Anyone have a Hoeven's Wrasse ?

[Tangman]

As the title says, if you've have one or had one what did you think of it?
Was it reef safe? etc, etc....

[Beverly]

Web info on this wrasse....

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2285

http://www.aquascope.co.uk/marine/default_FishIndex.asp?AnimalSubCatID=38&AnimalID=544

http://www.reefhotspot.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=405&osCsid=789a8ab8256927828b1ed4a04cf380ba

First page says it's iffy in a reef, the second page say not reef safe, and the third says reef safe. Hmmm. Wonder which one is right.

Looks like it grows to over 6 1/2" and a 50g tank minimum is recommended. I would put a fish that size in anything under 6' :neutral:

[Tangman]

Was, looking for PERSONAL experiences. Thanks, I have the links already....

[tranvictor]

I have a juvenile in a 46 cube, waiting for my 150 to cycle. It is a very pretty fish, calm peaceful, doesn't bother anything. It leaves my firefish alone, doesn't touch my corals, doesn't even look at my cleaner shrimp. I have had him for near two months now, and to date I have had no problems.

Best part is, Stripes McStripes (wrasse) will eat anything, nori, mysis, flakes, he is even helping me with my battle against hair algae.

[christyf5]

Hey I have one of these. I've never heard it called a Hoevens Wrasse though, just a tailspot.

I got mine about...wow three years now I think. :cool: He was a trade in at the store, someone was taking down their tank or something. I got him pretty much fully grown and he's about 4.5-5 inches long I figure. He has grown in girth though :razz:

What a personable fish! He taught all my other fish to be social and to come out of hiding more often (and that when people stand out in front of the tank, theres a good chance you'll get fed :wink:). I haven't seen him eat any shrimps or crabs but I haven't kept any in the tank successfully either. I did have a couple of peppermint shrimp in the tank when I first got him but they lasted about 3 months maximum and I haven't tried any since.

He's a constant hunter. He ferrets out pods from everywhere and particularly likes it when I move stuff around, he has his nose right in there and is totally unconcerned with where my hand is, as long as there are some tasty morsels under whatever I have moved. I do believe he eats stomatella snails, especially the little ones as I haven't seen one in my tank for quite some time and he gets the ones I move over from my nano before they've even hit substrate to hide under.

One thing, I did have some problems when I went barebottom. These fish love to sleep in the sandbed and mine would disappear about an hour before the lights went off. I even found him buried against the glass one night. Pretty freaky. After removing the sandbed he did have some problems adjusting as he would wedge himself under rocks and such in a diving motion (much like he would have done if there were sand). As a result, he had a pretty nasty gash on his gill flap that almost went right through to the underside (I could see gill through the thin cartilage). Eventually he figured it out and the patch healed up (with the help of my neon goby who kept it clean picking the nasty bits all the time). Now he still sleeps wedged under the rocks but at least he doesn't propel himself into them.

I hope that helps :biggrin:

[Tangman]

Great review christyf5 and tranvictor !
Thanks..