ACK!

[amy]

My melanurus wrasse pulls hermit crabs out of their shells, or leaves them in the shell and rips their legs off...just for fun!
I could sort of understand if she was wanting to eat them, but she just tosses them around, or removes the legs and moves on?!?. Anyone know if this is typical, or do I just have a mentally ill wrasse on my hands

[christyf5]

well usually they eat them but perhaps he is bored. I have found my melanurus wrasses have all really liked to stir the $hit whenever possible. no shrimp or crabs in my tank because of this.

lol, the legs are the tastierst part!

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by amy

My melanurus wrasse pulls hermit crabs out of their shells, or leaves them in the shell and rips their legs off...just for fun!
I could sort of understand if she was wanting to eat them, but she just tosses them around, or removes the legs and moves on?!?. Anyone know if this is typical, or do I just have a mentally ill wrasse on my hands

alot of wrasses are hit and miss in reefs because they have such a delicious taste for inverts

[daniella3d]

My checkerboard was doing the same. It was pulling them out of their shell and was knocking them off on a rock a few times to kill them. wasn't eating them.

Originally Posted by amy

My melanurus wrasse pulls hermit crabs out of their shells, or leaves them in the shell and rips their legs off...just for fun!
I could sort of understand if she was wanting to eat them, but she just tosses them around, or removes the legs and moves on?!?. Anyone know if this is typical, or do I just have a mentally ill wrasse on my hands

[Seafan]

I hope you don't have brittle stars in your tank, as it is especially nasty to watch them toss those around and then eat them. I really liked seeing my many stars till now, sad but on the plus side they do remove many bad little creatures (flatworms, etc...) from your tank as well.

[amy]

Originally Posted by Seafan

I hope you don't have brittle stars in your tank, as it is especially nasty to watch them toss those around and then eat them. I really liked seeing my many stars till now, sad but on the plus side they do remove many bad little creatures (flatworms, etc...) from your tank as well.

Oh, that would be bad. I have a sand sifter...do you think she'd go after one of those?

[Seafan]

I think it is all dependant on your wrasse's own personal taste. I think some will and some won't, hit and miss. They are also suppose to eat featherduster's, I was worried of this since I have many, but so far so good and he has never touched mine *knocking on wood as we speak* lol, anyways good luck and keep an eye open for the possibility and whenever your starfish surfaces, have a quick look if you can at his legs as they are the most likely to show any wounds first.