks, Dave
Melanurus or Hoeven's Wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)

Live Aquaria
Lunare Wrasse

 

[stevensun]

I love mine! He would flip the snails over sometimes if any of them didn't go hiding after the lights are on but no snail has been killed by him. I'm not sure how safe he is around shrimp since I don't have any shrimp in the tank. I'd say it's a pretty hardy fish and eats everything including the giant amphipods I have in the tank, which is a huge plus for him. Mine is hyper active and mild mannered; never bothered his tank mates even the threadfin cardinals. Oh, he also keeps my sandbed well stirred.

 

[KillerReef]

do you have any pics of yours? thanks...

 

[Jeff]

I dont have any pics of mine but I really like my Melanurus Wrasse. It reminds me of a Christmas Wrass. Mine is very reef safe and it's nice knowing that it will devour flatworms if I ever get any.

 

[96gts]

Here's a pix of mine. Mine will also flip snails over sometime like stevensun said. He's the biggest fish in the tank now, but he doesn't bother any other fish. He's in 90gal tank with a Fairy Wrasse, Ornate Leopard Wrasse, Midas Blenny and a Clownfish. He eats anything I put in the tank, and is very active throughout the day.

 

[KillerReef]

cool thanks for the replies. I'll have to put them on my OK list...

96, how big is yours?

 

[stevensun]

Here's mine. The pic is a bit blurred but it's really hard to take a good pic of him.

 

[KillerReef]

looks big, how big is yours/

 

[96gts]

cool thanks for the replies. I'll have to put them on my OK list...

96, how big is yours?

Mine is pretty big about 4-4.5".

 

[stevensun]

Mine is pretty big about 4-4.5".

So is mine.

It won't grow big. The mature size is 5".

 

[KillerReef]

cool thanks for all the info, guys, appreciate it...

 

[hlem]

is this a Xmas wrasse? if so, mine doesnt bother anything, just fly around all day until i drop food in the tank, he eats pellets, flakes, frozen, anything. easy to keep

 

[KillerReef]

nah, that's the Halichoeres claudia, but thanks for the info, those arre cool, too...

 

[SirToppemHat]

Great reef fish. Eats like a champ

 

[WestTexasReefer]

Agree with all of above. Great looking, easy to care for active fish. I have cleaner and fire shrimp and mine doesn't even look at them.

 

[KillerReef]

thanks for all the info guys especially about the cleaner shrimp being okay...

 

[gawf4fun]

I'm not sure if this is a melanaurus or a christmas wrasse, but great fish regardless. Eats well, very active, haven't seen him take out any inverts, ...

 

[KillerReef]

i'm thinking that looks like a melanurus, but i'm no expert, so not for sure...

 

[kilmca]

Looks like you are already sold on the fish. My only recommendation is to get a male, they are more colorful. The one i have has been a great fish. Doesn't mess with any inverts i don't want it to including cleaner, fire and peppermint shrimp.

 

[KillerReef]

Looks like you are already sold on the fish. My only recommendation is to get a male, they are more colorful. The one i have has been a great fish. Doesn't mess with any inverts i don't want it to including cleaner, fire and peppermint shrimp.

yes i think i am. i'm not adding anything live to my tank for a few months, but eventually i plan to add 3-4 more fish, so trying to get my research done early. Thanks for all the help, and yes from wht i can see the males are much more colorful...