Pain In The Wrasse.... Had Enough

hammerhed7

hammerhed7

Active Member
Last night was the final straw for my paddlefin wrasse (thalassoma lucasanum), which is supposed to be among the more docile of the thalassoma's.
I have had this fish for nearly 2 years, and it has been a pain for the last six months after it reached full adult size. It was by far the fastest fish in the tank, and has taken chunks out of the tails of my tusk and yellow tang recently. He also liked to steal every piece of food in the tank and hide it under the rocks.
As some of you know I added 2 scorpion fish to my tank about a month ago, one of them I got for free due to an eye injury, which I treated, and was well on it's way to healing completely. Last night the wrasse bit the inured eye, which immediately swelled. Within an hour the scorpions eye looked worse than ever.
This morning I lifted the rock where the wrasse burrows into the sand at night, and scooped the sand with the wrasse in it. Little jerk was in the bucket before he knew what hit him. I took him back to the lfs. T
The scorpion's eye is not looking good, and after being in the process of healing for over a month and now being injured again, I am thinking he is going to lose that eye.
Just had to vent a little I guess, I will go on record and say I will never have another Thalassoma wrasse in any of my tanks again.
 
beach bum

beach bum

Member
feel better now?

those wrasses certainly can be a handful. I have said the same thing about the lunare wrasse, also a couple different groupers, couple morays, all snappers, etc... etc... lol
 
kjr_trig

kjr_trig

Active Member
Bummer Hammer, I remember you used to love that fish and almost talked me into one....Hope my Sunset remains friendly.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Sucks to hear him go... Maybe phrased, sucks to hear the situation.
I had to get rid of my Goldbar simply because he was too much fish for my 125, used the entire tank up. And I couldn't take chance of a power struggle between him and my Blueface. Absolutely intelligent fish though. Whenever my hand was in the tank, he was right there eye-balling it (quite nerve-racking too lol) and usually sampled whatever was in hand, siphon tube, coraline scraper, because he was quasi-hand trained for food.
Was this guy "top dog" in the tank?
 
hammerhed7

hammerhed7

Active Member
Yea Kirk, almost steered you wrong. I really think these fish are similar to triggers in that you can't make a blanket statement about their aggression level, it really depends on the individual fish. I really like the Thalassoma wrasses, they are intelligent, eye catching, and their colors are as good as any fish out there. Mine head just hit it's full size of about 6", and even developed streamers on his tail.
I don't know if it has to do with size as he was in my tank for almost 2 years, and when he came close to full size his aggression grew as well. Particularly to my tusk and tang, he would bother them constantly. He never bothered my lions, or my tomato clown, who is the top dog of the tank. The tomato is about the size of my fist, he is huge, and thick.
The tusk is already happier, he is out more, and eating more than his share. The scorpion's eye is swollen larger than any eye I have ever seen, it's just gruesome. The eye is clear, but his actual eyeball inside the swollen area has begun to darken in color, which tells me he is going to lose the eye. I have been working for a month now to try and save his eye. This is enough to piss off the pope. I am sure he will heal and I will have a one eyed fish, which is no big deal. He is still eating great and is otherwise healthy.
 
prime311

prime311

Active Member
I've heard so many horror stories with Lunar Wrasses now they're on my sh*t list. I wouldn't recommend them with any fish except maybe eels.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I love Thalassoma Wrasse; but sure know what you mean. I have a goldbar and a paddlefin now, in separate tanks. I had a 3rd that was just too nasty and had to go. The 2 I have now are extremely active and assertive, like they should be; but other than the intimidation factor, really don't bother other fish---yet. I thought they might bother my big Volitans, but the Lions have learned to eat in a hurry, while the other fish are distracted at the other end. Great fish sometimes, real trouble sometimes too. I sure wouldn't put one in with shy or picky eating fish. But, I think they are ideal to add movement in a tank with big, slower fish; such as large angels. Its fun to watch visitors say "What the hell was that"?
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/2720978
I love Thalassoma Wrasse; but sure know what you mean. I have a goldbar and a paddlefin now, in separate tanks. I had a 3rd that was just too nasty and had to go. The 2 I have now are extremely active and assertive, like they should be; but other than the intimidation factor, really don't bother other fish---yet. I thought they might bother my big Volitans, but the Lions have learned to eat in a hurry, while the other fish are distracted at the other end. Great fish sometimes, real trouble sometimes too. I sure wouldn't put one in with shy or picky eating fish. But, I think they are ideal to add movement in a tank with big, slower fish; such as large angels. Its fun to watch visitors say "What the hell was that"?
hhh
 
hammerhed7

hammerhed7

Active Member
Srfisher, I agree that they do alot in adding movement and color in a tank with slower moving fish, which is exactly why I bought him. I think his aggression with the tang and tusk was one thing, because they were fast enough to fight back when they had enough, and the wrasse would stop. The scorpion fish however is much slower, and a sitting duck with the speed of he wrasse, especially with an injured eye.
As with most mishaps in this hobby the blame falls on the keeper (me) with taking the chance mixing these two knowing wrasses are prone to nipping at sedentary fish, but after being with lions for 2 years and not even looking at them twice I figured it was safe.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by Hammerhed7
http:///forum/post/2721903
Srfisher, I agree that they do alot in adding movement and color in a tank with slower moving fish, which is exactly why I bought him. I think his aggression with the tang and tusk was one thing, because they were fast enough to fight back when they had enough, and the wrasse would stop. The scorpion fish however is much slower, and a sitting duck with the speed of he wrasse, especially with an injured eye.
As with most mishaps in this hobby the blame falls on the keeper (me) with taking the chance mixing these two knowing wrasses are prone to nipping at sedentary fish, but after being with lions for 2 years and not even looking at them twice I figured it was safe.
If we can ever out how to accurately predict captive fish behavior; THE WORLD WOULD BE OURS!!!
 
squidward

squidward

Member
Hammerhed, can you post a pic of him? He's gotta be a beauty.
I'm no expert in aggressive wrasses, but how would he do with a gaimard wrasse in a 8ft. 300g tank?
 
hammerhed7

hammerhed7

Active Member
I have just picked up a new computer, as soon as I get my photos transfered over I will post a pic. They are great looking fish, but I would think they need to be kept with fast aggressive fish such as triggers etc. I am no wrasse expert but I would think they are a one per tank species. A 300 is certainly alot of room, but they literally run the entire length of the tank, including every rock crevice multiple times per minute.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by Hammerhed7
http:///forum/post/2728265
I have just520picked up a new computer, as soon as I get my photos transfered over I will post a pic. They are great looking fish, but I would think they need to be kept with fast aggressive fish such as triggers etc. I am no wrasse expert but I would think they are a one per tank species. A 300 is certainly alot of room, but they literally run the entire length of the tank, including every rock crevice multiple times per minute.
IMO, wrasse, in all varieties, are the most overlooked fish available. Maybe because they just don't look so great at the lfs and really don't even seem to photograph well. I think there is an appropriate wrasse for almost every tank. The peaceful flasher and fairie wrasse are stunning and the cigar shaped torpedoes like we're talking about do well in most aggressive tanks. I sure agree on the one per species rule for most; but pairs of the smaller wrasse do very well. Mixing Thalassoma species is hit or miss; but IME & IMO two different species will do well in a larger tank. (Not always, of course.)
 
squidward

squidward

Member
Yeah I could care less about the smaller peaceful over-priced flasher and fairy ones. Plus they're jumpers as well. Aren't the bigger wrasses more into hiding under the sand/rocks instead of jumping out of the tank like the little pretty fairys/flashers?
 
hammerhed7

hammerhed7

Active Member
just about all wrasses are excellent jumpers, so a tank cover is a must. If you are looking for a wrasse for your 300 there are many choices depending on tankmates. A red coris, green bird, or broom tail would be cool. Paddlefin and sunsets have great colors, my hands down favorite wrasse is the harlequin tusk, I bought mine about a year ago, and it is a great fish, and has never bothered anything in the tank.
 
squidward

squidward

Member
I know that the Harly Tusk and Cuban Hogfish are considered Wrasse, but would they co-exist peacefully in a 300g? And if so what about a red coris added with them? They all differ somewhat in their body shapes...I wonder if they'll do fine together?
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
I had a Cuban and a Tusk in my 125 without problems for two months. I've seen a couple of Tusks/Red Coris's together, but never personally seen a Cuban Hogfish/Red Coris together in a tank (not that, that means anything).
They are all more on the passive side, as far as wrasses go, so in something like a 300gal, I definitely would think they would work.
 
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