Red Coris Wrasse

[saltwatersmac]

I saw a nice red coris wrasse in the LFS today. I was wondering what experiences has anyone had with one? Hardiness? Reef safe? Feeding? Aggressiveness?

TIA
Stephen

 

[steve-s]

Coris gaimard are actually quite shy for a wrasse and for the most part quite docile. Once acclimated they will eat just about anything you feed. They are very active throuout the photoperiod searching for pods and the like. They will flip just about anything not nailed down in search of foods though. Safe with snails but if added first will be a danger to decorative crustacean species. If the wrasse is added after the crustaceans, it will often leave them be as long as the fish is properly fed and there's an ample supply of pods IME.

Best time to aquire one is just after the change from juvenille stage and starting it's color transformation to adult stage. They are usually much easier to care for and will be quite long lived. They do however get rather large over time. On that note, you should be wary with the panther grouper. They get quite large and will end up being a concern to all tank mates including outgrowing it's current home.

Cheers
Steve

 

[saltwatersmac]

Thanks for the info Steve. You're right the panther grouper will have to go before too long. It was about 1 1/2" when I got him about 10 months ago. Now he has probably doubled. I just couldn't resist how unique they are.

I'm guessing the wrasse is about 4-5" long. I probably will not get him now because I am about to make the change over to a sump/fuge. I hope that later I can keep a few more different corals. Will a coris wrasse harm any type of corals?

Thanks
Stephen

 

[steve-s]

Will a coris wrasse harm any type of corals?

Not directly. The only concern is primarily with items not glued/epoxied to the rock work. The wrasse will easily flip most corals in their constant hunt for pods. It can make it challenging when keeping sand dwelling corals such as plates, brains and some clam varieties. They will not nip or purposely destroy a coral though.

Cheers
Steve

 

[saltwatersmac]

Thanks alot Steve. I may check and see if the LFS will take a panther grouper and ill tempered damsel for credit towards that red coris wrasse

Stephen