Fish list, Redtail Tameran Wrasse?

[cracker]

My LFS got a shipment of fish yesterday. There was a healthy looking RedTail Tameran wrasse( female) I think. What a beautiful fish! That was moving about & pecking at the rock. I watched this fish for quite a while. Except for a little tear in the dorsal fin it looked good. I understand these fish have a poor survivability rate. Is it because shipping is hard on them or more about later diet requirements ? Anyway I'm hesitant to take on any delicate fish untill I gain more experience. There was also a nice looking Eibli Dwarf Angel that looked very good. Out & about, not to big or real small either. This fish is more my speed. I like the Eibli. It's not as colorful as the Flame or Coral Beauty but not as common. The Guy had a "tiny" Possum wrasse. I have never seen one for sale before. Not that I would consider it but it was a very cool looking fish. Thanks for any insight on the red tail. It would be a very nice center piece fish.

[dobejazz]

ooohh pretty fish - I never got one though for the reasons you stated

[stonedfish]

I bought one of those. What an awesome fish! It went right into the sandbed and never came out. I checked everywhere! It just vanished. Anyways, apparently way too delicate of a fish for me!

[cracker]

A very beautiful fish no doubt. I normally would even think about the spotted wrasses, but this one seemed to be in real good shape & was out & about pecking at the Lr. Just looked good over all & made the trip ok. If I could supply it with the diet it needed .

[BoomerD]

No personal experience with them Brian, so all I can do is give ya a couple of links...

Anampses

"The thirteen species of Anampses are commonly labeled as Tamarin Wrasses in reference to all but ones colorful appearance. Unfortunately the members of this genus rate an overall (3) or the lowest score in survivability. For a few reasons, mostly rough handling and shipping stress Anampses wrasses come in beat from collection and never recover. If you’re determined to try to keep one, take extra care to select a specimen that is in exemplary condition, with no bloody markings or raw marks around the mouth, that is up and swimming. And follow through with making sure it’s getting enough food (mainly interstitial fauna... i.e. benthic and between sand grain invertebrates). to sustain itself, and has an adequately deep and fine substrate to sleep within (as in under the surface) at night. Due to their frailty and inherent food-picking behavior I encourage you to look at hardier and less-burrowing species of wrasses, though I have seen Anampses kept successfully in full-blown reef systems (mainly for the control of pesky pyramidellid snails that predate hobbyist’s Tridacnid clams). Note: these wrasses are infamous "jumpers"."

"Anampses chrysocephalus Randall 1958, whose females are typically sold as Red Tail and males as Psychedelic or Psych-Head Wrasses. Gorgeous, but a radical swimmer and jumper that frequently "just dies" overnight. Only found in the Hawaiian Island chain. "

AnampsesFAQs

[cracker]

Thanks B, I'll pass on this beautiful fish . Maybe someday!