Transitioning red corris wrasse

[homer1475]

I've had this fish for about 4 years now, bought as a very small juvenile. Just recently it hid in the sandbed for about 3 days. I thought I lost the little bugger!

When he emerged his tail was slightly blue, and some of his stripes were starting to fade. Now several weeks later his tail is turning more blue and he's loosing more of his stripes.

I think this fish is absolutely beautiful as an adult, but also like it's juvenile coloring, which is what drew me to this wrasse to begin with. Yes I'm a wrasseaholic, and have 5 wrasses currently(ornate leopard, black leopard, yellow corris, red corris, and a melanarus)

I just thought this was cool as heck, and wanted to share. Very hard to get pictures of as he is very elusive, but this is the best I could do:

 

[homer1475]

And yes I know the elegance should be in the sandbed so it's polyp can layout on the sand(conical based elegance), but the dang lighting maroon has taken it as it's host and clears the sand away from it. I fear it will eventually "love" it to death.

and before anyone asks,yes that meat coral is the size of a dinner plate! Probably one of my most favorite coral, just for it's sheer size, and what the thing can eat is massive! I've seen it eat an entire adult sized cleaner shrimp without hassle, and in one giant gulp! Taught my other cleaner shrimp not to steal food from it's mouth. lol

 

[Apotack]

How big is your tank? Have you had any aggression problems with the wrasses?

 

[homer1475]

80G cube, 30G sump. Roughly 85G total system volume.

No, no aggression at all. There was some small chasing initially, but the yellow corris is the "tank boss" and no one messes with him. Even the resident d*ckhead(blue eyed kole tang) leaves him alone.

I firmly believe in an acclimation box for wrasses(thanks @evolved for that little tidbit of info on wrasses).

 

[SaltyT]

And yes I know the elegance should be in the sandbed so it's polyp can layout on the sand(conical based elegance), but the dang lighting maroon has taken it as it's host and clears the sand away from it. I fear it will eventually "love" it to death.

and before anyone asks,yes that meat coral is the size of a dinner plate! Probably one of my most favorite coral, just for it's sheer size, and what the thing can eat is massive! I've seen it eat an entire adult sized cleaner shrimp without hassle, and in one giant gulp! Taught my other cleaner shrimp not to steal food from it's mouth. lol

Oh you have coral? I was too busy looking at those wrasses! ;Hilarious I think the transitioning phase of the red coris is beautiful the way the blue makes it's way up the body.

 

[salty joe]

I had no idea it could take so long for a Red Coris to transition. Really interesting that it went into hiding for a few days.

How much did it grow in those four years?

IMO, there's not a more beautiful fish than an adult Red Coris. Juvis are gorgeous too but wow the adult is stunning. Please update from time to time.

 

[DracoKat]

watching fish change its form has always fascinated me. I've really enjoyed watching my engineer goby change, not only its colors and body shape but its personality as well. It used to swim freely all day long, now it mostly stays under a rock like an eel.

It's awesome you managed to get a pic during the wrasse's change, I love seeing them documented!

 

[homer1475]

He's/she's changing a little bit more every day. His/her white stripes are fading, and he/she?(she I'm assuming as I read all wrasses are born female?) is getting that nice deep blue to the body, along with a bright yellow tail, and some yellow striping on the face.

Very pretty fish even in the transitioning phase.

It's gone from about a 1" fish when I bought it, to an almost 4" fish now.

And no, I do not have an aggression issues one bit. I fully believe in an acclimation box when introducing new wrasses to existing ones.

 

[homer1475]

Just thought I would update this as a thread this morning made me think of it.

Still transitioning. Benn 3 months since I last posted? Getting more and more blue, while the white stripes they have as juveniles is nearly gone.

Sorry for the grainy pics, but he's camera shy so I have to stand away from the tank, zoom in, and take pics.