Red Choris Wrasse and SPS? Help!

[jsweir]

I screwed up today, the LFS said they had a exquisite wrasse and a Scott's Fairy wrasse today. I picked both up today and unfortunately did not look them up online until they were in the tank. I knew the Scott's was right, but unsure about the exquistie.

Well, ends up that it was really an adult Red Choris Wrasse. Anyone have any experience with one? Online it says not reef safe. I noticed it flips snails over, but doesn't eat them. Also small rocks...Any help would be appreciated since it would be real tough catching it in the tank!

 

[VSpeck]

usually just not safe with snails and shrimp dont usually bother corals. my roomate has one in his reef and doesnt bother his shrimp or corals though

 

[Amphiprion]

They will often eat any crustaceans, polychaetes, and echinoderms that are available, especially as they grow larger. Big specimens will also eat smaller fish, as well. They can get somewhat destructive in their activities, though, becoming a "bull in a china shop." On top of all that, they top out at around 16"

 

[jsweir]

Yep, mine is already shopping for china - throwing frags around to see what's under them. I think I could live with everything else but that. I made a litterbox with sand and he dove into it. Put the litterbox in the sump for now. Monday, back to the LFS. Thankful I'm BB right now....

 

[Amphiprion]

Good deal.

 

[smcooler]

My friend had one ate all his snails, got real big had to trap him and relocate to a new home.

stan

 

[slojmn]

Great job at catching the little guy, smart thinking. He needs to find a home in a fish only tank

 

[brad]

I have one in my tank. IMO They are great reef tank fish, and do not deserve their reputation.

How big is yours? In general, a 24 inch fish is not compatible with very small animals, and I think that is why they get such bad press. Mine is probably 7 inches, may or may not get too big for the tank, but is well fed and growing very slowly.

Does he get along with the Scotts? Are they the same size? That would be my biggest concern, since Red Coris are generally more agressive fish, and keeping 2 wrasse in the same tank is always risky.

Mine has flipped rocks and frags, but is nowhere near as destructive as my clown fish. Snails that cannot flip themselves back over are dead, and the ones that can occasionally will get eaten. Small shrimp are probably snacks, but cleaners are probably ok.

Everything you add to your tank means you cannot add other things, but in my opinion, I would much rather keep the wrass than be able to have more small snails and shrimp (which might be at risk from other fish).

If you do have to remove a wrasse, watch where they sleep (burried in the sand). Put a large net around the area hours after they go to bed, and scope it through the sand. A very angry and stressed fish will swim into the net. I have used a trap to remove a wrasse once, but this killed the wrasse. Otherwise you likely will have to remove everything else first (all the rock, coral, sand, and probably most of the water).

Good luck.

 

[jsweir]

It is about 5" same as the Scott's. The Scott's was banged up - I shouldn't have bought that either, but I wanted to try and nurse it back into shape. Hopefully it will make it. The Red Choris goes back to the LFS tomorrow.