Coris Wrasse and Bird Wrasse Compatibility 1/18/08
Hi Crew!
Fish have been doing great lately so I have not had to bug you guys much till now. I have a Red Coris Wrasse I have had for about 6 months and saw a green male Bird Wrasse I like and was thinking about getting. Will these two get along? The Coris Wrasse is 4 inches or so and Bird Wrasse is 5 inches or so. Any thought will be as always more then appreciated.
<Depends on the size of your tank, if 100 gallons or more, should not be any problem keeping the two together.>
Thanks Crew!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
 

Green bird Wrasse unique "growths" on bill   4/21/07
Hello from Las Vegas,
<Backatcha from HI... where your Gomphosus likely hailed from>
I have a green bird wrasse who has what looks like fleshy sacs (same colors as the fish) growing on it's bill and I was told it could be a cancerous growth, puberty/mating changes, nothing, etc. basically no one knows what they are.
<Mmm, I do... mostly these last two... natural occurrence>
He went through a tough period for about a month when they were "growing" on him and now he's eating up a storm again, active and very playful with no symptoms of a problem. Have you seen this in any other green birds? Would appreciate the help.....
Thanks,
Jeffrey G. Schoor
<Not to worry... See WWM, Fishbase.org re this species. Bob Fenner>

Re: Green bird Wrasse unique "growths" on bill   4/21/07
Thanks Bob.....(The reference regarding "no one knows" did not include your expertise lol)
<Heeee!>
As always, I appreciate you help with this amazing hobby.
Jeffrey
<Happy to share. BobF>

Bird Wrasse tumor?  1/9/07
Hi Crew,
<Michael>
Thanks as always for the valuable information.  I've tried to find detailed information related to this question but came up empty.  I have a male bird wrasse that has been in my 250g fish-only tank for just over 2 years.  He has always been healthy, a good eater, and active.  
<Gomphosus are really neat animals... am out diving with this species currently... in HI>
There is a female bird wrasse in the tank also, and they get along well and interact most of the day.
<In a system of this good size...>
  A few months ago, the male bird wrasse started developing a tumor-like growth on his snout.  I did some initial research and found passing references that sometimes bird wrasses in captivity will develop such growths on their snouts, but none of the references I found seemed to know what the growth was.
<Mmm... is it symmetrical? Colored? Is likely a natural protuberance>
The few mentions I found also didn't express much concern that it posed a health risk.  I let it go, thinking it was not anything threatening.  But, the growth has gotten bigger and bigger, and is to the point now that I'm afraid it will cause real harm, perhaps by eventually blocking the fishes' vision or making its head so heavy it becomes over-stressed.  To add to the concern, the female bird wrasse now seems to have the beginnings of the same thing on her snout.
<Mmm, not altogether unnatural either... Labrids/wrasses are synchronous protogynous hermaphrodites... change from females into males... with their characteristics...>
Are you familiar with these types of growths, and is there anything I can/should try to do about it?
<Mmm, am familiar and no, nothing to do about it>
I don't have the expertise to do anything surgically, but thought maybe I'm missing something nutrition-wise or otherwise.  (The water quality has always been good and I do 15% water changes weekly.)   Thanks.
Mike
<Do take a look at the pix on the Net... perhaps through Fishbase.org of G. varius... note that males do have a growth of sorts with age, size... on their upper snouts... and that females become males... There is likely no problem here. Do send along pix if you can. Bob Fenner>

Green Bird Wrasse   7/12/06
I purchased a green bird wrasse last Saturday (7/1) which I added to my 55   gallon tank.
<Will need more room>
I already had a Fox Face,
<Ditto>
a Brown Bird Wrasse and Hawk  Flame.  
Today my Green Bird had no interest in eating and it actually looks  like his skin is peeling off.
<... no quarantine>
He looks like an "old man".  My water  quality checks out tho I am doing a partial water change anyway.
<Good move>
All other fish  are fine.  He is still swimming---just not eating.  What do you think  could be wrong?
<Just new to a crowded system mostly>
  My fish store is closed so I am turning to you for quick  advice---HELP!!!!
<... Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/gomphosus/index.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Green Bird Wrasse   7/12/06
Thank you for your reply.  He died overnight =*(
The wrasse actually was moved into my tank which was larger than the store tank and with less fish.  We are stumped as to what happened. :::shrugging:::   He was not a large fish at all. perhaps only 2 to 3 inches in length tops.
<This is one of my fave fish species... look forward to seeing, diving with each trip to Hawai'i... Don't ship all that well... and small specimens (and too-large ones) are touchy... I would just count on having your female change into a/the male you're looking for... unless you get a much larger system (at least twice this volume). Bob Fenner>

Male bird wrasse scratching  - 2/21/2006
Greeting from down under to the crew at wet web media. I have a question about a male bird wrasse i purchased 2 months ago.
He is 7 inches long, eats well, very active swimmer and looks really health. NO external signs of disease. But he has a habit of rubbing or scratching
himself on the aquarium glass at the back of the tank. Now i have noticed he does this a lot when i am near the tank and sometimes it is a constant thing
just swimming around in a circle and rubbing itself when he passes the glass. but when i walk away from the tank and stand at a distance so that he
cannot see me the rubbing or scratching seems to ease. He is the only fish that does this and has done it since i put him in.
<Not atypical for the species...>
I have a 150 gallon glass aquarium, 8ft long 2ft high and 1.5ft wide. I have two external canister filters, an overflow into a 30 gallon sump, an
aqua medic multi sl TurboFlotor skimmer about 140 pounds of live rock and my tank turns over about 23 times an hour.
My stock includes
1.Male bird wrasse 7inches
2.sohal tang 3inches
3.powder brown tang 3inches
4.magnificent Rabbitfish 3inches
5.pinktail triggerfish 4inches
6.emperor angel 5inches
7.bannana wrasse 2inches
ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 15ppm, ph 8.3
I have no idea what this is so if you could please try to help me that would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS..
<I wouldn't over-react here... but just watch and wait... Likely to be some troubles as time goes by with dominance by the Sohal BTW. Bob Fenner>

Birdwrasse ID - 8/1/05
Hi,
<Howdy Corey, Ali here>
I saw this fish on this month's tank of the month on Reef Central.  This fish is listed as a Bird Wrasse, Gomphosus varius.  Is this the scientific name for this particular wrasse or for the genus.  I looked up this name and found a variety of bird wrasse, none that looks like this one. Is there a more specific name for the pictured fish or is its color just a result of a random breeding?
<See this link: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/gomphosus/index.htm
It is indeed a G. varius. Comes in many different color morphs.>
Thanks,
Corey
<Have a great day Corey - Ali>

Green Bird Wrasse 7/14/05
I purchased a pair of wrasses about 2 months ago.  At first the green wrasse
cruised the tank, very pleasant and friendly, even eating out of my hand.  The
female hid for about three days but then came out to join him.  Lately, the
green wrasse hides when I near the tank to feed the fish but the female comes
out to join the pack in eating.  Also, the green wrasse doesn't seem to see the
food at times.  Any idea what has made the green wrasse begin to retreat from
human contact?  Thanks.
<... likely the size (lack of it) of the system. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/gomphosus/faqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Bird wrasse pairing
Hello wetwebmedia crew --
I have a very healthy, active bird wrasse with a good appetite; when I
purchased "him" he was considered the "most unattractive" bird wrasse the
store had ever seen... I adored him for his pink nose, olive green body,
pink tail and friendly disposition towards other fish.  I tend to gravitate
to the odd fish, and this one was different from any other bird wrasse I'd
ever seen.
<Ahh, the ugly duckling story...>
After further research, I realized that I must have actually purchased a
female in transition... becoming a male.  The nose is now completely green,
and the tail is less pink and more black than it had been; I'm not unhappy
about the transition... he is an interesting fish no matter what color.  The
store now has a "female" black bird wrasse for sale, slightly larger than
the one I have.  I'd like to house the pair together in my 90 gal but have
received conflicting advice.  The store, of course, says there would be no
problem; they'd love to sell me the fish.  Other sources say that I
shouldn't add the "female" second... and someone else told me that since the
first one may not be completely "male" yet, that it should be fine.
<Likely will work out here... even better chance in an even larger system>
I have plans to upgrade to a 140 gal within the next year.  If they get
along, would the pair be comfortable living out their lives in that size
tank?
<Likely so>
Other residents are: a Volitans lion, a pink-tail trigger, a
nine-year-old gold maroon clown and one large blue damsel.  I do not plan to
add any other fish to this group.
<I see... am surprised the Lion hasn't eaten the damsel/s... yet>
Thanks in advance, for your suggestions... I've learned to trust the advice
I get from wetwebmedia, and use the articles as my personal guidelines.  Any
help you can offer in this matter will be much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Kyn Un
<Sounds like you have a good plan to me. I would go ahead with the introduction, and if there are signs of over aggression, separate out the existing Gomphosus (in a floating, plastic colander) for a few days... Bob Fenner>

Sick Bird Wrasse (6/5/05)
We have had our male bird wrasse for over 3 months. <A cool fish for sure.> We have recently introduced some live rock to the aquarium and noticed an outbreak of ich. <Did you see it on the fish? Bird and other Wrasses are known to rub on the rock or sand now and then without having ich.> We took the rock out and washed it very thoroughly. Soaked in one part bleach to 4 parts water and we haven't seen any more scratching. <Big mistake. You need to read about Cryptocaryon. Bleaching the live rock accomplishes nothing in the treatment of ich. The parasite also has a free-swimming stage in the water and the non-swimming phase gets on sand and gravel as well as on the bottom of a bare-bottom tank. Do read thoroughly about this parasite on WWM.> The problem is that our very beloved bird wrasse has become lazy and no longer swims around. We noticed a white splotch on his left eye around his cornea. It also seems like there is a film covering his eye. What kind of disease is this and how can we treat? <The bleaching of the LR would have destroyed any biofiltration capacity of the rock and killed all other life on it. It is now "dead rock" and little, if any, of the cool and beneficial things you expect to grow from live rock ever will now. That which is now dead will release ammonia and the loss of biofilter will impair the removal of ammonia. The first thing I'd do is check the ammonia and nitrite levels in the water. If elevated, start immediate large water changes and consider adding some Bio-Spira Marine. Do you have any other biofiltration in your system? If ammonia is not the problem, then the Wrasse probably has a bacterial infection and needs to be removed to a hospital tank and treated with antibiotic there. You will find plenty of info about how to do this by searching WWM. Good luck to you. Steve Allen.>

Bird wrasse pair
We have had a male bird wrasse for a little under a month and recently bought him a "girlfriend" to hang out with. When we put her in the tank, everyone started to attack her, including the male. We currently have a lionfish, red flame lobster, blue tang, Niger trigger and a Huma Huma. Usually the Huma Huma is very docile but he chases the female bird wrasse. Any idea why the male and the female aren't getting along?
<Mmm, likely this tank's size is at root here... for what you list, and likelihood of all getting along with the new Gomphosus (unless it was quite small... a few inches in length), you need a couple hundred gallons of space. Bob Fenner>

Growth on green bird
Hi:
I hope you can offer a suggestion. We have had the bird pictured in our 120 gal fish only tank for about 4 years. The other tankmates (Naso tang, snowflake eel, spotted puffer and grouper) are all healthy and have been the same for about 3 years. About 6 months ago, a small growth appeared on the wrasse's beak.
<Happens... with age, growth... Gomphosus spp. turn into males with this protuberance>
The fish behaves normally, eats, etc. In the last month, the growth has grown quite a bit. Our tank has been maintained for a long time by the same guy, who is stumped. He has brought pics to his wholesalers, who are also stumped. Nothing I have found in any books seems to sound like this condition. We have tried various antibiotic treatments,
copper, and a freshwater dip but nothing seems to change. The diet is varied but consistent; frozen foods and dry supplemented with vitamins and occasionally green and brown algae. I hope you can help as this guy has been with us a long time. Thanks so much!
<No pic attached... but I would not be overly concerned... do take a look on the net, fishbase.org re this species, G. varius... for pix of adult males. Bob Fenner> 

Green Bird Wrasse/s
Mike,
How many green bird wrasse would fit in a 110G tall?  1 male and a couple of females?
Thank you . . . Dave
<Dave, sorry that I haven't replied quickly but I have been sick.  I would suggest having only two in that size tank.  One Male and one female.  Good Luck. MikeB.>  

Sick bird wrasse
Your web site is so helpful and for people like me who need answers it's the best place to go.<Thanks, Maybe I can help you.> My problem is with my green bird wrasse (male). For the past six weeks now he's buried under my rocks and has shown no interest in eating at all. I have been able to squirt some brine shrimp by him with a turkey baster and it appears he is getting a little to eat.  He used to be a very active swimmer and would be the first one out  anytime the lid to my 75 gallon tank opened for feeding time. I'm amazed with how little he's eaten that he's still alive. He shows no external signs of parasites or gapping gills, no marks or scratches or any discoloration. His eyes are fine and his fins are fine, he doesn't look any different, it just looks like he went shy on me.  I've tested my water almost every other day and everything appears to be fine except for a steady nitrate reading of 80 in my fish-only tank. It appears my water quality is good. I'm afraid to put him in my quarantine tank, or what I call my "death tank".  I'm know you don't have much to go on, but I just wanted to run it by you for some possible causes of his behavior and what I can do to help him. I've been offering frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood works, Formula II, other flakes with krill and shrimp in them and Spirulina pellets. If this is a nutritional deficiency what else can I provide for him, or use to entice him into eating?
Thanks for your help, it's always very appreciative.
<I think it might be a PH issue.  What is your PH at.  It should be at 8.2 to 8.3.  If it is off it will burn the wrasse. (They don't have scales.)  Otherwise, Do some waterchanges and get the nitrate down to less than 40 PPM.  That should make a difference.  Good Luck. MikeB.> Sick bird wrasse
Your web site is so helpful and for people like me who need answers
it's the best place to go. << Glad to help. >>
My problem is with my green bird wrasse (male). For the past six
weeks now he's buried under my rocks and has shown no interest in
eating at all. I have been able to squirt some brine shrimp by him
with a turkey baster and it appears he is getting a little to eat.
He used to be a very active swimmer and would be the first one out
anytime the lid to my 75 gallon tank opened for feeding time. I'm
amazed with how little he's eaten that he's still alive. He shows no
external signs of parasites or gapping gills, no marks or scratches
or any discoloration. His eyes are fine and his fins are fine, he
doesn't look any different, it just looks like he went shy on me.
I've tested my water almost every other day and everything appears to
be fine except for a steady nitrate reading of 80 in my fish-only
tank. << That is high. >> It appears my water quality is good. I'm afraid to put him in
my quarantine tank, or what I call my "death tank".
I'm know you don't have much to go on, but I just wanted to run it by
you for some possible causes of his behavior and what I can do to
help him. I've been offering frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood works,
Formula II, other flakes with krill and shrimp in them and Spirulina
pellets. If this is a nutritional deficiency what else can I provide
for him, or use to entice him into eating? << Well I love wrasse, and study them often.  But this is tough.  Thanks for addressing the nutritional area, as that was my very first concern.  Sounds like you have a healthy balanced diet for him.  So if not that, then maybe a lack of small live foods.  Most wrasses thrive on pods.  They usually do great in a tank, devour all the pods, then slowly waste away.  That is still a concern.  If not that, well I'm still taking shots in the dark.  I don't think I would remove him for fear of increasing stress, but may just wait it out and hope it has a happy ending. >>
Thanks for your help, it's always very appreciative.
<<  Blundell  >>

Green Bird Wrasse with BTA
Hi,
I love the Green bird, and my kids want a pair of clowns (percula) and anemone (which would be a Bubble tip).   Would this group get along - in particular, the wrasse and BTA? - assuming an appropriate size tank with plenty of LR and LS for territory.
Thanks . . . Dave
<Dave, Yes they would get along.  I would recommend at least a 75 to 125 gallon tank with the proper lighting and filtration for the tank.  Good Luck. MikeB.>

Bird Wrasse Pair
I have had a Green & Brown Bird Wrasse Pair in my 300G for the past 4 months. Last night they were darting in & out of the rock work than they started to swim with their top fin straight up so I watched close thinking this is trouble. They both stopped towards the top in the middle of the tank, the Male (Green) went up a little they were touching than I see this white cloud they both dashed away. This all happened very fast (everything is fast with a bird wrasse). Did they mate?
<Sounds like it>
Do you have any information on Bird wrasse mating/spawning? Any information would be helpful at this point.  
Thank you
Kaye
<I don't have access to print works (am out in HI), and have not observed Gomphosus spawning in the wild (there are two species, one collected for the trade here, G. varius, which is very likely what you have), but from the general "pattern" of their spawning, it does seem yours have... Unless you have taken precautions to remove some of the fertilized eggs, and/or removed skimmer, most all mechanical filtration, likely these have been removed/destroyed. Do look for the name "Thresher" in standard works on reef fish reproduction, and possibly the "Breeder's Registry" online for more information. Bob Fenner>

Bird Wrasse Girlfriend
Hello,
<Hi, MikeD here>
I am about to purchase a male green bird wrasse<ok. These are actually among the more aggressive members of the wrasse family>.  However, in his tank at
the shop is the female. Apparently he was unhappy until they added the
female<Whomever told you that is on commission and trying to sell a double sale with you picked out as the intended salary increase source.>.  Should I also purchase his girlfriend to keep him happy or will he
survive without her<He'll probably do better without her. Keep in mind that most wrasses occur in schools, rather than pairs, and that nearly all males WERE females before they got to that stage.>?
Also, in my 400 gallon tank I only have 5 fish including a Niger Trigger<With a 400 the pair of Bird Wrasses would probably do fine, while the results are often a violent and sometimes fatal divorce in smaller tanks.>.
Can I add a Picasso Trigger and\or a Clown Trigger<If you want to add another trigger that's your choice, but be aware that the Niger will grow to AT LEAST a full foot and MAY grow up to 20" (that's 4" shy of TWO FEET)  Although your tank is large enough to support a Clown Triggerfish to maturity, the VAST majority end up going ballistic and killing ALL of their other tank mates.  Those brilliant colors mean the same thing that they do on wasps and coral snakes, "I'm dangerous! Approach at your own peril!" and are NOT there just to be pretty>?   I have asked this
already but you all have your own and varied opinions.  I do want a peaceful
tank when everyone's all grown up.<LMAO! Bird Wrasses and Triggerfish are NOT peaceful fish, but rather are very much the fish equivalent of creatures like Hyenas and Jackals, in other words omnivores with a well developed taste for fresh meat on the hoof. In fact, the comparison of a triggerfish to a land hyena is particularly apt, as both have jaws capable of crushing things far beyond the ability of other creatures in their respective habitats.  the war between the Lions and the Hyenas is NOT just a cute story line in "The Lion King" with the two species being natural and deadly opponents, while ironically many triggerfish are the cause of death to Lionfish in captivity>
Many Thanks,
James.

Bird Wrasse Girlfriend (continued)
Thanks Mike,
<You're very welcome>
OK, if I do get the bird wrasse it will be just the one.<That should be fine. If you want an active fish, this species is often hyper even compared to other "hyper" species so movement is assured.>  Clown Trigger is
out but I may get the Picasso.  Bob recommends them in an article here on
WWM.<These are often among the less violent members of the triggerfish family, with the only fish I'd suggest NOT putting them with being very small species or lionfish. IMO Lion/Scorpionfish and Triggers are always a high risk combination at the very least.>  As per your recommendations a few weeks ago, I am definitely going to
get a Naso Tang and Harlequin Tuskfish.<Both of these ought to be fine, although you may want to watch the bird wrasse to make sure it doesn't single out the Tusk if added first. Those teeth on a Tuskfish are for moving rocks and crushing shrimp/crabs and rarely used in self defense. Go figure?>  I will send you some pics when it's
all up and running.<That would be great, even better you could join the site and post your own member photo album.>
Kind Regards,
James.

- Bird Wrasse Troubles - 
Hi, I have a Green Bird Wrasse. He has developed Large bumps all over his nose. It looks like Elephantiasis. It's just awful. Have you guys ever heard of this? <Well... hard to say - do the bumps have color? Are they individual or in a mass? How long have you had this fish? What size is it? What size system is the fish in? What other fish does it live with?> Is there a cure? <Depends on what the problem is - if you wouldn't mind answering my questions, I might have a better chance at answering yours.> He eats and swims fine. <That always helps.> 
Thanks for any help 
Becky 
<Cheers, J -- >

- Wrasse Troubles -
Hi thanks for replying.  The bumps do not have color.  They look like tumors under his skin. <Unfortunately, this is the most likely explanation.> They are massed together.
It's just on his nose.  His nose has doubled in size.  I wish I had a digital camera.  He's lived with us about a year and made it through the velvet outbreak.  I'm desperate to help him. <Not sure you really can... try to keep it eating and swimming about.>
He is about 6 inches long.  He lives with a Harlequin Tusk, Assasi Trigger (small), Checker Board Wrasse, Spotted Puffer, Fox Face, Hippo Tang, Coral Beauty, and a Flame Hawk.  Our system is a wet dry with a protein skimmer, and a UV sterilizer.  It's a 125.  Our salt is at 1.020.  The tank cycles about 5 times an hour.  We do water changes once a month. Everyone else in the tank is fine.. Except Eugene :-(
Becky
<I'm sorry Becky that I don't have any better news for you - the two most likely explanation are either tumors, or fatty deposits caused by fat-rich foods and not enough exercise. At this point, the odds of reversal are low, but your could try doubling or even tripling your current turnover rate in a effort to get this fish working off the fat. If, on the other hand these are truly tumors, you might want to keep an eye on the fish and when he seems to be doing less well, to ease his passing - perhaps find a nice potted plant for him to start a new journey in.
Cheers, J -- >

- Strange Wrasse Affliction? -
We have a green bird wrasse that has been in our tank for about 9 months.  The wrasse has seemingly thrived up until recently.  He is still eating well and actively swimming but has come down with some sought of white, almost washed out look on the sides of its head.  Could this be the bird wrasse equivalent of HLLE? <Doubt that.> Any possible help and insight would be greatly appreciated. <Well... provided you haven't added anything new as of late, then I would guess this is probably a nutrition related blanching. Do you feed this fish the same thing for every meal - or is the diet more diverse. This fish should be getting a mix of meaty foods with the occasional green seaweed item thrown in.>
Thanks
Al
<Cheers, J -- >

What corals to keep with a bird wrasse - 1/29/04
Hello crew,  I have a 230 gallon FOWLR system which I am interested in converting into more of a reef set-up.  What I mean by this is that I would like to keep shrimp, hermit crabs and snails (to clean algae), feather dusters, and easier corals such as colt corals and the like. <Go for it> My problem is I currently have 3 percula clowns, 1 yellow tang, 2 blue devil damsels, 1 majestic angel, 1 emperor angel, 1 green bird wrasse and 1 clown trigger.  I know I would have to get rid of the clown trigger to keep some of the above, how about the green bird wrasse? <Should be fine. We have them at the Monterey Bay aquarium in our Clam and Soft Coral tank. They might snack on your hermits, shrimps, and snails. So might need to look into getting a hand fish. They are great a rasping algae from glass, sand, or acrylic (your hand cleaning the tank with an algae scraper, just in case you didn't get that futile attempt at humor.>  Would the snails and hermit crabs clean the algae? <They would if they weren't in the Bird Wrasse's digestive tract. Heheheh! Be sure to keep up the water quality and scrape away, my friend!> Any other corals you might suggest? <Green star polyps (Pachyclavularia violacea) or some clove polyps (Clavularia or Anthelia) Green or Yellow tree coral (Nephthea sp.) These are similar to what we maintain in our tank with our clowns, bird wrasse and damsels and tangs. Also keep an eye on the Angels, though as they may nip at the soft corals. If they do then you may have to make a decision; add noxious soft corals or get rid of the Angels. Paul>.   Thanks

Green Bird Wrasse With Lumps
I have a question that no one seems to have an answer to.
<Okay>
I have an adult green bird wrasse.  I have had this fish for over a year in a
75 gallon tank.
Over the past year the fish has developed "lumps" on his snout.  
The fish seems to be healthy and is eating well.  Any ideas to why this fish
has developed these lumps?
Al Rinaldi   
<Have seen these "lumps" on both wild and captive Gomphosus species males... I think they're akin to the "humps" on the heads that occur on many other wrasse species (developmental growths that is)... possibly something to do with the continual use (callusing?) of the snout in digging about as well. Bob Fenner>

Green Bird Wrasse
We have been noticing lately that sometimes our green bird wrasses tip of his mouth is a red tinged color, after some time, it turns back to his normal beautiful green, but we did not know if this is something to be concerned with?  Any ideas?
Thank you for your help.
Kimberly
<Males of this species do show varying color and color loss in the distal end of their "beaks" at times. See fishbase.org pix for Gomphosus varius... No worries unless you find there to be some bloody markings, or actually observe your specimen damaging itself (like on the tank walls or substrate). Bob Fenner>

Blind Bird Wrasse?
FOWLR has 6" Volitans Lion, 5"Red Sea Male Bird Wrasse, and about 30" Snowflake EEL was just added today (Sea World leftover, long story)
<Long- I should say! An interesting story, I'll bet!>
For awhile now the Bird Wrasse has had a hard time feeding. He knows that food has hit the water and he searches for it but can't seem to find it. We've tried live ghost shrimp, flakes, frozen clams, and frozen silversides. We started back up with the SELCON thinking it maybe it was a vitamin deficiency.
<Not a bad thought on your part...You could also try a preparation like Vita Chem>
He doesn't seem to have any other problems and is a beautiful animal. Our lights are not that bright, a single 40W tube. Any thoughts on this one?
<Well, it could be lot's of things...Nutritional problems can lead to a form of blindness in some fishes, and I wouldn't rule out this as a possibility. You may also consider the environment of the aquarium: Recheck all water parameters to make sure that there are no measurable ammonia, nitrite, or other toxins in the water. Check overall water quality: Nitrates and phosphates...Review maintenance procedures, such as water changes, protein skimming, use of chemical filtration media, etc. Keep trying to get this fish to eat, using a variety of foods like you already have. Observe carefully for signs of any disease, etc. In the absence of other symptoms, I'd keep observing and stay the course with this fish. Be patient. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>  

Help with New Bird Wrasse
>Hey guys and gals, first off let me just say that your FAQs have been very helpful in the setup of two marine tanks of mine in the last 7 months.  
>>Thank ye for acknowledging us lady-folk.  ;)  Marina is the lady of the day for you here.
>Now onto my question.  I just a few weeks ago put together a small 20 gallon tank (I've decided to challenge myself after my ventures in 80 gallon and 125 gallon marine tanks).  It includes a protein skimmer for tanks up to 50 gallons, a 50-watt Visitherm
heater, and an Emperor 400 filter.  The substrate is an aragonite shell mix with a small bay section of live sand which takes up about 30% of the tank.  The pH is at 8.2 and the salinity is a comfortable 1.022-1.023, the water in the tanks at work is at 1.021.  My question concerns a small bird wrasse I've acquired for starting off this tank.  
>>Very small I hope, they're a VERY active fish that really requires MUCH more room to be happy.  Why not put him in the 125?  A much more suitable size for such an animal.  I would rather see something like a group of small gobies (clown, neon, for instance), pseudochromids or Basslets (though *eventually* they'll get large) for such a nano.
>I brought him home from work two days ago, where I work in the aquatics department at a local Petco.  This fish caught my eye because of his great personality.  Very active in the small tanks at work, hungry eater, still fairly small (about 5.5 inches, I will have him in my 80 gallon in a few months most likely).  
>>If I recollect correctly, Petco is still using a centralized filtration system on salt and fresh, yes?  I don't recall seeing anything larger than 20-30gals in their salt sections, either.
>But he'd been in the tanks there for about 4 months, doing great every day, which is why I chose him.  Now since I brought him home, he's just been sitting on the sand or behind coral.  
>>To be expected.  You haven't mentioned live rock or your cycle yet.  I'm curious.
>But this is day two and he just sits there, very slow to move if at all.  Our specialist said this is normal for the first few days, and when I inspect him his breathing is normal, good color (not that it would change so soon but you get the idea), and his eyes are actively watching his surroundings.  
>>Your specialist is correct.  I would also not attempt feeding the first day or two.  Or three.
>But he hasn't been eating.  I've so far tried marine flakes which I assumed wouldn't work but tried anyway.  
>>If you're working the aquatics department, weren't you feeding him there?  Why don't you try what he was eating before?  
>Then I'm trying the frozen Emerald Entree, the Omnivorous Formula.  I've also tried seeding a piece of seaweed salad (which he LOVES eating at work) on a piece of coral right near him, also to no avail.  I'm very worried because this fish is awesome, if you have any recommendations for other foods he would more eagerly pursue, I would appreciate it.  I know he ate yesterday because I fed him in the morning at work so it's only been overnight but he shows 0% interest in any food, I'm sure you understand why I am worried.  Is there anything I can do to help him acclimate to his surroundings, anything to help him really (moving him to my larger tanks is not an option right now, other fish too aggressive and large).  But a change in diet perhaps, or any other appropriate steps.  Thank you so much in advance, please get back to me, the clock is ticking!
>>You need to slow down and leave the fish alone for a while.  Keep the lights off or dim for a while, he's a smart one and needs time to adjust to the move.  He was comfortable where he was, and now everything's new.  Stop trying to feed him, as I said, stay away from the tank, try providing him with more cover--all these things will go a long way towards both making him more comfortable and making him think about his stomach.  Then I would start in a day or two (after not offering food at all) with, if you can get them, live Mysis.  If not, then some live bloodworms, stuff that wiggles can really get them going.  Don't let him get into the habit of live, but do offer him fresh/frozen whenever possible, and VARIETY, especially of meaty foods.  He may be fond of seaweed, if so then Nori soaked in Selcon is fantastic.  Leave it clipped or weighted down in the tank for him to nibble on.  In the meantime, don't worry so much, if he's really having trouble then you can always take him back to his old home and rethink your strategy.  I will reiterate that the 20 gallon is wholly inappropriate for such a fish (even if that is what he was being housed in while for sale).  Again, I'm quite curious about the cycling of this new tank, test the water, especially for ammonia and nitrite as high readings of these compounds will definitely affect a fish's willingness to feed.  Best of luck!  Marina

Bird Wrasse Compatibility
Hey. I love your web site. You guys do a great job.
<Thanks>
I have a 55 gallon tank with a green bird wrasse (about  5 in.). I was wanting to get 2 percula clowns, an Atlantic blue tang (Acanthurus coeruleus), and maybe a few yellow tail blue damsels. I was hoping on breeding the clowns.
<I'd be willing to bet that they will not breed successfully in a tank with these inhabitants.>
I heard that a bird wrasse might eat percula clowns. Is that true?
<They are more into crustaceans than other fish.>
I was wondering if all these fish would be compatible and if this is too many fish.
<For this tank, yes>
I know I would eventually have to get a bigger tank for the blue tang. How big is too big for the wrasse with my size of tank? I know it's a lot of questions, but I want to plan out my tank and make sure everything is all right. Thanks so much for your time.
Cayse
<I would not add any large fish until you get a larger tank.  The wrasse and the tang will both reach about 1 foot in length,  I would not recommend anything smaller than 6 feet in length, they need a lot of swimming room. Best Regards, Gage>

Bird wrasses' mysterious flashing
>Hi crew!  
>>Hello Rich.  Marina here.
>I've asked a couple questions in the past and gotten great answers.  I hope you can help me with this one, as I can't find anything addressing this anywhere.
>>I'll do my best.
>I seem to have a couple of bird wrasses
>>You're not sure?  LOL! j/k
>(one male, one female) with a strange habit of flashing for no apparent reason.  They don't do it constantly, but have been doing it for at least a couple months now.  There's nothing wrong with them that I can tell!  They eat a ton, are very active, have no external parasites and generally look like beautiful, healthy fish.  No other fish in the aquarium are flashing, and the water conditions are perfect as far as my testing goes (79 degrees, 1.022 SG, 8.2 PH, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 0 Nitrates, 13 dKH,
and I don't have a phosphate test kit but recently treated the tank with the Kent phosphate sponge)  They get a good variety of diet as well as Kent marine Zoe for some vitamins.
>>This is a bit perplexing, I would lean towards a subclinical ich infection, though.  However, usually once they start "flashing" one would expect to eventually see something externally.
>Are these fish just weird?  
>>Well, I do doubt it, Rich.
>I do have a tendency to find strange specimens...I have an eel that swims all around the tank during the day, almost avoiding the 180 lb of live rock, and a banded cat shark that is addicted to 1. laying up against one of the overflows to feel the water running over him and 2. going on a ride across the tank by swimming in front of one of the returns.
>>They're just happy fish with their own idiosyncrasies.  The odd thing is this: if you have a subclinical infestation of ich, I would expect the shark to show it first.  You could isolate the wrasses in a q/t and go ahead and treat them with copper or hyposalinity, but you can't treat the shark, and unless you allow the tank to lie fallow for at least 6 weeks, you will just be treating the wrasses only to put them back into the pickle again.  I say that as long as they're not showing any other signs of stress, and as long as no other fish seem to be suffering, it's not something to worry too much about.
>Thanks! Rich
>>You're welcome, Marina

Bird wrasse injured
>Hello!
>>Hi there!
>How are you?
>>Quite well, thank you for asking.
>I have a bird wrasse that have been injured on the mouth the lower Jaw (I could say ), he got injured by fighting over a frozen shrimp with a puffer, it seems it has been cut in two, should I do something special or he will cure by itself, doesn't seem to bother him still eating well as before and swimming around should I remove him? to not be attack on the mouth by other fish (also have triggers) or he will be fine !?  Thank you very much
>>Holy cow!  Poor thing. well, let's see here.  What I would do is leave him be for now.  You see, if he's continuing to eat, then that's not a problem.  Also, by moving him you *could* reinjure the jaw, plus cause him just enough stress to push him over the edge.  However, I would definitely have a hospital tank set up and waiting for him, along with some Spectrogram or Melafix (I prefer Spectrogram) if an infection sets in.  In the meantime, give him as many supplemental feedings you can, even if it means netting the trigger for a bit so the wrasse gets HIS fill.  I'd feed the trigger first, fill his belly, then contain him only if he doesn't allow the wrasse to feed.  I would also use a supplement such as Selcon to soak the wrasse's food every day.  Nutrition will go a long way towards helping him heal and preventing infection.  Stay on top of water quality, too.  Good luck!  Marina

Tang/wrasse compatibility
Hi there! Hope you're having a fun time in the fish  business. I have a couple of questions for you. I have a 55 gallon tank with
2 domino damsels
1 Acanthurus nigrofuscus
1 green bird wrasse
I had the damsels and the tang in the tank for about a month and are doing fine. While I was away my mom (who does a great job taking care of my fish) surprised me with a wrasse. I know nothing about them. It's about 5" and I went ahead and put him in the tank after quarantine. The tang seemed a little perturbed with him, especially when the wrasse started tearing up his prized Nori. There was quite a bit of aggression at first, but now it has quieted down some.  <good sign> Will the aggression come back and get worse?  <possibly, close observation will tell> Should I have a larger tank for these individuals? <I don?t think a tang belongs in a 55/75 but many people do (based on adult size) and the green bird wrasse will hit 11? so it is not appropriate for this tank either> I would also like to get a pair of percula or ocellaris clowns. will they be okay with the damsels? <About the same size? Possibly, but individuals do vary, Don> Thank you very much for your time and effort! Cayse

Marine species ID
A big hello to you all, WWM crew...!  
This one's from Portugal...
Sorry to bother you, but just came out from my nearest LFS, and it seems I'm not able to identify in the net, a marine fish supposedly called "Gomphosus coeruleus". The "man" calls it also a "cleaner fish". It's around 8/9 inches long, body shaped like "Nemateleotris Magnifica",  dark blue or black color, and has a characteristic "proboscis". Can you please help me here?
Thank you in advance.
Luis Santos.
<Sounds like Gomphosus caeruleus, what in the U.S. is commonly called a Bird Wrasse. And yours is a male. Our coverage is here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/gomphosus/index.htm
Bob Fenner>

Wrasse Sex Change
Hi!
<Hi there-Scott F. here today>
I've purchased a small female bird wrasse and am hoping she will turn into a he. <smile> Is there anything that I can do to help her along? Please advise. Thanks! Linda
<Well, Linda, in the wild, sex change is determined by social factors, among other things, in these animals. With an individual specimen in your tank, there is not much that you can do to influence this process. Mother nature has the control over that! If your wrasse does start turning green-well- then Mother Nature has granted your wish! In the meantime, just give the fish a good home with proper care, and she/he will live a happy, healthy life!>

Bird wrasse question
Hello Mr. Fenner,
I have had a male bird wrasse in my 150 gallon tank for about three years. Recently, he has become very thin. He is still active and goes right to the top of the tank when it is feeding time. When the food is poured into the tank, he stabs at it with his beak. Once the initial food drop is over, he does not eat any of the food floating in the tank. If he misses the food on the initial drop, he doesn't eat. I am feeding frozen Formula Two, frozen Brine Shrimp Plus and frozen Mysis Shrimp (all soaked in vitamins).
Do you have any suggestions on how to fatten him up? Could he have internal worms which are causing him to lose weight? Any suggestions you have are greatly appreciated.
<My speculations sound like yours... internal parasitic problem, perhaps a genetic expression. I would do as you are doing... offer a mix of meaty foods, flavor and nutrition enhanced by vitamins. Perhaps adding highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in a commercial soak like Selcon might stir this animals food-taking. Bob Fenner, who ate at a Filippi's Restaurant in San Diego last night.>
Stephen W. DeFilippis
Wayne, IL

Harlequin Tusk & Bird Wrasse
Hi Bob,
<<JasonC here, greetings.>>
I've got a coral tank with clams in it. Beautifully decorated in a 4 feet tank.
 <<Good deal>> 
Now I've fallen in love with the Harlequin Tusk and Green Bird Wrasse.
<<understandable, both just absolute lookers... the Choerodon fasciata being one of my personal favorites.>>
Checked around and been getting contradictory views on whether I can put them in my coral tank.
Some say YES and some say NO WAY. 
<<'Could' and 'should' being two different answers.>>
Have a friend who has a HT in his coral tank for a year and he has not been biting off any of his precious corals. Well behaved indeed much like what you wrote in your site.
 <<Well behaved for a fish who doesn't eat corals in the wild...>>
I'm confuse if I can have them in my tank or otherwise. Kindly advise and thanks. Steve
<<Well, the quick answer is no... it's not wise, mostly because the choice of tankmates in a "reef" system tend more towards the small scale and docile behavior. Even though either of these fish would be the passive member of a fish only system, they would be the most boisterous member of a reef system. Both grow to over a foot, and take up every bit of that space which means you would need to upgrade that tank sometime in the future if you wanted to keep the fish for any time. In addition, both are strong, fast swimmers and their darting can be disconcerting to less motile tank members. This same speed can make it hard to compete for food if you're not a Tusk or Bird Wrasse but instead living with one. Likewise, their taste for certain invertebrates is not good news for small bivalves, worms, copepods, and various shrimp that one might want to keep/encourage in a reef system. Would
a tusk sample a Tridacnid? Probably not if well acclimated to daily feedings, but would that same tusk flip over a frag or two looking for food? For a certainty, it will happen. So are either of these fish a good choice for a coral and clam tank? No. Could you build a mixed system of photosynthetic gorgonians and a tusk fish? That could work well. Hope that helps... Cheers, J -- >>

Harlequin Tusk & Bird Wrasse
Hi Bob,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I've got a coral tank with clams in it. Beautifully decorated in a 4 feet tank. Now I've fallen in love with the Harlequin Tusk and Green Bird Wrasse. 
<both magnificent fishes... neither are remotely responsible to put in a reef tank>
Checked around and been getting contradictory views on whether I can put them in my coral tank. Some say YES and some say NO WAY. 
<no way doesn't begin to describe how bad the choice is. They do not eat coral at all. But their endless search and curiosity for crustaceans (shrimp, crabs... desirable in the reef at times) amplified by their large adult size (both approaching a foot) lends them to wreak havoc by randomly flipping coral over and off of the rockscape. I would regard their addition as unlikely to succeed in most tanks and irresponsible especially if one has LPS corals (brain, bubble, torch, elegant, etc>
Have a friend who has a HT in his coral tank for a year and he has not been biting off any of his precious corals. 
<that's because they don't ever eat coral... just crustacea in the wild... and his tusk is almost certainly still young/too small to toss larger heads of coral to look underneath yet (its under 6"... perhaps 4" or less?)>
Well behaved indeed much like what you wrote in your site.
<yep... with other fishes in general>
I'm confuse if I can have them in my tank or otherwise. Kindly advise and thanks. Steve
<best regards, Anthony>

Sick Bird Wrasse
Hi,
<Cheerio, Anthony Calfo in your service>
I am still having problems with my 12" Bird wrasse. Since the last time I mailed you he has stopped eating , totally. It has been 7 days since he has eaten anything. I have tried everything I can think of. I even got him some fresh mussels and pried them open for him. 
<not even a remotely natural food... no surprise here. This animal eats crustaceans. Have you tried live feeder grass/ghost shrimp?>
NO interest at all. He is
now in a 55 gallon quarantine tank. He is so big 12" or so that I just put him in that tank because I thought 15 gallons would be way to small for him. His right eye is totally white, the left eye looks OK. He is still a brilliant blue color and if I prod him a little bit he will swim around the tank, the rest of the time he hides under a rock. He was in good flesh before all this started and he still seems fairly round. His belly doesn't seem sunken in. Could all this depression be a sexual hormone thing? 
<certainly not>
I don't see any parasites or wounds on his body. He looks fine but he hides
and won't eat. Should I just put back in my main 200 gallon tank and hope
for the best?? 
<please, no... frequent moves alone are extremely stressful and can be fatal. Do leave him in place until good health returns>
Or do you think it would be kinder to euthanize him?? 
<Yikes... I'd hate to be a napping guest in your house! Dirt naps for everybody! Hehe... no, do not give up yet. They can go for quite a while without food>
Like
I said before he is my favorite fish and I would do what is best for him. I
haven't medicated the tank because I didn't see any signs of disease or
parasites. 
<my friend, unless I've missed something from a previous e-mail... the cloudy eye is a conspicuous symptom of a problem. Perhaps bacterial and in need of medication. even if physically imposed, the antibiotic to prevent infection may be appropriate. Do find a medication that has both Nitrofurazone and Furazolidone in it for treatment. And feed the live shrimp ASAP to see if we can jump start the appetite>
His diet has always been well balanced A VARIETY OF FROZEN,
DRIED AND FRESH FOOD SOAKED IN ZOE
<mostly crustaceans, again. Kindly Anthony>
Thanks again,
Jean

Bird Wrasse
I have a 4 year old male bird wrasse. He must be a Red Sea Bird Wrasse because he is a really deep azure blue. He has recently developed a large lumpy growth on the top of his beak-it is the same blue color as the rest of his body. /////is this a normal thing for an adult bird wrasse?
<Yes>
No one in the Sacramento, CA area seems to have any adult bird wrasses.
<Take a look on fishbase.org on the Net under the genus name "Gomphosus" for pix, more info.>
Also, since he developed the growth he seems to sleep under his favorite rock almost all the time. He occasionally comes out to eat but he is not active like he use to be
<Drinking more beer, falling asleep on the couch? This happens>
(he use to take the food out of my fingers and now he seems a little disoriented (blind?) on one side or maybe the growth is interfering with his sight. Any help would be greatly appreciated. He is my favorite fish and I would hate to lose him. I'm guessing 4 years is not geriatric for this fish???
<A good long time for captivity, but records are likely into the teens of years for public aquarium specimens. Do look into soaking this animals foods in a vitamin supplement mix as an adjunct to nutrition. Such matters are discussed on WetWebMedia.com
Bob Fenner>
Thank-you
Jean

Bird Mouth Wrasses
Hi Bob,
I purchased a pair of bird mouth wrasses a week ago for my marine tank. They have not been very active, they are constantly buried in the sand. 
<Typical>
I understand that they are known to lay on the bottom of the tank but they do not seem to swim around at all. I am also concerned they are not getting enough food because the other fish in the tank are eating their food quite quickly. Is this normal behavior? Will they get enough food for survival? Is there anything I can do to encourage them to become more active?
<A week is a good long time to be hidden... I'd give the sand a gentle stirring to make sure they're still there. Do keep all openings on the tank top well sealed... notorious jumpers. Bob Fenner>
Thanks Bob
Todd
Sydney Australia

Could it be a worm? (injured Bird Wrasse)
Dear Bob,
First I want to thank you for helping me when I was trying to get started about a year ago.
<You're welcome>
Now I feel like I know a good deal about this great hobby and have had a happy and healthy tank for quite some time (with great help from wetwebmedia). A few months back I purchased a Bird Wrasse. He developed a mark on his side that looked like a big scratch or chunk missing from his side. I assumed it was from rocks as my Niger Trigger chased him all around the tank. As time went on the mark began to go away and now there are faint signs of it. During this time, he liked to swim against the rocks and scratch himself.
<You are likely correct about the source (injury) of this mark... and the genus Gomphosus Wrasses do scratch, glance quite a bit in captivity and the wild... natural behavior>
Even after the spot went away he kept doing it. He resembled a cat scratching against a leg with the motion being a bit more twitchy. The other day he excreted a long worm-looking object. It seemed to be whitish-pink with darker rings around it. Since then he seems to be a much happier fish. Could it have been a worm that has been living in him?
<Yes>
If it was, is it gone or was that just part of a worm that still lives inside of him?
<Only time, investigation can/will tell>
Another thing, I thought maybe that the specific gravity affected his behavior. I keep my tank .18-.19 and he seemed to like it better at around .22. Is there any validity to this?
<Yes, good observation. Better to keep the spg nearer to natural seawater conditions.>
Thanks a million,
Ben
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

The Green Bird Wrasse that ate Detroit!
Hi! Bob,
I have a 12" green bird wrasse. 
<Wow, this is a big Gomphosus!>
I would really hate to part with him when I set up my new tanks. Would he eat small fish?
<Yes, this and most anything else he can get his (this is a male) small mouth/beak on!>
Also he is a very aggressive eater. Do you think he will make my majestic and blueface angels nervous? He seems to leave corals alone.
<Place him last... after the Angels have been in place for a month or two. Bob Fenner>
Thanks again and have a great day.

Green bird wrasse in a reef?
Dear Robert
My name is Edgar, I live in Mexico and currently I have a 110 gal reef tank with several soft and hard corals, mushrooms, zoanthids, feather dusters, 2 anemones (E. quadricolor), snails and shrimps (2 S. hispidus. 2 L amboinensis and 3 L wurdemanni) . I also have a yellow surgeon and a couple of P. biaculeatus as well as one Salarias fasciata.. I wonder whether a green wrasse could be a good addition to my set up.
<Hmm, I wouldn't try it with your shrimps... too likely they'd end up meals>
I know they get big, but I also have several friends which can keep him/her when he/she reaches adulthood.
I know these fish can eat bristleworms, but I don't know whether they can (and will) eat my featherdusters or will bother some of my corals.
Could you please give me some advice?
<Certainly my friend. I would look to other smaller wrasse species if it were my system. Gomphosus varius is too rambunctious and a big eater for your tank and its current occupants. Bob Fenner>
Thanks
Edgar

Re: Green bird wrasse in a reef?
Hi Robert
Thanks a lot for your fast answer, I'll follow your advice and get a small wrasse for my tank.
Edgar
<I'd look to the genera Cirrhilabrus, Paracheilinus... Bob Fenner>