Dragon Wrasse vs. Cleaner Shrimp ?

bona42na

bona42na

Member
My LFS finally has my Dragon Wrasse in and on hold for me and yesterday I read where someone said they would destroy every invert in the tank. Now I dont mind replacing snails and hermits occasionally but I dont want something thats gonna go wild on my cleaner shrimp and starfish. Does anyone here have any first hand experience with Dragon Wrasses and can shed some light on the subject while I potentially change the next candidate for my 110 ? Thanks in advance Peter
 
conogre

conogre

Member
Yep...my Dragon wrasse is about 3 years old and will destroy ANY shrimp or crab, and will also turn over a rock half the size of a coffee saucer to get at them.
Another name for them is the Stoneroller wrasse, because of this.
Almost all of the larger wrasses are the same way.
The only cleaner shrimp safe wrasses are some of the fairy/flashers and the leopards and kin.
 
bona42na

bona42na

Member
Conogre thanks for the response, great fish by the way . Do you think the starfish will be safe? If so I can move the cleaners to my reef and still get the dragon. Otherwise Im gonna have to re-think my next and last fish. Peter
 
conogre

conogre

Member
All of the wrasses ignore starfish and even ibgger hermit crabs.
I keep spider crabs in with my larger predators...they make great scavengers and yet still have tiny claws, thus are fish safe.
A huge one has a walnut sized body and tiny little pincers.
OH..slipper/bulldozer(same thing) lobsters are safe with fish as well....they are like little sherman tanks with no claws at all.
 
leopard_babe

leopard_babe

Active Member
My dragon wrasse started off moving rocks, and snails around in the tank. He never bothered another fish. He ate my entire clean up crew. He never ate my starfish, or my pencil urcin. When it comes to snails, and shrimp my dragon loved them. A nice taste expensie snack... :rolleyes:
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
I would just take caution wth the dragon and the starfish. No doubt it will probably eat your shrpim, throw your snails, etc. but he may also do some damage to the star as well..
 
bona42na

bona42na

Member
Thanks everyone for your insight. I think in light of the fact that I need a sizable cleanup crew Im gonna pass on the dragon and look for something else, perhaps in the angel family. Any suggestions for a cool angel to go with my Huma and Purple tang ? I wanted that Dragon so bad but it just doesnt seem to be the right thing. Peter
 
conogre

conogre

Member
For a 180?
Almost any of the larger angels would likely be fine, with your preference on which one is most attractive to you being the final determining factor.
For whatever it's worth, I personally wouldn't put a large angel species in a tank that's been set up less than a year.
I've also found that if the LR is allowed to grow a heavy growth that most angels actually become tough fish and will actually end up becoming the over all tank boss or bully.
 
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