Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

saltyhog · Apr 15, 2017

Orcus Varuna said:
Thank you for the confirmation. Will it be a good tank mate or become a nuisance eventually? Information is surprisingly difficult to find on the different species often sold as xmas wrasses. The only consensus I could find is that you want claudia and not ornatissmus but with little reason as to why other then ornatissmus gets larger.

I'm sure TJ will know exactly the reasons but my limited experience is that H. claudia is an easy going no problem Halichoeres and H. ornatissimus can be a butt head.

eatbreakfast · Apr 16, 2017

Orcus Varuna said:
Thank you for the confirmation. Will it be a good tank mate or become a nuisance eventually? Information is surprisingly difficult to find on the different species often sold as xmas wrasses. The only consensus I could find is that you want claudia and not ornatissmus but with little reason as to why other then ornatissmus gets larger.

H. ornatissmus gets larger and gets more aggressive. Some specimens aren't too bad, but others can be quite aggressive.

saltyhog said:
I'm sure TJ will know exactly the reasons but my limited experience is that H. claudia is an easy going no problem Halichoeres and H. ornatissimus can be a butt head.

Exactly!

Orcus Varuna · Apr 16, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
H. ornatissmus gets larger and gets more aggressive. Some specimens aren't too bad, but others can be quite aggressive.

Exactly!

Wonderful another butt head fish.... I already can't put my hand in the tank without asking for battle wounds (dang female clownfish). Thanks for the id and info!

Areseebee · Apr 16, 2017

On the theme of Christmas wrasse, is this an ornatissmus?

eatbreakfast · Apr 16, 2017

Areseebee said:
On the theme of Christmas wrasse, is this an ornatissmus?

Nope, H. biocellatus.

saltyhog · Apr 16, 2017

On the subject of H. biocellatus. Is it unusual for them to get very dark when they transition to male? Mine has gotten very dark, it almost reminds me of what happened to my P. attenuatus over time.

Maritimer · Apr 16, 2017

Pretty normal - biocellatus males take on a very dusky look to the rearward part of their body. (Like, rearward of their head . . . )

~Bruce

Rybren · Apr 16, 2017

Yup, the back half of mine is also very dark.

alanedinburgh · Apr 17, 2017

Hey there everyone long time viewer of the site but never signed up till now.

Seems this forum is the best one for wrasse fans so hope someone can help me.

I got a wrasse from my LFS and was named as a earlei wrasse. It was also named as this on there import list. I asked also where this was imported from and they said Bali if that's any help.

The wrasse is tiny ( just slightly bigger than my thumb I'd say)so difficult to tell if it is or isn't as I'm going by pics in my kuiters wrasse book that I have.

I'm thinking it looks more like a pylei but doesn't have the big ventral fins that you usually see.

Here's a few poor pics that give you an idea

evolved · Apr 17, 2017

alanedinburgh said:
Hey there everyone long time viewer of the site but never signed up till now.

Seems this forum is the best one for wrasse fans so hope someone can help me.

I got a wrasse from my LFS and was named as a earlei wrasse. It was also named as this on there import list. I asked also where this was imported from and they said Bali if that's any help.

The wrasse is tiny ( just slightly bigger than my thumb I'd say)so difficult to tell if it is or isn't as I'm going by pics in my kuiters wrasse book that I have.

I'm thinking it looks more like a pylei but doesn't have the big ventral fins that you usually see.

Here's a few poor pics that give you an idea

It is indeed pylei; female - and hence why the ventrals are not yet extended.

I really hope you didn't pay the earlei price!

alanedinburgh · Apr 18, 2017

Cost me £59 so was worth a gamble. Prob cost more than what it should have been if named correctly for a juvenile female

evolved · Apr 18, 2017

alanedinburgh said:
Cost me £59 so was worth a gamble. Prob cost more than what it should have been if named correctly for a juvenile female

That's about right for pylei in the US market; not sure about your market however.
But earlei over here, would be about £500 converted over there.

Grey Ghost · Apr 19, 2017

I'm not sure what type of wrasse this might be. I was told it was a juvi flame wrasse but I'm somewhat optimistic.

evolved · Apr 19, 2017

Grey Ghost said:
I'm not sure what type of wrasse this might be. I was told it was a juvi flame wrasse but I'm somewhat optimistic.

Pylei, the apparent theme of this page.

g8rorchid · Apr 19, 2017

Please help me with id'ing this guy. He was labeled as a mystery wrasse from Indonesia, but when I googled that, the fish looked just like a regular mystery wrasse. I think it's an earmuff wrasse. I apologize for the quality of the pics, I can try to take more if needed. Also any info you have about this guy would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

evolved · Apr 19, 2017

g8rorchid said:
Please help me with id'ing this guy. He was labeled as a mystery wrasse from Indonesia, but when I googled that, the fish looked just like a regular mystery wrasse. I think it's an earmuff wrasse. I apologize for the quality of the pics, I can try to take more if needed. Also any info you have about this guy would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

Halichoeres melasmapomus

g8rorchid · Apr 19, 2017

Thank you! Are you familiar with them? Temperament? Will it go after snails and crabs? Anything to avoid?

evolved · Apr 19, 2017

g8rorchid said:
Thank you! Are you familiar with them? Temperament? Will it go after snails and crabs? Anything to avoid?

Usually pretty mild, especially for one of the bigger species (has been recorded at 9"). Will be more interested in motile inverts as it ages (and grows).