Tanaka's Pygmy Wrasse

[jaybfresh]

Looking for experiences with this little guy. After being settled in, how active and visible are they?

I understand they are often reclusive but I'm not sure I want to invest in a fish that will never be seen

 

[Mike A]

I've had one for a couple of years now. Spends most of its time behind the rockwork.
It does come out to feed, and I also notice the fish out in the open in the hour or so
before the actinics go out at night.
Interesting fish.

 

[o2manyfish]

I had one for several years but didn't know it. Wasn't till I broke the tank down that I found the fish still alive and doing well. Moved it to the new tank and it vanished again.

Dave B

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

Not very visible. I had one for a couple years and never saw it either.

 

[DustyReefer]

IMO it's best suited for a smaller tank otherwise you aren't likely to see it much.

 

[Chooch1]

I've had one for a couple of years in my 180. It's definitely a shy fish but I do see mine at feeding time and when the actinics are on. It's almost like a treat to see mine. I actually forget about him sometimes and then I get a pleasant reminder when I see him. They are cryptic but you still see it. Great fish IMO.

 

[small alien]

Pretty cryptic. But not a ton of bioload, so.

 

[rssjsb]

I've had one for a couple of years in my 180. It's definitely a shy fish but I do see mine at feeding time and when the actinics are on. It's almost like a treat to see mine. I actually forget about him sometimes and then I get a pleasant reminder when I see him. They are cryptic but you still see it. Great fish IMO.

This is my experience. Every morning I do a headcount when feeding. The pygmy is the last fish I see. When he actually leaves the rock and swims around, it's like seeing big foot. I can see a lot of people finding that annoying but I kind of like it.

 

[cFloor]

I agree with what's said in the previous post. I love mine. I've had mine for about 1 year now and just in the last couple months he's become much more visible. Always swimming down low through the rocks and now he comes out right up to the front glass during feeding and sometimes just when he sees me. That's been a nice surprise.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I've had one in QT for a week. The QT is a 37g with 6 anthias, 2 clowns, and the wrasse, so it's rather "busy." He's out and about most of the time and he's right up chasing food down with the anthias when I put it in there, so it's not like he's timid enough that he's going to starve (I've had fish like that before). The QT is only getting ambient room lighting, so that might be making him more comfortable.

 

[jaybfresh]

Lots of good input, thanks. Is a white banded possum wrasse more likely to show itself?

 

[Scridifer]

Lots of good input, thanks. Is a white banded possum wrasse more likely to show itself?

I have a yellow banded in a 40"x242x24" mixed reef and it's out and about most of the time. I have a lot of hidey-holes in my rock structure though which I feel perhaps makes it feel more secure.


Chris