Clown Wrasse (red labrid) Coris gaimardi

[anakjoh]

I bought a juvenile of this fish today, at the shop in Taman Tun (TTDI-KL) that wsiong told me about in another thread. Cost - RM15.

After I released into the tank, it immediately went to sifting the sand. I left it alone and when I came back an hour later, it had completely disappeared! I searched with a torch light among the nooks and crannies but it can't be seen. Has anyone else experienced this?

I looked up my book and also the website (saltaquarium.about.com) and realised that it is a common behaviour for this fish to hide completelty in the sand. BTW I use #0 DSB. When will it come out again?

The website also said that this fish is not reef-safe and may consume coral polyps. Can anyone confirm this? Is it only at the adult stage or is this fish totally unsuitable for a reef aquarium? One LFS told me it is reef-safe.

[Tanzy]

The clown wrasse does go into the sand and will be relatively reef safe when young but becomes unpredictable as it gets older. You will have to take your chances.

[Achilles Tang]

Not much experience with wrasses as I gave them up a long long time ago.... they are extremely troublesome fishes... always chasing and killing my cleaner shrimps, snails and attacking other small fishes. Definitely not reef-safe if you include inverts.

My wife used to call my lunare wrasse Lucifer and my green wrasse Satan... so what do you think? I caught one using a fishing hook and I caught the other by tearing apart my tank just to get him out (that was how much I hated it).

As for fairy wrasses.... I LOVE THEM!!!! They are reef-safe, docile and beautiful!

[anakjoh]

Oh-oh! The other occupants in my tank are percula clownfish, CBS and CS.

Bo wha man, CS cost more than red wrasse.

[Sinn]

guess u gotta start catching it soon....

[harlequin]

AT,

Share the same sentiments as you.

the red coris can grow very big and will start harassing your corals by rearranging them.

Mine grew from 3 cm to 12cm over 1 year and became very aggressive.

Recently managed to catch it and released at Pasir Ris beach.

[EbiTank]

hi AT, haven't seen any fairy wrasses in the LFS in sgp , or am i missing something. seasonal? have been thinking of getting one in a long time, but usually i only see clown, yellow,6-line,lyretail wrasses..

[anakjoh]

can't dispose it now - it looks so beautiful - keep for a few months, at least get my money's worth lah...

Anyway, for the sake of continuing the discussion, the clown wrasse appeared this morning but looked half dead hiding in one corner, maybe it's not an early riser! (No lights are on-just some dim light from the window)

By noon it was already swimming as normal, I on the actinic and it seems to respond well. Before that something curious happened. When the CW was half dead, the single false clown I have kept hovering near it and moving forward as if nudging the CW to move along. This is very interesting to watch and now they are both swimming together like the best of friends!

Maybe the clownfish was lonely as there were no other fishes, just CS and CBS.

[kelstorm]

i used to have a bird wrasse(green color) and when i introduced the female,(brown color) it was frighten and stayed at the bottom of the tank and refused to budge.. then the male green bird wrasse came along and rested its fins on her.. by the night, they were swimming together ...but they are very disturbing to the reef.. and i gave the male away and the female died soon after.. probably of heartache......

[kingfisher]

I have just introduced a juvenile Red Coris Wrasse into my clown-only (also juvenile) tank and the two got hitched almost immediately. Often seen intimately rubbing fins and they even go caving together!

I'll just have to hope that this beautiful childhood friendship can go on for many more years...