opinions christmas and melanurus wrasse
- Thread starter mginn
- Start date
badbrady06
New member
I've only had my melanarus for about a month but he's been great so far. Hasn't bothered cuc or feather dusters.
badbrady06
New member
This looks like a decent thread to ask. So what about both wrasses together?
skyline377
Member
I have my melanarus for 5 months and never have any problem with my cuc not sure about feather duster
aandfsoccr04
Active member
What about H. claudia?
ingtar_shinowa
New member
My melarunus has been ok with large cleaner and small cleaner shrimp, but hermit are toast.
badbrady06
New member
Anybody here have a christmas wrasse?
flfireman1
Wrasse aficionado
From what little Iven heard and read, Christmas wrasses (which ever species they may be Ornatus or Claudia) tend to be a little more aggressive. My Melanurus has been a perfect citizen since adding him. He gets along with my Radiant, yellow coris, dusky, and gray headed wrasse. Also the key to having cleaner shrimp in with them is to add the wrasse after the shrimp is established in the aquarium. Mine has been housed with a blood shrimp for several years and they leave him alone.
evolved
Wrasse Nut
It's quite possible if one is introduced correctly to the other, or if introduced at the same time.
None of the mentioned species are not reef safe; they're all reef safe with caution. They won't harm corals, but they do pose a risk to ornamental invertebrates.
I suppose I was a bit cryptic in my earlier response; I'll elaborate.
H. melanurus, H. ornatissimus, H. biocellatus, and H. claudia all pose a risk to feather dusters. It's variable with any given specimen; some will go after them, others won't give them a second look. It's all a luck of the draw here.
How much of a taste for hermits/crabs or snails H. melanurus has is also quite variable. Some will leave both alone, but most generally find one or the other tasty. And a small percentage will find both tasty, and will regularly go after both. Shrimp are generally safe, but some eat those too.
H. biocellatus is the most mild-mannered of the Halichoeres which might be labeled as a "Christmas wrasse". To me, these are the "Red-lined wrasse", but this is why common names are subjective. Most specimens here will leave your hermits/crabs/snails alone, but there's always exceptions here. Regardless, very rarely will this species decimate your CUC; the safest bet of the bunch. Shrimp are almost always safe with them.
H. claudia only carries a slightly higher risk, and this is the "true" "Christmas wrasse" to me. These get a little larger then H. biocellatus when full grown. Again, they don't generally develop a problematic taste for your CUC, but do expect them to "treat" themselves once in a while. There's a small chance shrimp might be on the menu.
H. ornatissimus, or the "Ornate Wrasse" as far as I'm concerned, gets big, can get mean, and generally gets quite hungry. When these guys get big, any ornamental invertebrate is on the menu. When they're small, they should be somewhat well behaved, but this won't last. With size comes appetite, so don't expect to keep a steady CUC with this guy. And as I said, also with that size usually comes attitude. I'd steer away from this one in a reef tank.
aandfsoccr04
Active member
Thank you for your response, Hunter. Your knowledge never ceases to amaze me. I think I'm going to give H. claudia and Halichoeres chrysotaenia a shot in my 120 gallon. I'll QT them both together I think and see what happens.
betamed
New member
I kelp a christmas wrasse and a melanarus together for years in my 285. they got along well maybe only a few squabbles. the melanarus was larger and appears to be on a blue leg hermit crab diet lately. Still have my shrimps and larger crabs. The melanarus has maxed out at 5-6". the christmas was a little under 5" when he exited the canopy a few months back
