Any experience with Thalassoma Wrasses?

[Zionas]

I am looking at a Bluntheaded Wrasse or Hardwicke Wrasse to bring color and some utility to my 180 along with a Halichoeres and a Twinspot / Peppermint Hogfish.

Does anyone have experiences with these wrasses? Are they hardy and easy to care for? Temperament? I know they bury in the sand like Halichoeres, and I will have 4 sand burying fish (2 Gobies, 1 Halichoeres, maybe 1 Thalassoma) so will there be a lot of trouble?

Unrelated, but what do you guys think of a Green Coris vs Yellow Coris?

Thanks.


Regarding Thalassoma spp.: Will they likely bully my gobies, Halichoeres, Cardinals, Yellow Pyramids And Foxface?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I am looking at a Bluntheaded Wrasse or Hardwicke Wrasse to bring color and some utility to my 180 along with a Halichoeres and a Twinspot / Peppermint Hogfish.

Does anyone have experiences with these wrasses? Are they hardy and easy to care for? Temperament? I know they bury in the sand like Halichoeres, and I will have 4 sand burying fish (2 Gobies, 1 Halichoeres, maybe 1 Thalassoma) so will there be a lot of trouble?

Unrelated, but what do you guys think of a Green Coris vs Yellow Coris?

Thanks.


Regarding Thalassoma spp.: Will they likely bully my gobies, Halichoeres, Cardinals, Yellow Pyramids And Foxface?

I don't have any experience with them.

Green Cori's can be very aggressive.

 

[Zionas]

Alright, no to the Green Coris then.

 

[Pbh-reef]

From my understanding this genus gets pretty aggressive and can prey on snails, shrimp and small fish. @4FordFamily and @evolved may know more about particular species. The blunt head is a smaller species in the genus so may be a better choice if you want a thalasomma

that said why not stick with haliochores wrasses? The chrysus is a great choice.

 

[Zionas]

Mmmm yeah after reading a bit more about the Thalassoma wrasses, I’ll probably reconsider them. Maybe add a Blunthead down the line but I’ll start with the Halichoeres for sure. I’d love a Chrysurus and a member of the Christmas complex (Ornate or Claudia). Do Halichoeres wrasses often fight each other?

 

[evolved]

Thalassoma have the potential to be aggressive terrors who eat motile inverts, sometimes smaller fish, or may just remove the eyes from other tank mates they don't like. They only belong in aggressive fish only tanks, IMO.

 

[NashobaTek]

I have had the lunare wrasse before and it wasn't a terror to the tank, it left the starfish alone and didn't bother the orbic batfish pair I had. Don't recall seeing it harrass the mandrin either. But every fish is different.

 

[Zionas]

Are they very prone to harassing smaller and slower tankmates or even larger fish like Rabbitfish, angels and butterflies?

 

[NashobaTek]

Are they very prone to harassing smaller and slower tankmates or even larger fish like Rabbitfish, angels and butterflies?

Well the mandrins are small and slow, and the orbic batfish were large and slowish with long flowing fins. But like I said every fish is different.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Had one in the past really good as a community fish just no shrimps and no cuc as it used to be her favourite snack

 

[4FordFamily]

Thalassoma have the potential to be aggressive terrors who eat motile inverts, sometimes smaller fish, or may just remove the eyes from other tank mates they don't like. They only belong in aggressive fish only tanks, IMO.

I agree with this entirely. They take chunks out of other fish seemingly at random as well when they’re very large and mature.

 

[Zionas]

Crap. This is not looking good. As pretty as they are, don’t think I’d want to risk it.

 

[SMSREEF]

Crap. This is not looking good. As pretty as they are, don’t think I’d want to risk it.

Yes, I think @evolved had me at the eyeballs plucked out of fish the don’t like, but then @4FordFamily sealed the deal with chunks taken out of other fish at random.
And people call the six line a devil fish...;Vamp

 

[Zionas]

That’s absolutely scary! I just can’t have one fish tip the balance of an otherwise pretty chill tank. I’ve already written off a Six Line and its congeners (but man that Mystery Wrasse is pretty) but this is just next level bad.

Gonna get some Halichoeres for the colors and pest control instead.....