I just evicted a Melanurus sent straight from hell

[skyhawkn5262y]

I love Melanurus Wrasses. I've owned countless of them over my 25 years of reefing. Every single one I've owned has been a model citizen, worst thing I saw up to this point was picking at an overturned snail. Until the devil's spawn himself was introduced into my tank.

He was the most ornery, territorial, invertebrate destroying Melanurus I've ever owned. He harassed every fish in my tank except for the Clowns and Yellow Tang.

Yesterday was the last straw. After sitting in the acclimation boxes for a week, I introduced a Pink Margin Fairy and Yellowfin Flasher. The Melanurus ignored them while in the acclimation boxes, so I figured they would all co-exist peacefully, right? Wrong. Once they were released, the Melanurus went after them RELENTLESSLY. I was very irritated and angry. I'd had it with him. He had already killed every last snail and crab in my aquarium and harassing the new additions was the last straw. He had to go.

I expected it to be a battle trying to catch him. He was a smart and fast. He would bury himself in the sand at even the slightest hint of danger. I figured I would start with the easiest methods and work my way all the way up to rock and water removal, if needed. HE HAD TO GO.

Well, I did the DIY bottle trap and caught him within 1 minute. He swam right in and that was it.

Melanurus. Never again.

 

[JumboShrimp]

“... and that was it.” PRICELESS!

 

[skyhawkn5262y]

“... and that was it.” PRICELESS!

I couldn't believe it was so easy.

 

[Crabby48]

I tried 2 melanurus On separate occasions and both got rehomed for harassing/ attacking fish. They would grab snails and throw them against the glass or rocks. It took me awhile to catch mine in a trap. They lived mostly on live food a very little frozen. I bated trap with snails and that seemed to work.

One of many wrasse I like but think I’m done with them.

Happy you caught him to evict

 

[LRT]

I love Melanurus Wrasses. I've owned countless of them over my 25 years of reefing. Every single one I've owned has been a model citizen, worst thing I saw up to this point was picking at an overturned snail. Until the devil's spawn himself was introduced into my tank.

He was the most ornery, territorial, invertebrate destroying Melanurus I've ever owned. He harassed every fish in my tank except for the Clowns and Yellow Tang.

Yesterday was the last straw. After sitting in the acclimation boxes for a week, I introduced a Pink Margin Fairy and Yellowfin Flasher. The Melanurus ignored them while in the acclimation boxes, so I figured they would all co-exist peacefully, right? Wrong. Once they were released, the Melanurus went after them RELENTLESSLY. I was very irritated and angry. I'd had it with him. He had already killed every last snail and crab in my aquarium and harassing the new additions was the last straw. He had to go.

I expected it to be a battle trying to catch him. He was a smart and fast. He would bury himself in the sand at even the slightest hint of danger. I figured I would start with the easiest methods and work my way all the way up to rock and water removal, if needed. HE HAD TO GO.

Well, I did the DIY bottle trap and caught him within 1 minute. He swam right in and that was it.

Melanurus. Never again.

I haven't congested the rest of the thread yet but this sounds like a straight up battle.
But sounds like you won

 

[JumboShrimp]

It was a battle of wills— and the human prevailed!

 

[skyhawkn5262y]

I tried 2 melanurus On separate occasions and both got rehomed for harassing/ attacking fish. They would grab snails and throw them against the glass or rocks. It took me awhile to catch mine in a trap. They lived mostly on live food a very little frozen. I bated trap with snails and that seemed to work.

One of many wrasse I like but think I’m done with them.

Happy you caught him to evict

It's interesting how I've had so many good ones, but a bad one was one of the worst fish I've ever had.

Yep, he would grab snails/crabs and smash them against the glass and rocks. I watched him rip a 1" Scarlet Hermit from his shell and swallow the entire crab in two bites. Very interesting to watch as they are magnificent hunters/killers, but tends to be very frustrating when he's decimating your CUC.

 

[LRT]

It was a battle of wills— and the human prevailed!

after much thought since I posted that.
I would have been embarrassed if it ended any other way.

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

I have a 5~" melly and he's the chillest thing in my tank, he and my yellow tang hangout all day long not bothering anyone or anything. Guess I got a good one lol

 

[Crabby48]

It's interesting how I've had so many good ones, but a bad one was one of the worst fish I've ever had.

Yep, he would grab snails/crabs and smash them against the glass and rocks. I watched him rip a 1" Scarlet Hermit from his shell and swallow the entire crab in two bites. Very interesting to watch as they are magnificent hunters/killers, but tends to be very frustrating when he's decimating your CUC.

Crazy how he messed with hermits especially that big. Savage.
Love watching the hunting instinct. I replaced mine with a radiant with better luck. Still hints but minds his business.

 

[vetteguy53081]

That’s why I have no wrasses. In the past all they’ve done is flip corals, pulled frags and dug as deep as they could making a mess with sand all over meaty corals and clam

 

[skyhawkn5262y]

I have a 5~" melly and he's the chillest thing in my tank, he and my yellow tang hangout all day long not bothering anyone or anything. Guess I got a good one lol

This has always been my experience with them as well!

 

[skyhawkn5262y]

That’s why I have no wrasses. In the past all they’ve done is flip corals, pulled frags and dug as deep as they could making a mess with sand all over meaty corals and clam

That's another thing he would do. He'd grab a mouth full of sand and then drop it all over my LPS. Haha, seriously the worst fish ever.