Lunare Wrasse in a reef

[digitalreefer]

If I see this fish one more time I may go FOWLR!

Has anyone tried keeping this fish in a reef? I'm aware that it eats inverts, but generally leaves corals alone. Is it possible to keep a reef without snails and crabs if this is the case? Will it eat them so rapidly that I can't keep any in the tank? Thoughts?

 

[digitalreefer]

Bump... anyone?

 

[scarf_ace1981]

good question eric. not that i'm a fish expert or anything but i believe this fish can be kept in a reef.

you brought up the invert thing. i'm sure if you keep him well fed he won't decimate your inverts. there's only one way to find out. if you buy him small he may ignore the inverts and then when he's large enough he will begin to prey on them. or you could get extra lucky and he may never touch your inverts but that's highly unlikely.

 

[digitalreefer]

Thanks Jon... I'm going to try it. I'm seriously considering going FOWLR if I need to, in which case I can get some other fish I've been looking at anyway.
In addition, I can probably keep zoas and shrooms with no cleanup crew so I wouldn't be entirely fish only.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

eric you can go FO.

Lissa does a better job than you in the reef section anyway. LOL j/k

 

[digitalreefer]

:irked: She just takes better pictures!

 

[loismustdie]

your tank is too small.
they can also be aggressive. Definitely a no-no with shrimp.
Doesn't matter. Your tank is too small for them.

 

[digitalreefer]

your tank is too small.

I agree and value your opinion more than most... however...

Everything I've read says 55 gallon... mine is a bit smaller, but since my tank is 4 feet long I think it would probably be ok for a bit. I'd like to get a small one and will probably be going to a 75g or 72g bow very soon, so as a test it should be ok until I upgrade.

No shrimp will be there... I'd also like to eventually get a hawkfish, so I'm getting rid of my shrimp and putting them in my other tank.