yellow coris wrasse question

[greystreet41]

is it possible that it could be eating zoanthid skirts while looks for food in the colonies? I haven't seen it do the damage, but it's the best case scenario I can come up with.
thanks,
grey

 

[LukFox]

Yellow coris wrasses (Halichoeres chrysus) dont eat corals and it is highly unlikely that one would ever develop a taste for corals, especially for something like zoanthids. Start looking for other possible answers.. What are your tank params, other fish, lighting, clean-up crew possibly, etc?

 

[greystreet41]

thanks, since posting this thread I've identified my blue tang as being the culprit. I've had several zoanthid colonies in QT and have began introducing them into the main tank. When I return usually the zoa rocks are rearranged. I assumed it was the yellow coris but have now witnessed the blue tang (pretty mature--very visible teeth). it's almost as if the tang sees what the coris wrasse is nibbling on (maybe pods on the new introduced zoa rocks) and is coming behind the coris wrasse to wreck havoc. At times, it looks like the tang may be singling out possible algae, but other times it is clearly devouring zoanthid polyps...any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[LukFox]

You can try feeding a lot more vegetable material like nori. Once tangs get a taste for corals it can be difficult to get them to quit. Try leaving nori available for it to graze on, but if it still goes after polyps, the next option is to remove it.

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7411538#post7411538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LukFox
You can try feeding a lot more vegetable material like nori. Once tangs get a taste for corals it can be difficult to get them to quit. Try leaving nori available for it to graze on, but if it still goes after polyps, the next option is to remove it.

BLue (hippo) tangs aren't really grazers. Theyre planktivores. He needs a little bit of veggie, but hes probably just hungry for more food.


Nobody ever says tangs aren't reefsafe,but they arent.