Need wrasse recommendation

AdamSabina

AdamSabina

New member
Have 150 gallon mixed reef, mostly SPS. I'm looking for a good predator that won't eat feather dusters (wife's favorite). Any ideas?

Was originally going to get fairy wrasses but I don't think they are very good predators.
 
I love my melanurus wrasse. Ate red flatworms in the tank and never saw any again. He will go after inverts, small hermits and small shrimp, but left feather dusters alone.

Most predator wrasses that will eat pests are in the Halichoeres genus and need sand to sleep in.

I've heard that 6lines are good little predators but are notorious for being a-holes but don't need sand to sleep.
 
+1 on the melanarus. Such an amazing fish. One of my favorites. Always hunting, always with a purpose. Really fun to watch. Make sure to get a male as their coloration is preferable to females in my opinion.

I love mystery wrasses too, not sure if they do much in the predator department, but really cool. I also saw a checkboard wrasse for the first time in a local tank. Cool fish.

My brother loves his six-line, although it's the only wrasse in his tank. They are fun to watch too - interesting eyes and green tail.

If it were me, I'd get a melanarus or Vrolik's.
 
I would be cautious of the Melanarus. Not only didn't mine kill my entire clean up crew, and hermits he also killed all the feather dusters as well....
 
If you don't mind it being the only wrasse in the tank then I think a four line wrasse would be great. Being in the lined wrasse family it's supposed to be a very good predator with nice coloration. Some come from Hawaii which I think is always nice due to less shipping stress, etc. However, it's a lined wrasse and may not mix well with other wrasses. To many that would be a deal breaker. But I have seen it in person on more than one occasion and whatever photos are out there online don't do the fish justice.
 
Another vote for the Melanurus. Mine will go after hermits and smaller snails but leaves larger snails alone. The male coloration looks great and it's a very mild mannered fish too, never has a beef with anyone else in the tank.
 
I have feather dusters and cleanup crew that my melanurus has never bothered. He actually inspects each new coral and cleans off any unwanted reef pests.
 
Thought I'd share with you my choice for a wrasse. I'll be ordering a male in a week or two with 3 other fish to complete my fish list.

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse

lg-39306-mckoskers-flasher-2.jpg


http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+2648&pcatid=2648
 
I got a McCoskers and Carpenters of Divers Den about a month ago. The McCoskers was really small, but has done great. Very active and pretty fish. Those colors aren't always visible, I wonder if LA does a little photo editing. When the fish flashes are light is right, you do see the cool coloration.

Having had flashers, fairies and halichoeres wrasses, I prefer the halichoeres.
 
If the only wrasse, or willing to risk it, 6 Lines are great predators. Mine actively hunts all day. Non stop. He is tireless.

The LFS(petco actually, and a really well run one at that for what they have to work with) has one that is the largest one i have ever seen and he does not get fed. He lives on what the 100 or so gallon frag tank provides(only fish in the tank) and has been in there a long while. They couldn't catch him if they tried.

I hear yellow corris wrasse can be, but mine is worthless for anything other than being really pretty.
 
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