will a Melanurus wrasse do for me?

[class clown]

This may be a stupid question, but I have a bare bottom. A Melanarus is probably no good for me, is it?

 

[The Apprentice]

Anampses melanurus the Whitespotted Wrasse

Ben I see you have a 55 gallon tank and it did have sand at some time but now you have gone BB?
Would you be able to put a glass jar 3-4" deep but wide for even water flow over the top of the jar/bowl?
If so I have seen this done with Moving leopards ( Macropharyngodon meleagris) from tank to tank and using this as a temporary home till sand could be moved in or a tank with sand could be established. I just don't know about long Term?
I am by no means a Wrasse expert But I have had pretty good sucess with the Macropharyngodon meleagris and the Macropharyngodon ornatus
with care and feeding some I have had over 3 years now (tank 3.5 years old)
But I have a dsb in one tank and in my other I have crushed coral and they are doing fine in both.
On a side note Ben I have a Pseudochelilinus hexataenia that will follow a dominate Male Macropharyngodon meleagris to it bed and it will sleep just above it every night???

I hope Lee can shed some more light on the Anampses melanurus
....Jeff

This may be a stupid question, but I have a bare bottom. A Melanarus is probably no good for me, is it?

 

[leebca]

Unfortunately, I have no direct experience with this Genus. They are carnivores, but their need or dependency on substrate is not one of the things I am familiar with. Maybe others will have insight or experience.

 

[class clown]

Ben I see you have a 55 gallon tank and it did have sand at some time but now you have gone BB?
Would you be able to put a glass jar 3-4" deep but wide for even water flow over the top of the jar/bowl?
If so I have seen this done with Moving leopards ( Macropharyngodon meleagris) from tank to tank and using this as a temporary home till sand could be moved in or a tank with sand could be established. I just don't know about long Term?
I am by no means a Wrasse expert But I have had pretty good sucess with the Macropharyngodon meleagris and the Macropharyngodon ornatus
with care and feeding some I have had over 3 years now (tank 3.5 years old)
But I have a dsb in one tank and in my other I have crushed coral and they are doing fine in both.
On a side note Ben I have a Pseudochelilinus hexataenia that will follow a dominate Male Macropharyngodon meleagris to it bed and it will sleep just above it every night???

I hope Lee can shed some more light on the Anampses melanurus
....Jeff

Thanks Jeff - and fascinating tale of the two going to bed at night. I need to update my signature- good reminder. I've done a little upgrading lately and have a 240 BB now. Your idea about the jar just reminded me that a LFS around here, Barrier Reef, has a tuperware container full of sand in their BB frag tank. They use it for their clams, but come to think of it, I do seem to recall a wrasse in there too. I'm not sure I want a jar or tuperware container in there, but what I'm hearing is that It would be potentially stressful for the fish if it can't lay to bed at night in the sand bed.

Again, maybe a stupid question, but in the absence of sand, would these guys find a cave in the LR to lay down in and be Ok? or long term would this just cause too much stress on the fish?

 

[The Apprentice]

Again, maybe a stupid question, but in the absence of sand, would these guys find a cave in the LR to lay down in and be Ok? or long term would this just cause too much stress on the fish?

Ben I would go with a glass dish of sand If you want to try this fish after it gets used to the tank you may get lucky and pull the dish I just don't know...
Every thing I have read screams sand!

I hope some elese has had one and can shed some light. Have you seen this fish in a LFS or you going mail order?

 

[BTTRFLYGRL]

I have an Iridis and a Potters Wrasse..both sleep in the sand. The sand is also their protection, they will go there when they feel threatened.
I would not attempt to keep this very fragile Wrasse without a sandbed..I think it would cause it too much stress.

 

[class clown]

Again, maybe a stupid question, but in the absence of sand, would these guys find a cave in the LR to lay down in and be Ok? or long term would this just cause too much stress on the fish?

Ben I would go with a glass dish of sand If you want to try this fish after it gets used to the tank you may get lucky and pull the dish I just don't know...
Every thing I have read screams sand!

I hope some elese has had one and can shed some light. Have you seen this fish in a LFS or you going mail order?

I'd probably have my LFS order it for me. I'm not too keen on the whole buying without inspecting first idea.

Yeah.. sounds like sand is really a must have w/ these guys. I won't purchase unless others on here can share some positive experience with these guys adopting to none. it's out of their natural patters, so not expecting much, but let me know if anyone out there has tried succesfully to get these guys to live healthy happy lives w/ out sand.

Thanks everyone

 

[declivis]

hey ben,
i was a little hesitant when we put that melanarus into the frag tank(due to the lack of a true sand bed). but i'll be darned if the guy isnt doing well, it was a little suprising to me but he has been doing very, very well. he eats like a champ and i havent seen any stress-type symptoms. if you do decide to try one i would at the very least do something similar to what we have done with they tray of sand.
and i might be confused, but are you looking for Anampses melanurus or Halichoeres melarurus(the apprentice said something about Anampses). if it is Hal. melanurus you shouldn't have a problem. most of my experiences with Anampses wrasses have been iffy at best, but all the Halichoeres have done well. hopefully i'm not crossing any lines by putting my 2 cents in.

 

[class clown]

hey ben,
i was a little hesitant when we put that melanarus into the frag tank(due to the lack of a true sand bed). but i'll be darned if the guy isnt doing well, it was a little suprising to me but he has been doing very, very well. he eats like a champ and i havent seen any stress-type symptoms. if you do decide to try one i would at the very least do something similar to what we have done with they tray of sand.
and i might be confused, but are you looking for Anampses melanurus or Halichoeres melarurus(the apprentice said something about Anampses). if it is Hal. melanurus you shouldn't have a problem. most of my experiences with Anampses wrasses have been iffy at best, but all the Halichoeres have done well. hopefully i'm not crossing any lines by putting my 2 cents in.

Chris - thank you for sharing your experience - this is what it's all about. I like the one that you guys have at the store. I assume that is the Hal. malanrus, yes?

 

[declivis]

indeed he be......Halichoeres melanurus.....