Mandarin + Melanurus Wrasse?

lanamarks · #1 12/21/2007, 02:19 PM

I was thinking about getting a melanurus wrasse to help with the flatworms in my tank (plus they are really pretty). My target mandarin doesn't mess with them at all.

However my mandarin is fat and happy and I would prefer to keep it that way. Would adding the wrasse be too much (i.e. not enough copepods to support them)?

FYI - tank is 100 gal and 3 yrs old. I am also considering adding a few clown gobies which will each some copepods but I don't think they are large enough to make a huge impact.

ssavader · #2 12/21/2007, 04:05 PM

These wrasses surely will eat copepods, but mine also eats EVERYTHING else- krill, marine cubes, algae cubes, fresh fish, and algae sheets. Feed your Melanurus well and he will certainely leave enough pods for your Mandarin (I assume you have a refugium?).

H^2 Salt · #3 12/21/2007, 04:26 PM

one thing i have notice with Mandarins is that they can become stressed out by fast aggressive acting fish like wrasses...even the smaller reef friendly ones......although looking back over your post and seeing they are in 100g tank as long as there is a lot of LR im sure it would be fine

lanamarks · #4 12/21/2007, 04:50 PM

Hmm....can't make up my mind! It is always iffy adding anything to the tank, nothings cut and dry.

I did notice though that when I got my mandarin both my firefish and rainfordi goby dissapeared (both fat and happy). I wasn't sure if I had the mandarin that doesn't share well or if that had anything to do with it. I really miss my rainfordi though.

gasman059 · #5 12/21/2007, 04:52 PM

I have 7 wrasses including a black and a divided leopard plus a psych mandarin.-tons of live rock.
So its possible but IMHO hit or miss.
good luck

racerw · #6 12/21/2007, 05:26 PM

I have several wrasses w/my mandarin including a six-line & melanarus & all are fat & happy. My mandarin eats pellets though.

amphirion · #7 12/21/2007, 06:00 PM

I wouldn't do it. I have a 110g tank and I had a mandarin and a melanurus wrasse (beautiful and awesome fish by the way) and the wrasse just died this week. She was very thin, I think she lacked of food. The mandarin didn't liked her and she didn't liked the mandarin very much so there was a kind of conflict between these two but the mandarin won the battle and the wrasse died 2 days ago.

lanamarks · #8 01/03/2008, 12:21 PM

Thanks for the help - I decided not to get the wrasse (although I hate seeing the stupid flatworms in my tank!)