Wrasse question!!!

sammie · #1 01/10/2008, 12:11 AM

What is the best wrasse that will eat flatworms, leave other inverts alone, dosen't cost an arm and a leg, and if worth looking at.

Sounds like a pie in the sky but it can't hurt to ask.

tabndust · #2 01/10/2008, 12:21 AM

i think you would be looking for a six line wrasse

szwab · #3 01/10/2008, 12:29 AM

yellow coris

only costs an arm no leg

cl2ysta1 · #4 01/10/2008, 01:05 AM

are the coris' very agressive though to other wrasses? i think i remember hearing that. they are amazing at eating bad stuff though. I think it's rokle m that has one but he keeps it in his frag tank only.

Hormigaquatica · #5 01/10/2008, 01:48 AM

Any of the Pseudocheilinus group of wrasses would work reasonably well- sixline, fourline, mystery, cryptic wrasse, etc. (arranged in what IME is decreasing aggression). Some of the smaller coris wrasses might work OK, but they tend to pick at stuff (like clams) more than the other guys do.

RokleM · #6 01/10/2008, 08:11 AM

Yes, I have a Halichoeres Leucoxanthus / Halichoeres Chrysus (yellow coris wrasse) in my frag tank, but it's not really a coris from what I've read. Coris in general get big and mean, but this one seems to stay nice and calm from what I've read. He is by himself, so it's hard for me to say.

Personally, I've found sixlines to be uber-evil, and I have no intention of getting another one.

sammie · #7 01/10/2008, 08:18 AM

Sixline get nasty.

Does anyone keep wrasses in a barebottom setup? I could see them giving themselves a concussion trying to dive into the "sand".

Would the coris group pick on urchins as I've fed to many clams to my cleanup crew so I gave up on them, but we have a long spined urchin we have had for about 5 years and don't want to make food out of him.

Haven't seen any cryptic wrasse, got a picture?

hemi18 · #8 01/10/2008, 08:20 AM

i have a blue star leopard wrasse that will eat flatworms that are on mushrooms but not on any euphyllia, go figure. i have alos bought a small sixline for an 8 gallon nano. i don't think he eats them for some odd reason. i have heard peppermint shrimp like to grub on flatworms too.

sammie · #9 01/10/2008, 08:27 AM

Buying peppermint shrimp is like pouring sand down a rat hole as you rarely see them again, it's a crap shoot to get one that will eat the aptasia or other stuff and they don't seem to live long.

TacoKing · #10 01/10/2008, 09:04 AM

I have both the Halichoeres Chrysus and the Pseudocheilinus hexataenia. The chrysus is in my main tank with sand. Very peaceful and neat fish. It doesn't seem to eat the flatworms. I also have a madarin in there that doesn't eat flatworms. On the other hand I have 6 line wrasses in my bare bottom tanks and I don't see a single flatworm.

cl2ysta1 · #11 01/10/2008, 10:00 AM

here you go!

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1290041

coralreefer2110 · #12 01/10/2008, 10:37 AM

Sammie,
I have a blue sided fairy, lubbocks fairy, and a tri-color fairy wrasse in a bare bottom tank and the bottom hasn't been an issue. However I did notice they are "jumping" more frequently and had to rescue the lubbocks the other day from a potential carpet surfing incident. Don't know if sand would help that or not. Oh well, just keeping it covered...

Genetics · #13 01/10/2008, 10:45 AM

I have a mystery and he's constantly scouring the rocks for things to pick at. They're a bit expensive but not the most expensive out there. He seems to do a decent job at flatwork control is relatively calm (doesn't fight with the other wrasses) and is just amazing to look at.

Norm R · #14 01/10/2008, 08:05 PM

They are not the flashiest wrasse but another option may be a possum wrasse (Wetmorella sp.). They can be brownish or a deep red/orange. Cool little boogers, we have 3. They stay pretty small and add virtually no load and bother nothing...but they are a bit hard to find. I have never seen it documented that they eat flatworms but personally I believe they do.

Their faces actually look like a possum and believe it or not, they play dead when you catch them and have them in a bucket (float upside down).

Love mystery wrasses also...but lost ours recently (my favorite fish). All I have left is my avatar.

uztaryn · #15 01/11/2008, 12:26 AM

I have 2 hawain Flame Wrasses, a mystery, lubbock, african exquisite, solarensis, and 2 or 3 other wrasses and I just treated my entire tank for flat worms. I think some of them eat them, but I don't think any can get in all the cracks and and holes that the worms can. Good luck, and if you find something that does eat them all let me know!