Help needed: Melanurus wrasse picking on cleaner wrasse

pinetreex · 10/14/2015, 05:59 PM

So I have a 125 gallon mixed reef tank and I got a cleaner wrasse not because of parasites, but they look neat and was only 8 bucks so I had to get one lol.

Yes I know how delicate they are with feeding and nutrition and I tested to see if this wrasse ate frozen and he did so I got one and hoped for the best.

Now, when I added this wrasse into the tank every other fish is fine except my 3 inch male melanurus wrasse that keeps flaring, chasing and nips him. I read on LA that melanurus are peaceful with other peaceful wrasses and this is clearly not the case. Anything I should do? Its been 2 hours and the mela wrasse is still the same.

Sidenote: I have other wrasses including a red coris, yellow coris and leopard wrasse and my mela doesnt bother the others and vice versa

snorvich · 10/14/2015, 06:36 PM

Realistically, you will never catch either so removal is not an option. After one lights out cycle, it will either get better or not. I would lay odds slightly on getting better.

lilyep125 · 10/15/2015, 12:57 AM

you can put in a bottle trap and see what happens. If you catch the bully and have a QT you can put him in there, rearrange the rock, and put him back a couple days later. This will give time for your new one to establish his own territory and be more comfortable. If you catch the new one, you can put him in a QT and put him back in after the lights are out. Or you can put him in a breeder box hanging in the tank (I have used a large, clean, strawberry container for this). This will allow the new one to have protection and gain confidence before being released. You can put the bully in the breeder box though I personally have never tried it

outssider · 10/15/2015, 04:15 PM

try putting a mirror up against the side of the glass, when the bully sees his reflection he will get distracted.

10/14/2015, 05:59 PM	#1
pinetreex Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: IL Posts: 52	Help needed: Melanurus wrasse picking on cleaner wrasse So I have a 125 gallon mixed reef tank and I got a cleaner wrasse not because of parasites, but they look neat and was only 8 bucks so I had to get one lol. Yes I know how delicate they are with feeding and nutrition and I tested to see if this wrasse ate frozen and he did so I got one and hoped for the best. Now, when I added this wrasse into the tank every other fish is fine except my 3 inch male melanurus wrasse that keeps flaring, chasing and nips him. I read on LA that melanurus are peaceful with other peaceful wrasses and this is clearly not the case. Anything I should do? Its been 2 hours and the mela wrasse is still the same. Sidenote: I have other wrasses including a red coris, yellow coris and leopard wrasse and my mela doesnt bother the others and vice versa

10/14/2015, 06:36 PM	#2
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Realistically, you will never catch either so removal is not an option. After one lights out cycle, it will either get better or not. I would lay odds slightly on getting better. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

10/15/2015, 12:57 AM	#3
lilyep125 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 65	you can put in a bottle trap and see what happens. If you catch the bully and have a QT you can put him in there, rearrange the rock, and put him back a couple days later. This will give time for your new one to establish his own territory and be more comfortable. If you catch the new one, you can put him in a QT and put him back in after the lights are out. Or you can put him in a breeder box hanging in the tank (I have used a large, clean, strawberry container for this). This will allow the new one to have protection and gain confidence before being released. You can put the bully in the breeder box though I personally have never tried it

10/15/2015, 04:15 PM	#4
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	try putting a mirror up against the side of the glass, when the bully sees his reflection he will get distracted.