lunare/moon wrasse (3.-4"), is it a buy?

[Munskins]

anyone have any warnings about buying this fish?



Current fish i have in a 55 gallon:
Huma Picasso Trigger (3"), Lemon Peal Angel (3"), Blue Tang (3.5"), Niger Trigger (2")

 

[reefrunner69]

For your tanks inhabitants, I feel it is already overstocked, I would steer clear of adding any fish to this tank.

 

[Munskins]

Ive seen a guy put 35 fish in a 55gal marine aquarium and he's had it running for quite awhile. But then again, he is a marine biologist and owns a LFS with unlimited supplies.

It will probally be my last fish anyway. So does anyone have any percautions about the lunare/moon wrasse?

 

[Hara]

the precautions are obvious,dont do it, you overstock your tank, your fish stress, your fish die.

 

[ReefLady]

A Lunar wrasse needs a minimum of a 70g tank. They will grow up to 10" long.

Do you have a DSB? They need a soft sand substrate to sleep in.

I agree with Reefrunner - you are already well overstocked for the size tank you have; a Lunar Wrasse would put at the capacity of ~ a 120g tank.

Ive seen a guy put 35 fish in a 55gal marine aquarium and he's had it running for quite awhile.

I'd definitely like to see that. Honestly though, "unlimited supplies" has nothing to do with the fact that marine fish are extremely territorial, and even the suggested "1" of fully grown fish per 5g of tank space" is a very cramped recommendation in comparison to how these fish live in the wild. To further reduce their "space" and swimming/grazing room is nothing short of sending out a personal invitation for disease, stress, fighting, and subsequent tank crashes.

 

[fishfreek]

As aquarists its our responsibilty to make sure our inhabatants are placed in an enviorment where they can not only live but they can be somewhat stress free and have a healthy enviorment.

Your 55 in all our views is overly stocked at it is with fish. The selection of fish you have all will get large and will require swimming room as well as require space to carve out as their own territory.

Think of it in this way. If you where to put a 5 person family into a 10'X10' room and tell them that was where they where going to live for the duration of their lifespan you would be locked up. This is basicly what your doing to your fish when you put large bodied fish into a small enviorment.

A 180 gal tank would much better suit those fish and the lunar wrasse. But IMO even a 180 would be up close to its bio load.

 

[Hara]

One quick question, is this the same tank that you are talking about that is in the other post about the live rock? The one where the parameters are all out of whack?

You might want to wait until your tank has stabilized before adding fish....if you are still planning on doing that.

 

[steve-s]

Do you have a DSB? They need a soft sand substrate to sleep in.

Actually, lunares are one of the few wrasses that does not sleep under the sand. They are more prone to wedging between rocks, in caves or other "cover" type hiding places. 8)

Cheers
Steve

 

[Munskins]

thanks steve.

 

[steve-s]

thanks steve.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Hara]

I will tell you of an observation today......I was at a reef store and the owner has some beautiful eels. In one tank, he had 2 yellow head morays which are very aggressive, he also had a lunar wrasse about 5 inches long in there. The wrasse was kicking the eels a@@es over some shrimp that had just been put in there. These eels were both well over 14 inches long.

 

[deangmcn41]

Wow, I see this time after time after time. I own a small pet store in southern Illinois. It seems one of my hardest jobs is trying to convince people they already have too many fish in their tank. After stating such they still buy another. The tank tends to fine for a while then BOOM! water chemistry gets a little off oxygen level are low and next disaster strikes. THEN, they come to the store saying all my fish are dying!!! Yes
I tell them you had the tank over stocked :? Then I seem to get that deer in the head light look from the customer. Under stocking a saltwater tank simply can not be over emphasized.

 

[reefrunner69]

Wow, I see this time after time after time. I own a small pet store in southern Illinois. It seems one of my hardest jobs is trying to convince people they already have too many fish in their tank. After stating such they still buy another. The tank tends to fine for a while then BOOM! water chemistry gets a little off oxygen level are low and next disaster strikes. THEN, they come to the store saying all my fish are dying!!! Yes
I tell them you had the tank over stocked :? Then I seem to get that deer in the head light look from the customer. Under stocking a saltwater tank simply can not be over emphasized.

It is very refreshing to see LFS owners that have the hobbyist attitude and have the customers intersts at heart There are several out there, but they just seem to be few and far between.

 

[Guest]

YOU HAVE TO MANY FISH FOR A 55 GALLON RIGHT NOW! DO NOT ADD ANYMORE! What kind of filtration to you have. I would pay big money to see 35 fish in a 55 gallon. If it is even possible the guy must have had $3000 in filtration (R.O, Wet Dry, UV, Sand, and a big *edited by reefrunner69* skimmer) Also you would have to do a water change daily because of the buildup of Ammonia and Nitrate with that many fish in one tank. Even with that much filtration the levels would still skyrocket. HERE IS A VALUABLE PIECE OF ADVICE- NEVER OVERSTOCK A TANK! YOU WILL BE SORRY! I agree 150% with fishfreak! Thank you- I just had to get that off my chest! YOU NEED TO READ SOME BOOKS Munskins!

Post was edited for strong language.

 

[michealprater]

Hey reefrunner. Deanmcn41 is my LFS owner!! Its awesome to see him here!!! Now everyone will finally belive how cool my LFS is!!!

 

[dgalford]

If you get a small one be carful mine is very active and they are bullies
I have five damsels and he plays with them all the time .He also tried the clown trigger but he wont run from anybody good luck