Any reason I shouldn’t get a melanurus wrasse?

[LobsterOfJustice]

After many years I lost my small tail pencil wrasse and I’m considering replacement options, including a melanurus. Tank is 180g, 7 years established, SPS. Most other fish are tangs, angels, Anthias, Chromis, and some small (1”) gobies. I do also have a leopard wrasse, and considering a candy hogfish. Inverts are snails and hermits, pair of cleaner shrimp, pincushion urchin, 2 starfish, and a cucumber.

Any reason I shouldn’t consider the melanurus?

 

[tzabor10]

Sounds great. Are you planning on a Qt ?

 

[BriansBrain]

Only thing is they may eat inverts. Mine used to flip snails/hermits over and eat them. Didn’t bother larger shrimp. The snails started only to come out at night when he went to sleep in the sand

 

[Pistondog]

I think they need plenty of sand bed to feel safe/ comfortable.

 

[GlassMunky]

He MAY decide to try attacking the shrimp, but will def go after the smaller inverts and kill them if you care about that

 

[Cassian]

Other than sometimes going after inverts, no. It was my favorite fish in my tank when I had him

 

[beaker5377]

We've had ours a few years now. One of the best fish in the tank. Not overly aggressive, eats up any unwanted critters (and some wanted ones). Aside from bed time in the sand, the fish is always active. I wont go without one in my tank after my experience

Here is Rocket.

 

[steveschuerger]

I’ve had my Mel for over a year. Just starting to transition. Great active fish. No issues with snail attacks and since I don't have any shrimp at the moment …though I recently added some amphipods and copepods again. And ignores the other fish as well.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I love mine, he won’t bother existing shrimp but I did add a small cleaner shrimp and that turned into a $30 meal within 24 hrs.

 

[nereefpat]

Melanurus is a wonderful fish. The hogfish makes me more nervous

 

[cdnco2004]

He MAY decide to try attacking the shrimp, but will def go after the smaller inverts and kill them if you care about that

I have had a melanurus wrasse in my 75 for a year. I have lots of snails and hermits and he completely ignores them. Does not bother shrimp either. So I would not say it will defiantly go after the small inverts.

 

[hebdizzle]

My melanurus wrasse is a cold blooded killer and has taken out most of my CUC (snails/hermits) with the exception of Nassarius snails which are generally nocturnal and burrowing. He also hasn’t seemed to notice my cleaner shrimp.

I probably wouldn’t get another but also would not catch and trade him in

 

[i cant think]

My melanurus wrasse is a cold blooded killer and has taken out most of my CUC

Well, that’s just natural behaviour for them, they take advantage of upside down snails

 

[exnisstech]

I'm on my second after loosing my first several years ago. I added it to help with flat worms. I'm barebottom but it dives into a clay pot of sand every evening about 1/2 hr after sunset and sleeps till lights on. I haven't paid much attention to it with inverts. It's what they eat so I would expect it to eat them but getting rid of the flat worms is more important. It hasn't bothered urchins or large turbos yet.