mystery wrasse

[kirkwood]

I've been looking into reef-safe wrasses for a 120g. I've read that mystery wrasses are reef safe however they will eventually attack shrimp. I have also read that they do not house well with other wrasses. I have also read that they are very shy and don't spend too much time out and about in the water column. But they do a great job controlling flatworms and any other nuissance pests. Can anyone speak to this from experience?

i'm basically thinking mystery or I will go with a couple fairy and flasher wrasses.

 

[stacy22]

My preference would be fairy/flasher wrasses. They leave your inverts alone and play well with others.

If you really want a wrasse for pest control look at the yellow coris. I have one who is a model citizen.

 

[kirkwood]

stacy22;810376 wrote: My preference would be fairy/flasher wrasses. They leave your inverts alone and play well with others.

If you really want a wrasse for pest control look at the yellow coris. I have one who is a model citizen.

thanks. I will look at the yellow coris.. i also like the exquisite wrasse and McCosker's flasher. but looking at pictures online is completely different from seeing them interact in the tank..

I'm looking for wrasse/s that are enjoyable to watch, peaceful, and bringing something positive to the reef (ie: pest control) is always appreciated.

 

[containerman1]

Kirkwood;810378 wrote: thanks. I will look at the yellow coris.. i also like the exquisite wrasse and McCosker's flasher. but looking at pictures online is completely different from seeing them interact in the tank..

I'm looking for wrasse/s that are enjoyable to watch, peaceful, and bringing something positive to the reef (ie: pest control) is always appreciated.

I have a Exquisite wrasse ( With a Christmas wrasse also in the same tank they all get along ) and he is great he will come up to the glass and watch you , he will almost let me touch him in the tank when I am cleaning I use a little plastic stick and my Sargassum likes to be scratched and the Exqusite comes over and he wants to play but hes still a little stand offish. I bought him at Sea Atl. Great fish

 

[reeferman]

i have a mystery wrasse and a melanarus together in my 120.the mystery is not out as much as the melanarus but its not a recluse either.it doesnt bother any of my inverts,cant say the same about the melanarus.i have a graveyard of snail shells

 

[eagle9252]

I purchased these to from Optimum and they are all over the tank.

Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1398&pcatid=1398">http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1398&pcatid=1398</a>

[IMG]http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p_90109-orange-back-wrasse.jpg alt="" />


Bluehead Fairy Wrasse

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1153&pcatid=1153">http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1153&pcatid=1153</a>

[IMG]http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p_90051_blue-head-fairy-wrasse.jpg alt="" />

 

[containerman1]

I saw those in there. They had several diffrent kinds of wrasses over the last couple mths. I liked those alot.
Great choice.

eagle9252;810382 wrote: I purchased these to from Optimum and they are all over the tank.

Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1398&pcatid=1398">http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1398&pcatid=1398</a>

[IMG]http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p_90109-orange-back-wrasse.jpg alt="" />


Bluehead Fairy Wrasse

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1153&pcatid=1153">http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1153&pcatid=1153</a>

[IMG]http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p_90051_blue-head-fairy-wrasse.jpg alt="" />

 

[jef4y]

I picked up a HUGE Melanurus Wrasse from Reefkeeper here and it's all over the tank and so far I've only seen it eat what I drop in the tank. Doesn't bother anyone else, but I don't have anything (yet) of a competing size.

 

[eagle9252]

<span style="font-family: Calibri"><span style="font-size: 13px">My EX-</span></span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana"> Melanurus wrasse, male and female were removed due to eating my clam. </span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">When I check with liveaquaria before I purchased it they said nothing about clams or inverts. Then later it was changed. Ironically I just checked and it does not say it again. “</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri">It will eat fireworms and pyramidellid snails, protecting corals and clams.”</span><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana"> It would swim by a snail and flip it. It would swim by the small snails on the glass cerith snails I think and pluck them off the glass. It was way too funny until they ate my clam. </span></span>

<span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: Verdana">Other than that they were great. </span></span>

 

[kirkwood]

beautiful fish... thanks for the advice everyone.. keep it coming..

containerman1;810383 wrote: I saw those in there. They had several diffrent kinds of wrasses over the last couple mths. I liked those alot.
Great choice.

Edit:

reeferman;810380 wrote: i have a mystery wrasse and a melanarus together in my 120.the mystery is not out as much as the melanarus but its not a recluse either.it doesnt bother any of my inverts,cant say the same about the melanarus.i have a graveyard of snail shells

does the mystery harasse any of your other fish?? what kind of shrimp do you have?

 

[reeferman]

mystery doesnt bother anyone at all.i have peppermints though ive never seen them since i put them in but aiptasia is waning so im sure theyre still in there

 

[reef coffee & curly hair]

All great choices. I have the bluehead and he's been a great addition. The Lubbocks Wrasse are usually hardy, passive, have good coloration, and a great bang for the buck. Villa wrasses from the Vanuatu area look fantastic (this is one that looks better in person, cameras don't ever catch the metallic blues). Gotta be Vanuatu though. Dusky Wrasses are pretty neat looking too. I've just added one starting his/her terminal phase to my main display. A little more aggressive than I'd like, but so far so good. The Labouti Fairy Wrasse is one of my personal favorites. Happy hunting.

 

[lagunareef]

FWIW, my mystery wrasse has been one of the most peaceful wrasse I've had. It hasn't bothered any other tankmates, including fishes smaller than itself or the 7 shrimps in my tank (3 skunk cleaners, 2 peppermint, 1 coral banded, and 1 blood red). I did have a sexy shrimp that hosted an anemone that went MIA after a short vacation, but I attribute this too improper feeding by my caretaker as well as a 'culprit' pencil wrasse.

Per pest control, the mystery wrasse does a good job when purchased young but once they reach 3-4" inch full maturity size, they much prefer meaty foods (I feed mine with pieces of store shrimp). There are other wrasse's but make sure you select right one, because some can be a real menace and catching them can be a real PITA. Hope this helps...


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