Possum Wrasse

elkinsda · #1 01/06/2008, 12:55 AM

Anyone own this wrasse? how is it in your tank with other tank mates? Is this wrasse an open swimmer or will it tend to hide in caves more?

Is there any good online vendors that sell these cheap?

snorvich · #2 01/06/2008, 07:11 AM

I am tagging along on this. Also, what do they eat? I think there is more than one species called possum wrasse, is that right.

James983 · #3 01/06/2008, 08:24 AM

Great fish, swims out in the open. Stays small. Have mine about 2 yrs.

Fairy Wrassler · #4 01/06/2008, 09:24 AM

I have several, 2 pairs in a very quiet tank, 1 pair of W. nigropinnata for about 2 years and 1 pair of the newly described W. tanakai for about 1 month.

(Yes, that is OUR Dr. Tanaka, for details see here).

The third member of the genus is W. albofasciata. I am not aware of any other types of wrasse being called possum wrasse.

We have had no trouble feeding them, they seem to eat anything and love frozen mysis and small meaty stuff. My advice would be to keep them in the quietest tank you can in order to see them more. They tend to hide in the rocks with larger and more active fish, but get quite bold with appropriate tankmates - ours are with pipefish, mandarins, twin spot gobies, golden angel, orbiculate cardinals, pteroleotris uroditaenia etc.

They have a ton of personality and they are small and quiet, and I strongly recommend them for an appropriate tank.

FW

James983 · #5 01/06/2008, 09:45 AM

I have mine in a very active tank w/3 med. tangs, no problem.

Fairy Wrassler · #6 01/06/2008, 10:10 AM

Excellent :-)

Mine were a bit freaked by the orbic cardinals chasing each other around, but I think a little more freaked by the presence of other wetmorellas. They seems to be getting their acts together now, but I still think that the tank will be more like I intended once I get the cardinals out....

We seem to agree that they rock :-)

FW

CarlC · #7 01/06/2008, 11:35 AM

I've had a W. tanakai for about 6 month's now in a highly active anthia's tank with a couple of differant angels. No problems at all. It eats anything it happens to see. Live amphipods and live mysids are its favorite though. It is always creeping around the rock work looking for a meal.

Carl

elkinsda · #8 01/06/2008, 01:48 PM

I'm really hooked on how these fish look, pretty unique. I'd have it in with a pair of false perculas.

Any ideas if these possum wrasse would be ok with the McCoskers wrasse?

James983 · #9 01/06/2008, 03:40 PM

The Possum is very peaceful, my Mystery Wrasse used to chase him a bit. Not sure about a McCoskers though.

Fairy Wrassler · #10 01/06/2008, 09:14 PM

I doubt the McCosker's would present a problem.

FW

wrasseguy2 · #11 01/06/2008, 09:25 PM

i have gad mine for quite sometime now and it mostly eats myssi but i have seen him eating of the rock as well..i have never seen him chase or go after any fish and i have never seen mine chased by anything they all seem to leave him alone...one of my favorite wrasse that i got....mine was shy at first but spends more time in the open and hangs out in cave alot too...when the actincs are on he is out alot more then..here are a few pics of mine i have the w. tanakai

James983 · #12 01/06/2008, 10:02 PM

elkinsda · #13 01/06/2008, 10:08 PM

Hey wrasseguy2 did you get yours locally or an online vendor? I guess i could call around to a few LFS and see if they could get any in.

BTW nice pictures guys!

wrasseguy2 · #14 01/06/2008, 10:27 PM

i got it here locally...i had no plans of every getting one did not know if they would get along with my fairys and flashers..there was a fairy that was to come in for me but my lfs did not get it and i saw this fish there and one of the guys that i know that works there has one in his tank with other wrassses and said his had worked out great..so for the price i said what the heck and got him...i have loved him since