Crushed coral melanurus wrasse???

[scott martin]

Hello everyone, my LFS recommended that I buy a Melanurus Wrasse to help with my Bristle Worm population; however, I have a crushed coral substrate. I told the guy at the LFS that I did not have a sandy substrate and he said it would be fine. Does anyone have a Melanurus Wrasse with a crushed coral substrate that is doing well?
Thanks for your help,

 

[mvm]

Probably too course. You can actually add a section of sand towards the back of your tank and the wrasse will find it to sleep in.

 

[scott martin]

Thanks for the reply. Does the sand have to be in the back of the tank? I have about 250 lbs of live rock and don't want to move it. What if I pulled the crushed coral from one corner in the front of the tank and replaced it with sand? Would that work?
Thanks again,

Scott

 

[gixxer600]

That should be ok but try to disturb the sand bed as little as possible. I have a melanarus and i had to add a little crushed coral because of a diamond goby creating havoc and have not had a problem. been like that for about a month now.

 

[scott martin]

Thanks for that info...

 

[ralph atl]

Put fine sand everywhere u can, crushed coral will be fine in one corner of front. I have crushed coral in about the first 20% of the front of my tank. The rest is fine.

 

[scott martin]

Ok, thanks

 

[mvm]

The best way to remove the substrate is with a 1" hose from home depot. Just siphon it out. It's really the only way to safely remove substrate w/o disturbing the water chemistry.

 

[musicalocean]

My son somethunder has a choris wrasse & crushed coral sub.. It has done fine & has been in his tank for about 2 months.. I also have a mixed sub with lots of crushed coral & a choris wrasse as well. Got him when he was less than 2 inches long & he is now about 5 inches. I've had him for about 6 months & he has done great as well!

 

[acroholic]

I have a melanurus in my 300 gallon. I have Caribsea Hawaiian Black, and it has anything from fine same to pebble sized pieces, with most of it being the size of crushed coral. The wrasse does fine with it. I don't think you'd have a problem with your current substrate.

 

[musicalocean]

+1

 

[scott martin]

I feel better now about being able to keep my wrasse without having to replace all of my CC with sand. I really appreciate the tip about how to remover the CC without disturbing the water.
Thanks to everyone,

Scott

 

[cr500_af]

FWIW, I have a melanaurus wrasse with "regular" size sand, but I never notice her "interacting" with the sand in any way. She eats out of the water column and grazes, but I've never seen her disturb the sand. She did dive under and stay there when she first went into the tank (in flight), until the pecking order got resolved.

Unless she sleeps in the sand, IME the substrate is irrelevant... and if that's the case, it has never been where I can see it.

Just my .02, obviously.

 

[mvm]

cr500_af;583783 wrote: FWIW, I have a melanaurus wrasse with "regular" size sand, but I never notice her "interacting" with the sand in any way. She eats out of the water column and grazes, but I've never seen her disturb the sand. She did dive under and stay there when she first went into the tank (in flight), until the pecking order got resolved.

Unless she sleeps in the sand, IME the substrate is irrelevant... and if that's the case, it has never been where I can see it.

Just my .02, obviously.

They sleep in the sand.

 

[ralph atl]

mvm;583786 wrote: they sleep in the sand.

+1

 

[cr500_af]

Thanks for clarifying. I have always seen mine cruising around after lights out, and when lights come on it's always cruising around then too. I've never been able to see where it goes at night.