Melanurus wrasse

[triggreef]

After reading Liveaquarias description, they say can be housed with its own species... I got two, from Bluezooaquatics ($23 each!) to be qt'd together in a 90g, but ultimately go to different tanks.

Both beautiful (about 3.5") and eating right away but a couple days after I was only seeing one at a time. Then the second one popped out of the sand and I saw why. One was relentlessly going after the other. Luckily I was there to see it and separated them pre damage.

But shows descriptions are off sometimes even from reputable places. And props to bluezoo for an awesome order of fish! All healthy and eating.

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=977&cid=290

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1379+2285&pcatid=2285

[matt888]

These are beautiful fish, but in my opinion, not docile or invert safe. Mine runs the show and will mess with shrimp and some snails!

[triggreef]

The only shrimp I care about are my fire shrimp but they are large I think they should be ok. I have some ghost shrimp in my reef that I think he'll find first. Maybe I'll have time to get the fires out if it seems like it will be a problem. I've seen a lot of people say they don't bother shrimp.

Mine are both either juvis or females btw. Dot on dorsal and tail.

[matt888]

Yeah, the ghost could get eaten, but the larger variety should be safe. My male doesn't mess with the peppermints. I suspect that mine may have taken a few bites out of my Derasa clam, but no smoking gun. I moved the clam to another tank a year ago and not only did it heal, but it has not been bothered again...

[Capt56]

The only shrimp I care about are my fire shrimp but they are large I think they should be ok. I have some ghost shrimp in my reef that I think he'll find first. Maybe I'll have time to get the fires out if it seems like it will be a problem. I've seen a lot of people say they don't bother shrimp.

Mine are both either juvis or females btw. Dot on dorsal and tail.

I got rid of mine when it ate a peppermint shrimp right away. I had a scarlet and fire shrimp that it didn't bother. Great fish other than that.

[skyline377]

My $20 pistol shrimp lasted 7 seconds with my Melanurus wrasse. Mine is a bully to anything that goes in after him.

[triggreef]

My $20 pistol shrimp lasted 7 seconds with my Melanurus wrasse. Mine is a bully to anything that goes in after him.

Was the shrimp there and set up first? I about completely forgot I have one of those since I never see it. I know he's still there because I see his caves.

[HiImSean]

mine will actively go after snails, no shrimp in the tank. it gets along pretty well with my clown but they will go back and forth with each other every once in a while

[lilalove]

My melanurus is a meanie. For years my big canary wrasse was boss...until it jumped out and died. Since then the melanurus has really grown and taken over. He doesn't do any damage, but definitely shows the other wrasses who is in charge. He flips over and eats nassarius snails, but has left all my other inverts alone. The fish is pretty awesome.

[DolbyDinosaur]

I've also had issues with male melanurus' becoming pugnacious.

[matt888]

Bummer to think my Melanurus was not the only pain. I really like his activity and colors. I just wish it played better with inverts and fish. I won't be moving him over to my new 210g unfortunately. Such a cool fish otherwise!

[a.browning]

With melanurus, multiple females can be kept together along with one male. But if you have more than one male, they will fight and this seems to be your case. My melanurus is definitely one of my dominant fish, but I certainly wouldn't say it's aggressive. They will normally pick off a snail every once and a while, probably small shrimp as well. Mine has done well; they are really cool fish but not best for everyone's system.

[skyline377]

Was the shrimp there and set up first? I about completely forgot I have one of those since I never see it. I know he's still there because I see his caves.

No i added my shrimp later and that was a mistake.

[HumbleFish]

Mine scraps with a CB Angel, but leaves snails/shrimp alone. I do keep him very well fed however. He's always cruising around my tank looking for pests (i.e. bristleworms, flatworms) to eat. However, he also decimates my pod population.

[triggreef]

With melanurus, multiple females can be kept together along with one male. But if you have more than one male, they will fight and this seems to be your case. My melanurus is definitely one of my dominant fish, but I certainly wouldn't say it's aggressive. They will normally pick off a snail every once and a while, probably small shrimp as well. Mine has done well; they are really cool fish but not best for everyone's system.

Mine both have a black dot on the dorsal and the tail. Mine are both exactly like the female in the pic on the liveaquaria link in the first post. But I think the shape of their tails are looking more like the males. Maybe they are changing?

Either way I had to separate them. The one that was getting beat on now seems very skiddish and was not in the least before. Hopefully he gets over that.