Reef Discussion

[Savage Henry]

I had thought I'd done enough research to know about every member of the Halichoeres family. This was about twelve months ago or so when I had thought I'd mourned long enough the passing of my Golden/Canary/Banana Wrasse (Halichoeres Chrysus) and my having let go of my Dusky Wrasse (as I thought it was going to grow to big). Then, on Saturday I visited Majestic Aquariums and came across an Adorned/Orange-Striped Wrasse (Halichoeres Cosmetus). So, I did further research and informed that it only grows to about 5 inches and it eats some of those nasties that we all might get from time to time, I bought it. It was very cheap. Makes me wonder why wrasse like this aren't more popular.

Anyway, has anyone experience with this wrasse? I'm expecting it to be just like a Golden Wrasse and eventually I might even add a Golden Wrasse to the tank too.

At the moment it is small. I'm thankful for that as I will be changing tanks soon and hope that some of the beneficial worms and copepods can populate the tank before the wrasse becomes large enough to eat them.

 

[Savage Henry]

Shit, on closer inspection it looks like Halichoeres melanurus!

That's OK.

 

[MagicJ]

I like to look at pictures :rolleyes

Halichoeres cosmetus

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Halichoeres melanurus


The main difference, especially as a juvenile, looks to be the position of the second (rear) spot - where is the spot located on yours?

I couldn't find any reference to H. cosmetus being found in Australian waters so that might provide some confirmation - does the LFS know where it was collected?

 

[Savage Henry]

Mine has the spot configuration of melanurus but has a lighter coloured belly like cosmetus.

Once I brought the fish home and I had a really close look at the fish and compared it with googled images, I took the spot configuration as being determinative.

I had put my name down at another shop for a melanurus ages ago, but never got one. So, I would have bought this fish regardless of whether it was melanurus or cosmetus. I would have preferred even smaller, but this one is about 2.5 inches so not too big. I would like to get other similar sized Halichoeres wrasses, but I'll just have to see how how much live food is available in the tank with this one alone.

 

[MagicJ]

Mine has the spot configuration of melanurus ... took the spot configuration as being determinative.

I can't argue with that logic :)

 

[Savage Henry]

Before I bought the wrasse I looked at the picture in the following link:

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=1032&cid=290

This now adds extreme confusion!

I will go with what you suggested above that it is more probable to be a local fish (although I didn't ask the lfs) and is more likely to be Melanurus.

Guess everyone is going to want me t post a picture... I'll look into this.

At the moment the fish is in a a small bucket as it came home in water at 1.020 (my refractometer), but my water is 1.028. so I am slowly raising it.

It ate nls pellets I left in its bucket last night and just now it ate more nls pellets that I added. It's eating straight from the water surface.

Cute little bugger whatever it is.

 

[MagicJ]

I would say that the linked photo is incorrect - it looks like a H. melanurus to me.

Yes, I think we need a picture :D

 

[Savage Henry]

OK, here it is.

My Coral Beauty has been asserting its dominance over the newcomer and so I thought I'd better take a photo of it too.

 

[MagicJ]

The spot on the tail points to H. melanurus - I'm sure it wasn't east getting a picture :)