Wrasse lovers--Possum wrasses?

[GoldeneyeRet]

Most of the information about the three species of Wetmorella seems to lump them together as one. Evolved has said in his wrasse article that W.tanakai tends to be a bit more bold, but other than that I cant find any information comparing the three.

The color seems to vary a lot, according to pictures anyway, but the variation seems to be between individuals. Which species has or retains the nicest coloring?

Are there any personality or behavioral differences beyond what was mentioned in the article?

Which do you prefer?

Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!

 

[CoralsAddiction]

I've had Tanaka's and Yellow banded Possum. Both are secretive. Reason I don't have one anymore is because I could never get them to eat dry food. Frozen food is no problem but dry food no luck. So they went back to LFS.

 

[snorvich]

All are behaviorally similar. Once accustomed to their environment, they are not shy and are out and about yet somewhat reclusive. Any of the three are excellent IMO. Mine are copepod eaters and will also eat most frozen.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Expect them to be cave dwellers. They will sometimes venture out towards powerheads and other equipment where they can "hide". Other than that they will be in between the rocks.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

All are behaviorally similar.

+1 on that.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

I have a white banded possum that came from DD about a month ago. He swims in & out of the rock work quite a bit & around corals. He's very stealth like in his cruising around the tank. There are more tunnels in my rock than I thought possible. Every once in a while I see a little nose peeking out from a spot.

He is getting bolder the longer he's been in the tank. I notice most activity when the lights are dimming for the day & during clouds. Today he's been out & about the tank most of the day & I expect this to keep up as he gets more settled in. None of my fish care about him & the cleaner shrimp would like to give him a once over but it's not happening yet.

I honestly have not seen it eat anything so it's either living off the pods or eating at the back of the tank where I don't see it.

I really enjoy mine but he is mainly by the side of the tank right next to my chair so I do see him quite a bit during the day.

 

[evolved]

All are behaviorally similar.

Yes, agree. I still believe tanaka's to be a bit more bold, relative to the other two, but it's really a minor distinction. Tanaka's is also my personal favorite.

 

[Tjsmoot]

I have a yellow banded possum wrasse that isn't afraid of anything. He sticks mainly to the rocks, hunting and eating all day long, but does swim in open water competing with all the other fish for food (flasher wrasses, clowns, royal gramma). He eats frozen, pellets (although they are a little too big for his mouth, he still attempts to eat them), and like I said previously, he hunts on the rocks all day.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Thanks for all the input. I guess they really are all pretty similar.

So hard to choose....

 

[CoralsAddiction]

Thanks for all the input. I guess they really are all pretty similar.

So hard to choose....

If I had to choose I would take tanaka. When it flashes it's colors are more intense than possums. I had a bonded pair and the larger one (male) flashed with red, yellow and brownish colors.

 

[lutz123]

I had a yellow banded and loved it. After a week or so it was comfortable enough to fight for pellets with my clowns.

 

[Triggerfish]

Once accustomed to their environment, they are not shy and are out and about yet somewhat reclusive.

that's pretty much exactly what i noticed with my son's yellow band.

 

[mayjong]

great little fish, although i think i didn't see it at all for the first couple weeks
my tanakas would come out swimming near the glass in the am, and in the evening, as the lights dimmed. it also came out to eat. not very shy, just a bit reclusive but i saw it every day... voracious little feeder...

 

[usingthejohn]

Thanks for this thread. I've been toying with purchasing one through DD but could never find first hand experience with one

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

That's not the first time I have heard they are voracious eaters, but a lot of people say they never see them et offered foods. Seems they are capable hunters. I wonder, do they eat pest such as flatworms, nudis. etc? Or do they stick to pods? How about other fauna such as tubeworms etc?

I cant wait until my reef is ready for one of these wrasses, I know I will love it!

Thanks for all the information shared so far.

 

[Marshall O]

I have had a yellow banded for two years. For the first year it only ate Mysis, though it likely could have lived fine off of just the pods it hunted. Now it eats absolutely everything. Part of that is because it is with a couple other column swimmers that are voracious eaters. Mine did not touch flatworms. There were hundreds to eat, but stuck to pods. My H. melanurus ate every one of them in less than a week. For pest control, look into Halichoeres IMO.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Thanks for the input. Im not specifically looking for pest control, just learning about these guys since I have never kept them before.