Fish ID please
 

Bought this guy yesterday, was told he's a red line wrasse but I can't find any info on him

He's got a yellow face and yellow in his tail.

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/...pscda68ee1.jpg

Looks like a candycane wrasse (Hologymnosus doliatus)? Apparently they are green and blue as adults with a max size of 15", if my ID is correct.

The candy canes seem to have a red body with white stripes. More searching comes up with a pastel ring wrasse. Still not finding a lot of info...

My book lists three common names:

Candycane Wrasse
Pastel Ring Wrasse
Long-face Wrasse

Says they will eat snails, shrimp or fish that will fit in its mouth. They bury themselves at night so a fine substrate is needed. Hope you are able to dig up some more info.

Thanks for the help. He's about 4 in ATM, so not worried about him eating fish. I asked if he was reef safe, oh ya no problem.....I have 2 cleaner shrimp and a fire shrimp.....lots of snails.....

Don't you think you have been around in the hobby long enough to avoid these impulse buys?

Understandably, new reefers fall victim to that cute fish at the LFS and post for info on it.
But..........

Buddy, I'm old enough to know better than to impulse buying anything but I still do it.

I searched while in the store for info on it based on what I was told, got home and searched some more. Its not what i was told it was which was why i asked. I was looking at another wrasse and was told it wasn't reef safe so I passed and Was directed to this one.

I impulse buy a lot. Usually Costco:wink:

Btw it may be a halichoeres prosopein or one of the rainbow species. 12cm, need a sandbed to cocoon in, territorial, look rather drab as an adult.

If you are into wrasses look at Rude Kuiter's book on them.

I think the first ID is correct. Will not be staying in the tank for long and will take back to the store.

How could they know if it's reef safe if they don't have a name?

They told me it was a red lined wrasse.

I get it - I f@#ked up.

It could very well be a "Red Lined wrasse". Often times a LFS will get stuff in with the common name given to the fish from the supplier/distributor. The LFS was told it was a Red Line wrasse on the shipping slip, so as far as they are concerned, it's a "Red Lined wrasse". Who knows what the true scientific name of this fish actually is. Probably not the LFS and maybe not even the supplier/distributor where it came from. I googled "Red Lined Wrasse" and found a picture of one just like Coralgurls. There's not a lot of information on it but then that's the nature of the hobby. Often times things come in with very little information, whether it be a fish or a coral.

Personally, I find this kind of a challenge part of the fun of the hobby. Sometimes a species will come in and you may not know a lot about it even after asking the LFS AND The Google. If you like the fish/coral/invert for whatever reason, and you understand that you are undertaking a degree of risk, then why not make that decision to bring it home? I've been at this a while now and I've done this countless times.