Thalassoma wrasse predatory nature question

[jacrispy516]

I am well aware wrasse of the genus Thalassoma specifically Lunare, Hardicke and Paddlefin are extremely aggressive and will destroy a cleanup crew. I know they can also bully small fish but is it true wrasse of this genus will actually prey on small fish as well? Would damsels, anthias, cardinalfish and chromis become a snack with one? My favorite is the lunare wrasse so if anyone has any experience

 

[littlefoxx]

Ive looked into them, from what I can tell small fish is on the menu. @Slocke and @i cant think are good with wrasses so they might be able to help. Ive got an aggressive FOWLR so thats why Im looking into them as well but not sure about those fish being potential food!

 

[jacrispy516]

Hmm definitely seems to be some risk. I've read checkerboards also eat smaller fish. I recently learned about the red breasted wrasse which is supposed to be very peaceful but also large. Groupers are also peaceful but eat small fish so not sure if that's the case with the red breasted wrasse as well.

 

[Gtinnel]

I had a tank that unfortunately had a lunar wrasse in it as the first fish and I was not able to add any fish to the tank without the wrasse killing and eating them. I even tried adding damsels hoping they were aggressive enough to hold their own and he ate them.
I’ve talked to other people who have had a lunar and not had any problems with theirs, but IME it is possible that they can attack and kill other fish.

If you decide to try one I would at least make sure it is the last fish that you add to the tank. Its a shame mine was such a terror because he really was a beautiful fish.

 

[jacrispy516]

I had a tank that unfortunately had a lunar wrasse in it as the first fish and I was not able to add any fish to the tank without the wrasse killing and eating them. I even tried adding damsels hoping they were aggressive enough to hold their own and he ate them.
I’ve talked to other people who have had a lunar and not had any problems with theirs, but IME it is possible that they can attack and kill other fish.

If you decide to try one I would at least make sure it is the last fish that you add to the tank. Its a shame mine was such a terror because he really was a beautiful fish.

That's a shame. I'd really love to do a biotope tank with all fish from Raja Ampat Indonesia and in every diving video I see there's always a lunare wrasse swimming around. Might have to go with Halichoeres instead

 

[Gtinnel]

That's a shame. I'd really love to do a biotope tank with all fish from Raja Ampat Indonesia and in every diving video I see there's always a lunare wrasse swimming around. Might have to go with Halichoeres instead

I have a melanarus in a different tank and he is an amazing fish. He helps eat some pests and leaves every other fish alone. He mostly leaves the CUC alone as well.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Yup. Thalassoma will definitely prey on smaller fish, especially those added after them. I used to have a lunare that got really good at plucking eyes out of tankmates (even tangs) before I realized what was happening.

My current Hardwick's wrasse is kept in check by a huge vlamingii tang, a huge stars and stripes puffer, a large maculosus angel, a decent sized sohal tang, and a decent sized picasso trigger. Nobody gets away with anything in this system, or they tend to get chased relentlessly by the angel and especially the sohal.

 

[jacrispy516]

I have a melanarus in a different tank and he is an amazing fish. He helps eat some pests and leaves every other fish alone. He mostly leaves the CUC alone as well.

They are native to the region so would definitely be a great fit.

 

[i cant think]

I am well aware wrasse of the genus Thalassoma specifically Lunare, Hardicke and Paddlefin are extremely aggressive and will destroy a cleanup crew. I know they can also bully small fish but is it true wrasse of this genus will actually prey on small fish as well? Would damsels, anthias, cardinalfish and chromis become a snack with one? My favorite is the lunare wrasse so if anyone has any experience

Small Chromis can definitely become snacks for these guys once they grow.
Plus they’re highly active and aggressive towards much more peaceful species like Anthias and Cardinals.

 

[Boreas_SA]

Thalassoma amblycephalum might be a good alternative if you want to have the same effect, but without all the fish eating and aggression, they are quite peaceful and don't get massive.

 

[Slocke]

As others have said. They like to pluck eyes out of smaller less agile fish. Mine is yet to go after anything other then feeder fish but it is still small. Works well in a predator fish tank as they are very tough and actually one of the easiest wrasse to keep but definitely not a fish for a community tank.

 

[i cant think]

As others have said. They like to pluck eyes out of smaller less agile fish. Mine is yet to go after anything other then feeder fish but it is still small. Works well in a predator fish tank as they are very tough and actually one of the easiest wrasse to keep but definitely not a fish for a community tank.

I still wonder how a T. lucasanum would work out in a community as they’re one of if not the smallest in the genus with a 4 inch max size.

 

[jacrispy516]

Thalassoma amblycephalum might be a good alternative if you want to have the same effect, but without all the fish eating and aggression, they are quite peaceful and don't get massive.

They are also from Raja Ampat which would be a perfect fit and just checked they reach less than half the size of the Lunare Wrasse so sounds promising for sure. Have you had personal experience owning one?

 

[jacrispy516]

I still wonder how a T. lucasanum would work out in a community as they’re one of if not the smallest in the genus with a 4 inch max size.

They have such incredible coloring. I don't know too much about them. I'll dig around to see if anyone on other posts has had issues with them. I can't imagine a 6 inch wrasse being capable of swallowing a 3 inch chromis whole like a grouper or sweetlips but perhaphs they tear through fish with their teeth like the Lunare wrasse.

Edit actually they aren't from Raja Ampat I got them mixed up with Thalassoma amblycephalum which looks nearly the same and same size which is from there.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Just stumbled across this video of an adult Thalassoma klunzingeri successfully hunting and eating a small schooling fish in the wild.