Banded Possum Wrasse

atreyu917 · 01/07/2010, 10:21 PM

Anyone ever had one? Do they do any kind of pest control?
Pest control not really an issue really. I'm just trying to decided between one of these or a Yellow Coris.

Tankmates would be Regal Tang SM, Swallowtail Angel MD, 2 False Percs, 3 Banggai Cardinals, Randall's Goby, Smith's Blenny, Sharknose Goby, and Cleaner Shrimp.

Stumped · 01/08/2010, 12:16 AM

I had one. Theyre really docile and shy. They don't do any kind of pest control other than eating pods as far as I know of (or at least mine didnt). They're much different than other types of wrasse species in terms of behaviour. I'd never put one into a rowdy tank (not saying yours is though).

Beaun · 01/08/2010, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atreyu917

Anyone ever had one? Do they do any kind of pest control?
Pest control not really an issue really. I'm just trying to decided between one of these or a Yellow Coris.

Tankmates would be Regal Tang SM, Swallowtail Angel MD, 2 False Percs, 3 Banggai Cardinals, Randall's Goby, Smith's Blenny, Sharknose Goby, and Cleaner Shrimp.

I currently have one with a Cherub Pygmy Angel, Chalk Bass, 2 Oc. Clowns, Yellow Wrasse, and a Yasha Goby. The Angel pestered it for the first half day, but after that nothing has looked twice at it. It is a VERY mellow fish, they do not control any pests, but you could easily put a Yellow Coris and a Possum in the same tank with no aggression issues, depending on how much room you have left. Mine will not accept flake or pellet foods, but will eat mysis. It hides and swims within the rock work 90% of the time, but comes out in the open from time to time and when in sunset/sunrise.

small alien · 01/08/2010, 01:31 PM

I had one for about a year that jumped to its untimely death through a small opening in my top. Pretty shy. Cave dweller in nature so mostly will be in the rockwork. I saw mine mostly at feeding time. At frozen cyclops and mysis with vigor. Cool personality. Very docile but no nonsense. Would taunt my cardinal sometimes in a rather hilarious way. Really fast when it would dart.

I think mine ate bristle worms because I never saw another one after he'd been in the tank for a couple of months. Can't say for sure. Super fish.

small alien · 01/08/2010, 01:32 PM

Had mine in a 20 and he seemed very comfortable in a smaller tank like that.

wallstdrifter · 04/28/2012, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by small alien

I had one for about a year that jumped to its untimely death through a small opening in my top. Pretty shy. Cave dweller in nature so mostly will be in the rockwork. I saw mine mostly at feeding time. At frozen cyclops and mysis with vigor. Cool personality. Very docile but no nonsense. Would taunt my cardinal sometimes in a rather hilarious way. Really fast when it would dart.

I think mine ate bristle worms because I never saw another one after he'd been in the tank for a couple of months. Can't say for sure. Super fish.

"Very docile but no nonsense" :

Fish sounds like a cool operator. Also, I read somewhere that they include marine worms in their diet. Their little choppers and the shape of their mouth look perfect to rip and gouge bristle worms. They could probably do a number on flatworms once they get started.

rssjsb · 04/29/2012, 09:14 AM

I love mine. I was worried about him getting enough to eat because he rarely takes anything I offer. After a few weeks in my display (185 gallon), he looked like a little football. He will take frozen and occasionally eat flake, but mostly I think he eats pods.

He definitely sticks close to the rocks, but I still see him cruising around occasionally. Tankmates include angels, clowns, filefish, a tang, a foxface, and a watchman goby. No one pays the possum wrasse any mind at all.

trinidiver · 04/29/2012, 11:32 AM

I see my LFS has 2 of them and i find them very interesting.............. not the prettiest fish but he has some character....... weird way he swims also. Hoping to get him tomorrow.

snorvich · 04/29/2012, 11:39 AM

Great fish. Aqu CON is a terrible vendor.

wallstdrifter · 04/29/2012, 04:00 PM

These fish seem to be small enough not to contaminate your tank with cyanide related issues. That's where a quarantine tank can really help. Wash out the harmful chemicals into quarantine.

rssjsb · 04/29/2012, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallstdrifter

These fish seem to be small enough not to contaminate your tank with cyanide related issues. That's where a quarantine tank can really help. Wash out the harmful chemicals into quarantine.

Um, what now?

small alien · 04/29/2012, 05:32 PM

I think that little dog's right ear just went up!

wallstdrifter · 04/29/2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by small alien

I think that little dog's right ear just went up!

Very nicely put small alien, you are definitely a fine example of alien intelligence!

wallstdrifter · 04/29/2012, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rssjsb

Um, what now?

There is fear in the hobby of various compounds and chemicals be spread by fish harvested with cyanide. Let the fish wash out in your local fish store or in your quarantine tank before adding to your reef. Always dispose of transport water. You are at greatest risk when buying direct via next day air.

wallstdrifter · 04/29/2012, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rssjsb

Um, what now?

WOW, what's up with the demeanor?

rssjsb · 04/29/2012, 06:36 PM

Sorry, meant in a playful way. Doesn't always come through on the internet.

I would never put bag water into my display or QT for a lot of reasons, mostly due to waste, copper from the LFS, etc. And I'm aware of cyanide as an issue in that it often kills fish it's used on. I've just never heard anyone express concern about cyanide coming off of a fish and contaminating an aquarium.

wallstdrifter · 04/29/2012, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rssjsb

Sorry, meant in a playful way. Doesn't always come through on the internet.

I would never put bag water into my display or QT for a lot of reasons, mostly due to waste, copper from the LFS, etc. And I'm aware of cyanide as an issue in that it often kills fish it's used on. I've just never heard anyone express concern about cyanide coming off of a fish and contaminating an aquarium.

Great! Now that I'm sure the playfulness was great and on target. Very witty.

Regarding cyanide Julian Sprung is spreading the word in latest issue of Coral. The collected fish slowly convert and shed cyanide. This slow process can produce unexpected nasty results.

Great chatting with you.

small alien · 04/29/2012, 08:05 PM

Interesting. Always something to learn. It did sound out of left field. The truth often does.

trinidiver · 05/02/2012, 05:49 PM

Well i picked up my possum wrasse today and he has settled in nicely. he has gotten back all his color and feeding. He has the personality of a six line wrasse minus the aggression....lol.

wallstdrifter · 05/03/2012, 04:59 AM

How much in USD did it cost?

trinidiver · 05/03/2012, 06:33 PM

^^^^^ I live in Trinidad (West Indies), so shipping it plus all other expenses..... about $80

IamTomm · 05/03/2012, 07:38 PM

I have had a possum wrasse for about 8 months. Had to remove my sixline cause he was picking on the possum. But once the wrasse settled in he is out a lot more. Still kinda cryptic but a lot less shy than when I first got it. Always pick stuff from the rock work. He does eat flatworms also. All in all my possum is a great community fish is my tank.

trinidiver · 05/03/2012, 08:11 PM

^^^^^ When i took him out from quarantine, he didnt have all his colors. Today he was out and about my 200+gal reef tank picking at the rocks........ you would swear he was around mths. His colors has darkened tremendously and even though he's not the prettiest fish in my tank, he's very unique. He's just like my geometric hawkfish.

wallstdrifter · 05/03/2012, 08:23 PM

As per your album looks like he has plenty of live rock to get lost in. Looks like your live rock was ocean fresh?

trinidiver · 05/03/2012, 10:34 PM

^^^^^ LOL.
Actually, about 80% of the rock did come strait from the ocean, cycled and stored in smaller tanks prior to being placed in my main tank. Approximately 6mths and being cycled with a few tangs, chromis and black mollies. Amphipods, copipods, and small critters just exloded with growth. And just imagine, this tank is only up approx 10mths now.

01/07/2010, 10:21 PM	#1
atreyu917 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Acworth, GA Posts: 63	Banded Possum Wrasse Anyone ever had one? Do they do any kind of pest control? Pest control not really an issue really. I'm just trying to decided between one of these or a Yellow Coris. Tankmates would be Regal Tang SM, Swallowtail Angel MD, 2 False Percs, 3 Banggai Cardinals, Randall's Goby, Smith's Blenny, Sharknose Goby, and Cleaner Shrimp.

01/08/2010, 01:31 PM	#4
small alien The fungus is among us. Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, University of Washington Posts: 3,484	I had one for about a year that jumped to its untimely death through a small opening in my top. Pretty shy. Cave dweller in nature so mostly will be in the rockwork. I saw mine mostly at feeding time. At frozen cyclops and mysis with vigor. Cool personality. Very docile but no nonsense. Would taunt my cardinal sometimes in a rather hilarious way. Really fast when it would dart. I think mine ate bristle worms because I never saw another one after he'd been in the tank for a couple of months. Can't say for sure. Super fish. __________________ This moment is all we have. Current Tank Info: 75 mixed reef. M/F/F OSFF, M/F Leopards, M Mandy, F Scooter, Clown, Hector's Goby, Green Clown Goby, Priolepis sp, M/F Matted File, Banded, Multi-band and Bluestripe Pipes, Tailspot Blenny, Firefish, Canary Wrasse, Royal G., Abrolhos Jaw, Papua Toby.

01/08/2010, 01:32 PM	#5
small alien The fungus is among us. Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, University of Washington Posts: 3,484	Had mine in a 20 and he seemed very comfortable in a smaller tank like that. __________________ This moment is all we have. Current Tank Info: 75 mixed reef. M/F/F OSFF, M/F Leopards, M Mandy, F Scooter, Clown, Hector's Goby, Green Clown Goby, Priolepis sp, M/F Matted File, Banded, Multi-band and Bluestripe Pipes, Tailspot Blenny, Firefish, Canary Wrasse, Royal G., Abrolhos Jaw, Papua Toby.

04/29/2012, 09:14 AM	#7
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 2,573	I love mine. I was worried about him getting enough to eat because he rarely takes anything I offer. After a few weeks in my display (185 gallon), he looked like a little football. He will take frozen and occasionally eat flake, but mostly I think he eats pods. He definitely sticks close to the rocks, but I still see him cruising around occasionally. Tankmates include angels, clowns, filefish, a tang, a foxface, and a watchman goby. No one pays the possum wrasse any mind at all. __________________ Robin

04/29/2012, 11:32 AM	#8
trinidiver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glencoe, Trinidad. (West Indies) Posts: 787	I see my LFS has 2 of them and i find them very interesting.............. not the prettiest fish but he has some character....... weird way he swims also. Hoping to get him tomorrow. __________________ Always expect anything from your friends......they will shoot you down as they get a chance. Current Tank Info: Its a 220gal reef.......LPS/leathers/zoas. Check my album.

01/08/2010, 12:16 AM	#2
Stumped Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 439	I had one. Theyre really docile and shy. They don't do any kind of pest control other than eating pods as far as I know of (or at least mine didnt). They're much different than other types of wrasse species in terms of behaviour. I'd never put one into a rowdy tank (not saying yours is though).

04/29/2012, 11:39 AM	#9
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Flatlander Posts: 25,983 Blog Entries: 27	Great fish. Aqu CON is a terrible vendor. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ It is my policy to not respond to those who ask questions not to learn but to be bellicose. Life is a series of decisions serially executed but collectively judged. "Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins the game, some people just get to play longer than others." - Anthony Calfo

04/29/2012, 04:00 PM	#10
wallstdrifter Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mt Prospect IL Posts: 15	These fish seem to be small enough not to contaminate your tank with cyanide related issues. That's where a quarantine tank can really help. Wash out the harmful chemicals into quarantine.

04/29/2012, 05:32 PM	#12
small alien The fungus is among us. Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, University of Washington Posts: 3,484	I think that little dog's right ear just went up! __________________ This moment is all we have. Current Tank Info: 75 mixed reef. M/F/F OSFF, M/F Leopards, M Mandy, F Scooter, Clown, Hector's Goby, Green Clown Goby, Priolepis sp, M/F Matted File, Banded, Multi-band and Bluestripe Pipes, Tailspot Blenny, Firefish, Canary Wrasse, Royal G., Abrolhos Jaw, Papua Toby.

04/29/2012, 06:36 PM	#16
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 2,573	Sorry, meant in a playful way. Doesn't always come through on the internet. I would never put bag water into my display or QT for a lot of reasons, mostly due to waste, copper from the LFS, etc. And I'm aware of cyanide as an issue in that it often kills fish it's used on. I've just never heard anyone express concern about cyanide coming off of a fish and contaminating an aquarium. __________________ Robin

04/29/2012, 08:05 PM	#18
small alien The fungus is among us. Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, University of Washington Posts: 3,484	Interesting. Always something to learn. It did sound out of left field. The truth often does. __________________ This moment is all we have. Current Tank Info: 75 mixed reef. M/F/F OSFF, M/F Leopards, M Mandy, F Scooter, Clown, Hector's Goby, Green Clown Goby, Priolepis sp, M/F Matted File, Banded, Multi-band and Bluestripe Pipes, Tailspot Blenny, Firefish, Canary Wrasse, Royal G., Abrolhos Jaw, Papua Toby.

05/02/2012, 05:49 PM	#19
trinidiver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glencoe, Trinidad. (West Indies) Posts: 787	Well i picked up my possum wrasse today and he has settled in nicely. he has gotten back all his color and feeding. He has the personality of a six line wrasse minus the aggression....lol. __________________ Always expect anything from your friends......they will shoot you down as they get a chance. Current Tank Info: Its a 220gal reef.......LPS/leathers/zoas. Check my album.

05/03/2012, 04:59 AM	#20
wallstdrifter Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mt Prospect IL Posts: 15	How much in USD did it cost?

05/03/2012, 06:33 PM	#21
trinidiver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glencoe, Trinidad. (West Indies) Posts: 787	^^^^^ I live in Trinidad (West Indies), so shipping it plus all other expenses..... about $80 __________________ Always expect anything from your friends......they will shoot you down as they get a chance. Current Tank Info: Its a 220gal reef.......LPS/leathers/zoas. Check my album.

05/03/2012, 07:38 PM	#22
IamTomm Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Coal Twp., Pa Posts: 101	I have had a possum wrasse for about 8 months. Had to remove my sixline cause he was picking on the possum. But once the wrasse settled in he is out a lot more. Still kinda cryptic but a lot less shy than when I first got it. Always pick stuff from the rock work. He does eat flatworms also. All in all my possum is a great community fish is my tank.

05/03/2012, 08:11 PM	#23
trinidiver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glencoe, Trinidad. (West Indies) Posts: 787	^^^^^ When i took him out from quarantine, he didnt have all his colors. Today he was out and about my 200+gal reef tank picking at the rocks........ you would swear he was around mths. His colors has darkened tremendously and even though he's not the prettiest fish in my tank, he's very unique. He's just like my geometric hawkfish. __________________ Always expect anything from your friends......they will shoot you down as they get a chance. Current Tank Info: Its a 220gal reef.......LPS/leathers/zoas. Check my album.

05/03/2012, 08:23 PM	#24
wallstdrifter Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mt Prospect IL Posts: 15	As per your album looks like he has plenty of live rock to get lost in. Looks like your live rock was ocean fresh?

05/03/2012, 10:34 PM	#25
trinidiver Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Glencoe, Trinidad. (West Indies) Posts: 787	^^^^^ LOL. Actually, about 80% of the rock did come strait from the ocean, cycled and stored in smaller tanks prior to being placed in my main tank. Approximately 6mths and being cycled with a few tangs, chromis and black mollies. Amphipods, copipods, and small critters just exloded with growth. And just imagine, this tank is only up approx 10mths now. __________________ Always expect anything from your friends......they will shoot you down as they get a chance. Current Tank Info: Its a 220gal reef.......LPS/leathers/zoas. Check my album.