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Melanurus Wrasse

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Thinking about getting one- everything I've read says it would be fine for my 75g. Anyone have one, insights, recommendations? TIA
 

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
We have had several over the years, just need a good sand bed. Good pest control fish and they will generally stay away from other fish that are not shaped like them.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
I had wanted a coris wrasse, but there haven't been any available for a while. I've read that they may eat bristle worms- that would be a big plus for me. It does look very colorful, I have a nice deep sand bed, just have to work on the top- read that they are jumpers
 
love mine. pretty sure he took care of some red planaria flatworms i had when i go him. yes to the sand bed, not sure about the jumping, i have a full endlosure, but i could see them being jumpers. liked better than my yellow coris wrasse for sure.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
love mine. pretty sure he took care of some red planaria flatworms i had when i go him. yes to the sand bed, not sure about the jumping, i have a full endlosure, but i could see them being jumpers. liked better than my yellow coris wrasse for sure.
Any particular reason for liking it vs the coris
 
Echo everything that's been said. They're very popular as they look great, are relatively cheap, and are easy to keep. Not generally aggressive except possibly to fish with the same body shape. Do a good job with pests.
 
Also consider a leopard wrasse, a little smaller and all they do is browse for bugs. Don't get a six line or mystery wrasse, they're nasty.
 
Any particular reason for liking it vs the coris
its more colorful, a little smaller (which fit my tank better) and just seemed to have more personality to me, but that's probably just my projection. seems more graceful too as it slips about the tank.

IMG_3811.jpg
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Also consider a leopard wrasse, a little smaller and all they do is browse for bugs. Don't get a six line or mystery wrasse, they're nasty.
I thought about a leopard wrasse, but there are a few different varieties I think, and not as easy, a definite no for a 6 line, and mystery is just too expensive to even consider
 
Love having a wrasse. I had the yellow coris, I’d like a leopard or Melanarus. Mostly because I have a yellow tang so want to vary the colors more.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Love having a wrasse. I had the yellow coris, I’d like a leopard or Melanarus. Mostly because I have a yellow tang so want to vary the colors more.
I had a coris and didn't have a good enough cover, digging on my Canary blenny right now- always on the hunt for a morsel. Excited about the Melanarus, I like the motion a wrasse adds to the tank, and it looks to be very colorful- just read that it needs to be fed several times a day- now I hope I don't start overfeeding the tank
 
I had a coris and didn't have a good enough cover, digging on my Canary blenny right now- always on the hunt for a morsel. Excited about the Melanarus, I like the motion a wrasse adds to the tank, and it looks to be very colorful- just read that it needs to be fed several times a day- now I hope I don't start overfeeding the tank

They say a cover is important for wrasses. I used to have glass then I bought a screen kit and replaced with DIY screen top. Much better except it evaporates quickly so need to keep refilling the top-off bucket. But well worth it for the better light penetration, cheap and easy.

I added an auto feeder for pellets twice a day and haven’t had any issues. I Also feed mysis most days (not every day) and algae sheets a few times a week. The feedings are fairly small-I think the fish all do better with smaller frequent feedings. But the wrasse was doing fine with the one feeding a day for a while before I set up that feeder. Especially if you have a fuge with a good pod population.
 
i feed slightly heavy just once a day and no issues at all with my wrasse. nori sheets 2x per week supplement. mysis, spirulina loaded brine and homemade frozen. occasional pellets.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
After disappearing for a couple of hours, it seems to feel right at home. Am hatching some brine shrimp for feeding tomorrow and have some pods on the way
 

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DYIguy

NJRC Member
A late riser, thought at first it found a way out of the tank. Does not care for live brine shrimp, frozen cyclops or flakes- seems like the only fish that like live brine are damsels and chromis, will add the pods later, will see how that goes. The Tomini took a few days to take to frozen and a couple more for flakes- I still don't know what the Canary blenny is eating lol
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Where did you find your Melanarus?
Saltwaterfish.com- had free shipping @$99- which isn't free lol, packing/box charge and extra $6.99 for fish- still not bad though- Have bought from them before, very generous with some of their frags too
 
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