Lunar Wrasse Reef Safe?

vayapues

Member
When I had my tank setup 7 years ago, I had a lunar wrasse. The guy at the store said it was reef safe. In the fish descriptions on SWF it says you can't have them if you have shrimp.
My lunar wrasse was my favorite fish, because he had so much personality. But I am also planning on having shrimp in my clean up crew.
Any thoughts?
 

bon-bon489

New Member
Hey there... In my personal experience I would not chance getting a shrimp. I had a Lunar and he would stop at nothing to try and eat my crabs... hermits and an emerald. If my crabs were not quick enough and able to hide he would snack on them.
And from what I have heard of them they will eat the shrimps as well.
 

ophiura

Active Member
Absolutely, positively NOT safe with snails, shrimps, crabs, etc. Plus I don't trust them with any smaller fish typically kept in reef tanks, or even large fish, unless it is a very large tank.
 

vayapues

Member
Ah fetch!! Thanks. I guess I will be avoiding the lunar wrasse, since a clean up crew is a must for me.
 

bigskyreef

Member
If you want a wrasse, try the 6 line. Mine has proven to be reef safe, and provides plenty of action as you would expect from a wrasse. I also have a lunar in another tank, and I would not trust him in a reef. Good luck.
 

twirls07

New Member
I was told by the fish tech the lunar wrasse is reef safe and will be fine with my corals and other fish. After reading these comments I'm second-guessing her. Will they eat my inverts and small fish? It's about 5 inches and I have a 150g. Thanks in advance.
 

khaosreign

Member
So if you are in the market for a good natured vibrant wrasse here is my 2cents. I just recently bought a filament flasher wrasse from SW and within minutes of introduction into my tank it was a hit. The hippo tang (shy guy) that i have had for 2.5 yrs is now swimming out in the open and not just during feeding time. my ocelarris and blackcap are usually out during daylight hours now. Plus the pic here at SW does not do this fish justice. I dont have any experience with the lunar wrasse but I would recomend this one. Before introduction into my tank it lookked like i didnt have any fish now when arrive home from work i spend at least an hour just looking at how different the tank is with just the addition of 1 fish.
 

krazykarel

Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/2469608
Absolutely, positively NOT safe with snails, shrimps, crabs, etc. Plus I don't trust them with any smaller fish typically kept in reef tanks, or even large fish, unless it is a very large tank.
Noway jose! Put those in a FO system. Quite a few years ago I placed a rainbow wrasse in a tank with a fire shrimp...it took the rainbow about .2 seconds to get adjusted to the tank and take out a very expensive shrimp. I was very upset but learned my lesson.
How are you going to learn it? ;)
 

sean48183

Member
Coral Safe except for not epoxied or glued down. Will turn over in never ending search for food. No shrimp, crabs, snails, starfish, etc. Will not eat small fish. I have small damsels, psuedo's, dwarf angels. Not really part of their diet. IMO way more entertaining than any shrimp or crab that is likely to hide most of the time. Mine chase his own tail and picks up CC and spits it at the eel.
 

ophiura

Active Member
I worked with a lunare wrasse in a FO several thousand gallon fish tank. It would attack and methodically eat the eyes out of any yellow tang put in the tank.
I would never trust a lunare wrasse in a tank with smaller community fish who can't stand up to it. If nothing else, a lunare with some of these small fish can cause stress. They are very active, boisterous fish, and a lot comes down to the individual...and time.
I would only consider a lunare in a tank that will 100% be a large semi-aggressive (even more aggressive) tank. If you even remotely want inverts or smaller, calmer, fish...I would never consider it.
IMO, any LFS that says these are reef safe is at least mincing the definition of that. They should tell you they will eat snails, crabs, shrimp, stars, etc and move poorly secured frags and such.
 
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