Lunare Wrasse, and Orange spotted Filefish-READ

fishfatty

Active Member
Can anyone tell me if these 2 fish are reef safe with shrimp? Also, Do they survive well in captivity? What is their temprament? Thanks!
 
Lunare Wrasse love Shrimp, thats their favorite food. Seriously, Lunare Wrasse are one of my favorite fish. I had one for 3 years with a snowflake eel. Needless to say no crabs or shrimp living in that tank. Lunare's are also territorial so be careful what you do put in with it.
 

sea worthy

Member
I would not trust a lunare wrasse with shrimp! I feed mine whole krill and he just tears it up,course he is 10 inches long!
 

fishfatty

Active Member
Oh, i didnt buy them...just saw them in the store and was very tempted...anyone else have any opinions? Good for my tank? (75 gal.)
 

dmitry

Member
Lunaire Wrasse is quite common in the hobby. The filefish has one of the worst records of survival in captivity, rivaling that of the Moorish Idol. I think it's safe to say the fish will not survive long in your, or anyoone else's, tank. Alas, because they really are striking looking!
 

ophiura

Active Member
THe lunare wrasse is also known as a lunatic wrasse, IME, and I would NEVER consider it for a 75g tank with any inverts or even "community" fish. IMO it is for a large aggressive tank.
THe orange spotted filefish is one to search. There are two fish that may go by this name. One has a dismal survival record (only eats coral polyps). The other, IMO, would not be safe with shrimp.
 

barbiganti

Member
Yeah, the filefish will eat cnidarians, tunicates, coral polyps, and crustaceans, and the moon wrasse will do a number on tubeworms and any type of urchin and crustacean. The moon wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) is active and amusing to watch with its boundless energy, but you have to pick its tankmates carefully. I saw one at a petstore that was housed with a menacing, adult dragon wrasse (Novalulichthys), and moonie kicked the crap out of it. Just tore it limb from limb. Destroyed it. Either type of filefish being referred to (Oxymonacanthus longirostris and Pervagor spilosoma) are poor candidates for the reef because spilosoma will feed on your crustys and tunicates and cnidarians and longirostris (the one with the poor survival record) only eats coral polyps, although on occasion, it can be trained, like some other obligate coral-feeders, to start eating sponge-based formulas.
 
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