Mccosker flasher wrasse decent at getting pests?

[living_tribunal]

I know a mccosker is not going to be as effective as a six-line or pink face, I’m ok with that.

Are they at least somewhat decent at handling pests however?

 

[Jmas4]

Following

 

[Kyl]

They're planktivores, so unless the pest is floating around in the water column, no.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Agree no, what size tank you have and other fish?
there are peaceful pest eaters.
Pink streaked(most difficult to find)
Possum wrasses(very timid)
Ruby dragonette, most difficult to keep of the three. 1 per 50 gallons, not for new tanks.

 

[Baldguy]

I agree with everybody. They won't help much. They do look good though.

 

[mort]

I've heard of people claiming flasher wrasse will eat flatworm if kept in big enough groups to promote competition but in reality I would say they are one of the last fish I'd think of for this job when there are just so many wrasse that do it better.
They are worth having just for their beauty but I'd look for another pest hunter.

 

[living_tribunal]

Looks like I’ll have to get another wrasse alongside a McCosker

Trying to keep most inhabitants very peaceful and at a specific diet for certain goals in the future.

 

[C. Eymann]

Id get a melanarus for pests

 

[Tompickles]

I second the melanarus

 

[living_tribunal]

I second the melanarus

That’s the direction I’d like to go but I’m prepping for a mandarin 6 months from now so trying to be very careful with fish selection in the mean time.

I’m dosing 5,000 tig and arcti pods every two weeks, feeding phytos daily. I don’t want those to disappear!

I’m starting 4-7 external cultures but regardless, I want a month of backup in the tank ready to go when I am ready.

 

[evolved]

They're planktivores, so unless the pest is floating around in the water column, no.

Yup; this.

That’s the direction I’d like to go but I’m prepping for a mandarin 6 months from now so trying to be very careful with fish selection in the mean time.

In that case, you really have competing goals. Any "pest eating" wrasse will out-compete a mandarin for pods too.

 

[living_tribunal]

Yup; this.

In that case, you really have competing goals. Any "pest eating" wrasse will out-compete a mandarin for pods too.

Surely there have to be wrasse that will consume nudis, red bugs, etc but not phytos or pods. Regardless, I have a tank full of breeding amohipods that are too large for mandarins that a wrasse can eat. I’m not looking for a ferocious pest consumer like a six line as mentioned in the op, just something that will eat the occasional nudi or other bad stuff that somehow makes their way to my tank.

If a mccosker plows through tigs then I won’t get a mccosker. I don’t think mccoskers/flashers or fairies have any impact on pod populations from what I’ve read.

 

[evolved]

Surely there have to be wrasse that will consume nudis, red bugs, etc but not phytos or pods.

Sorry, but there isn't.

I’m not looking for a ferocious pest consumer like a six line as mentioned in the op, just something that will eat the occasional nudi or other bad stuff that somehow makes their way to my tank.

Any "pest eating" wrasse spends it's whole day prowling all substrates, looking for anything it can possibly eat. It doesn't care what it is, anything that moves and looks like food is consumed (or sampled). It doesn't differentiate between copepods, amphipods, nudis, flatworms, etc. It will eat those copepods just the same, faster than a mandarin can find them.

I don’t think mccoskers/flashers or fairies have any impact on pod populations from what I’ve read.

Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus won't really make a large impact on the pod population, because they're planktivores which feed from the water column, as previously stated. But as such, they also won't pick for pests on any substrate.

 

[living_tribunal]

Sorry, but there isn't.

Any "pest eating" wrasse spends it's whole day prowling all substrates, looking for anything it can possibly eat. It doesn't care what it is, anything that moves and looks like food is consumed (or sampled). It doesn't differentiate between copepods, amphipods, nudis, flatworms, etc. It will eat those copepods just the same, faster than a mandarin can find them.

Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus won't really make a large impact on the pod population, because they're planktivores which feed from the water column, as previously stated. But as such, they also won't pick for pests on any substrate.

That’s alright with me. I’ll just have to tighten up my frag quarantine.

 

[Kyl]

That’s alright with me. I’ll just have to tighten up my frag quarantine.

Prevention is the best cure in this hobby for pests, easily.

 

[living_tribunal]

Prevention is the best cure in this hobby for pests, easily.

Couldn’t agree more. I qt frags for 45 days, thinking about making it two months.

 

[nereefpat]

Have you thought about a Chrysiptera sp damsel?

 

[living_tribunal]

Have you thought about a Chrysiptera sp damsel?

Would be too aggressive in a tank with a mandarin and my close-knit clown pair. I’m aiming for my clowns to be the most aggressive fish in my tank.

I only have a 65 so I’m trying to keep stocking light, thinking the limit will be about six fish.

 

[Kyl]

That specific damsel is not at all aggressive, in my experience. They are not great for whole tank pest management though, they get an area and really only hang around it. For instance my spinger hangs out near the clown anemone island, usually hovering around the monticap on said island.

 

[living_tribunal]

That specific damsel is not at all aggressive, in my experience. They are not great for whole tank pest management though, they get an area and really only hang around it. For instance my spinger hangs out near the clown anemone island, usually hovering around the monticap on said island.

I’ll look into it, I appreciate the suggestion.