Yellow coris wrasses

[jiggly75]

I have 2 yellow coris wrasses and an apitasia problem. I have had very good luck in the past with peperment shrimp ridding the mean little things. They always seem to come back about 6 months later . I can't get to all of them that are starting to pop up everywhere to inject. Will my wrasses eat pepperment shrimp?

[Ninong]

I wish I knew what you meant by "yellow coris wrasse" before I responded but I guess I'll take a stab at it anyway. The answer is yes, your wrasses are likely to eat peppermint shrimp.

I really should know whether your "yellow coris wrasses" are juveniles still before making that statement but I guess since I don't know what a "yellow coris wrasse" is, it's OK.

Is it possible you're talking about Coris gaimard? If you are, the only acceptable English common names that I'm familiar with for that fish are Red Coris Wrasse and Yellowtail Coris Wrasse. The Red Coris Wrasse applies to it's juvenile coloration and the Yellowtail Coris Wrasse applies to it's adult coloration.

I have never heard of a "Yellow Coris Wrasse?" I know of three other species of wrasse that are all called "Yellow Wrasse" but none of them is in the genus Coris.

[jiggly75]

I wish I knew what you meant by "yellow coris wrasse" before I responded but I guess I'll take a stab at it anyway. The answer is yes, your wrasses are likely to eat peppermint shrimp.

I really should know whether your "yellow coris wrasses" are juveniles still before making that statement but I guess since I don't know what a "yellow coris wrasse" is, it's OK.

Is it possible you're talking about Coris gaimard? If you are, the only acceptable English common names that I'm familiar with for that fish are Red Coris Wrasse and Yellowtail Coris Wrasse. The Red Coris Wrasse applies to it's juvenile coloration and the Yellowtail Coris Wrasse applies to it's adult coloration.

I have never heard of a "Yellow Coris Wrasse?" I know of three other species of wrasse that are all called "Yellow Wrasse" but none of them is in the genus Coris.

They are an inch and a half long. Here's a picture I found.

[jiggly75]

I have never heard of a "Yellow Coris Wrasse?" I know of three other species of wrasse that are all called "Yellow Wrasse" but none of them is in the genus Coris.

You are right! It's not a coris after all. My LFS told me it was a coris wrasse! It's just a plain yellow wrasse.Yellow Wrasse
(Halichoeres chrysus)
I can't find any of it's eating habits though.

[Ninong]

OK, that's much better because Halichoeres chrysus is a much smaller and much less aggressive fish than the other possibilities.

The reason the woman at the LFS called it a Yellow Coris Wrasse is because that is the stupid common name that is used in the trade by ignorant people who have no idea what scientific names are all about to begin with. Why else would they throw in the name of an entirely different genus as part of the common name of a fish of another genus. It makes no sense whatsoever but that's just the way it is. It's like pointing out to them that the so-called Lettuce Nudibranch is not a nudibranch and being told that they can't change the name because to do so would confuse their customers.

Anyway, getting back to what you have. It has a list of English common names, none of which involves the word "Coris." It should be called the Canary Wrasse or the Golden Wrasse or the Golden Rainbowfish, in that order. Canary Wrasse is the most commonly used correct common name in the U.S. It is sometimes called the Yellow Wrasse but this is confusing because three different species from two different genera have this same common name.

It won't get larger than 4"-5" as an adult. That's a lot smaller than say Coris gaimard gets (14"+). It may eat ornamental shrimp. Let's just say that it is a threat to do so depending on it's size and the size of the shrimp and whether it is hungry or not.

It will eat those pesky Pyramidellid snails that bother Tridacna clams. It will probably eat bristleworms. It may eat featherdusters and tubeworms and sometimes even flatworms. It's a carnivore. Feed it typical frozen foods that are designed for carnivores plus flake food for carnivores. It will probably eat frozen bloodworms (mosquito larvae) and should love frozen Mysis shrimp.

[jiggly75]

Thank you Ninong! I'm going to give the peperment shrimp a try.

[BubbaWPB]

My canary wrasse is about 3 inches long doesn't bother my skunk shrimp.... but he sure jumps on the pods and other small crustaceans real quick! The LFS told me they were good for controlling flatworms. I still see a rare flat worm, but haven't had any massive outbreaks since the canary wrasse has been in the tank.

Bubba

P.S. The LFS said he was a coris wrasse too, but I've got them calling them canary wrasses now....

[romanr]

I have one and he will eat the ocasional flatworm but won't touch any aiptasias. I have read that some folks have had luck with peperment shrimps. Here is something from Steven Pro on the subject matter.

As for other biological controls, I am generally not a big fan. Pest anemones such as Aiptasia and the so-called Anemonia 'majanos' are better dealt with in my opinion and experience via chemical means such as kalkwasser pastes and Joe’s Juice, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm.