ReefPicker
← Livestock checker
Melanurus Wrasse
Wrasse

Melanurus Wrasse

Halichoeres melanurus

A brilliantly patterned green-and-orange wrasse that is one of the most popular reef "pest-control" fish — it hunts fireworms and pyramidellid snails through the rock all day. That same appetite is the catch: it does not distinguish beneficial from pest inverts, so it will also pick off small ornamental shrimp, feather dusters, and tiny snails, making it invert-unsafe for a delicate CUC. It is coral-safe, an active open-forager that needs a sand bed to dive into at night, and a determined jumper that requires a sealed lid.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
4.7"
Min tank
50 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Sand bed, Bottom
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
Something look wrong? Report an error

Tankmates

How Melanurus Wrasse gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Radiant WrasseMelanurus Wrasse and Radiant Wrasse are the same genus (Halichoeres) and will fight — keep only one.Yellow Coris WrasseMelanurus Wrasse and Yellow Coris Wrasse are the same genus (Halichoeres) and will fight — keep only one.Christmas WrasseMelanurus Wrasse and Christmas Wrasse are the same genus (Halichoeres) and will fight — keep only one.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Blue-Leg Hermit CrabMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Blue-Leg Hermit Crab is on the menu.Trochus SnailMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Trochus Snail is on the menu.Astrea SnailMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Astrea Snail is on the menu.Cerith SnailMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Cerith Snail is on the menu.Nassarius SnailMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nassarius Snail is on the menu.Nerite SnailMelanurus Wrasse hunts small cleanup-crew inverts — your Nerite Snail is on the menu.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangMelanurus Wrasse and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseMelanurus Wrasse and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral HawkfishMelanurus Wrasse and Coral Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Springer's DottybackMelanurus Wrasse and Springer's Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple DottybackMelanurus Wrasse and Purple Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyMelanurus Wrasse and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow Clown GobyMelanurus Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Clown Goby and may harass it.Green Clown GobyMelanurus Wrasse (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Clown Goby and may harass it.Longnose HawkfishMelanurus Wrasse and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Potter's AngelfishMelanurus Wrasse and Potter's Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyMelanurus Wrasse and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseMelanurus Wrasse and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame HawkfishMelanurus Wrasse and Flame Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishMelanurus Wrasse and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Cherub AngelfishMelanurus Wrasse and Cherub Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Multicolor AngelfishMelanurus Wrasse and Multicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyMelanurus Wrasse and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinMelanurus Wrasse and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Rusty AngelfishMelanurus Wrasse and Rusty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishMelanurus Wrasse and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.