Christmas Wrasse killed???

[tuwhada]

I got a christmas wrasse sometime last week. In fact I posted b/c he was hiding the whole first day, then the next day he was about for about a day and half and then he disapperead again for over 2 days. I was quite concerned, but I was told to wait like a week. Yesterday I saw him come out, only for a few minutes. I tried to feed him but he did not he just hid again. Well I just found him this afternoon dead. And he was half eaten. I feel horrible. What I am not sure about is if hte other fish killed him OR if he died then they ate him.

Other inhabitants, Small hawkfish (got at same time as wrasse). Porc puffer (only about 2 inches), powder brown tang, fire clown, file fish and a large blue dot watchman goby.
I would like to get another wrasse but obvioulsy I don't want the same thing to happen. I was thinking maybe a blue headed wrasse b/c it is a little bigger and it doesn't hide in the sand like a Christmas wrasse unless you all think I can get another Christmas (I loved the colors).

Thanks
Christina

 

[reefrunner69]

Could be either, puffers are known to sneak up on sleeping fish and chomp them, but wrasses usually sleep in a manner to be inaccessable to things like that.

 

[1neondottyback]

How big is your tank? Over 75 gallons? I had a beautiful Lunare wrasse that quickly out grew my tank and I had to sell him back to the fish store. I actually made money on the deal cause he was bigger and deeper in color. But just the same lost a beautiful fish. I say this cause you feel that bigger maybe the soloution.


I try to stay away from wrasses that burrow in sand due to the fact I have cc bed and it's too course for them. I had for a short period a twin spot but it was under the cc the first week and came out briefly to eat and it died after the second week.

Now I have a small Pajama wrasse, 12 line that sleeps in a coralline encrusted piece of coral,dead skeleton. I have had it for six months now and get's along with everybody

 

[tuwhada]

Yeah it is a 90 gallon. I know a blue head can be in a minimum of a 75, plus I have been in need of a more active colorful fish, especially blue, so if my store still has them I may get it.

Thanks
Christina