Wrasses that Eat AEFW or Red Bugs

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Tyler Werbowski

"poop."

...is important too

Your corals gotta eat!

[Chowder]

I have heard that the Halichoeres Melanurus eats red bugs. I do not have any proof though. I have heard this from Jim at OA who had heard this from his fish suppliers.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Spec...name=melanurus

Look very similair to a Christmas Wrasse but has a blue head. Believe I have a female.

Chris

[justinl]

I've heard the same as Chris. It sounds to me as if H. melanurus is the best among wrasses for pest control; it doesn't hurt that it is also a gorgeous fish and is fairly well suited for captivity. Unfortunately, you'll find that they are hard to find in Canada although American suppliers occasionally get them. That said I just found one at J&L last week, completely by chance (juvenile coloration so they didn't even know what it was)

[Chowder]

Justinl is this the Juvenile colours or possibly a female or something else? This one I purchased at J&L about 2 months ago. I have seen them at Ocean Aquatics as well.







Chris

[Skimmerking]

my yellow wrasse did it great for me.

[justinl]

Chris, your fish is not H. melanurus. It is H. ocellatus. H. melanurus (aka tail-spot wrasse) has a spot in the middle of its dorsal fin and another on the dorsal side of its caudal peduncle. Your fish has two spots on the dorsal fin, none on the peduncle. The facial patterns tell me it is H. biocellatus. It's still growing as the full adults lose the dorsal spots but it's almost there.

H. melanurus
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Spec...ry.php?id=4858

H. biocellatus
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/spec...ry.php?id=5627

H. biocellatus shows up more often than H. melanurus but it is still a very pretty fish.

[Chowder]

Thanks for the ID, I was thinking it was the wrong one.

Chris