Possum wrasse (white banded) and invert compatibility

[mndfreeze]

I've posted before about this fish, looking for people who have owned one and small inverts like sexy shrimp.

My tank is planned to be an invert focus'd tank. It's a mixed reef of SPS and LPS. I'd like to get a gaggle of sexy shrimp and possibly a yellow line cleaner shrimp or pedersons cleaner. This wrasse is tiny and stays that way, he also shows zero interest in mysis when I feed the tank, and brine, and will only eat dried bloodworms.

He does gobble pods like there is no tomorrow when I'd dump them in to seed back when I was having issues getting him to eat prepared food.

Anyway, has anyone kept one of these guys with small shrimp? I'd rather not risk the money gamble if someone knows for sure he's going to try to kill em, even tough his mouth is waaaay to small to actually eat one.

 

[nikon187]

it is a risk with smaller and medium shrimp

 

[Half Vaped]

I keep a Tanaka Wrasse in my 40 Breeder and Sexy and Yellow Line Shrimps in my 5.5 gallon invert tank. I think the Sexy Shrimp would probably be safe with your Wrasse since Sexies have some girth to them and mostly just stay to themselves.

I personally wouldn't risk a Yellow Line or a Pederson's with a Possum Wrasse--these guys are smaller than PE Mysis and swim out in the open more often than Sexies. All it would take is a couple missed meals and a freshly molted Yellow Line might look irresistible to any Wrasse.

 

[mndfreeze]

The Tanaka and white banded are nearly identical fish. You keep a yellow line with yours but think I shouldn't keep one with mine? I'm so confused .

 

[Half Vaped]

The Tanaka Wrasse is in my 40 Breeder.

The Sexy and Yellow Line Shrimps are in my 5.5 gallon invert tank.

Two separate tanks.

 

[mndfreeze]

oh I'm dumb. No idea how I missed that part. My brain has a bad habit of skipping words.

I really wish there were more strange inverts as options. I feel like on average we have the same 10ish or so common inverts and that's it. No where near the selection there are for fish. Fish are so boring with a few exceptions.

Guess I'll start looking for alternative shrimp that are a little bigger in place of yellow line/pedersons. Sexy shrimp are at least fairly affordable locally and not too hard to find.

 

[Half Vaped]

No worries, we all get brain freeze some times.

I like the looks and behavior of the Yellow Line more than the Sexy Shrimp, so I keep my invert tank fish-free to keep it safe. I agree there's not nearly enough inverts and nano fish (<1 inch) regularly available or even seasonally available.

Would you consider putting the Wrasse in a different home? You can probably find some Eviota or Trimma Gobies or Barnacle Blennies that are less likely to harm the Yellow Line if you need to have some fish in your invert tank. They're so cool and delicate, it's a shame not enough people can really appreciate them.

 

[mndfreeze]

At some point in the far future I'll be putting together another 40B system or similar. At that point I'll most likely move the fish over, but for now I only have the 24G aquapod and I just got the wrasse and really like him so rehoming is basically a last resort. So far he is has been a model citizen with the tiger pistol/goby (other then trying to hang out in his cave once), the various sized red legged and blue legged hermits, the fire shrimp, large and small feather dusters (including the tiny ones you get that spread everywhere), bristles, etc

I find it weird he won't eat live brine shrimp, or any mysis, frozen or dried. Literally only blood worms.

I might still get a barnacle blenny. I've looked at them quite a few times, but I'm not sure I want to add any more fish.