Melenarus wrasse with checkerboard wrasse

[Borchers]

Can it happen. I love both and want to add a checker board to my system. 93 gallon cube with attached display Refugium. I feed well and have a canopy

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Tried that in a 120 gallon and it was a disaster. Checkerboards are so aggressive it's not even funny. Melanarus ended up in the overflow and leopard wrasse dead. Had to give the checkerboard to a guy with a 400 FOWLR>

 

[eatbreakfast]

They can coexist, but mature Halichoeres wrasses that have been the sole Halichoeres in a tank can be intolerant of new ones. It can work both ways with either a checkerboard or melanurus being the aggressor. If you want both, I would recomend trying to get young specimens of each and putting them in at the same time.

 

[Borchers]

Not gonna chance it. My Melenarus has been with me for 4yrs. Don't want to loose him.