Does the Melanurus Wrasse need a sand bed?

Yes, it is strictly required. They bury themselves in the sand to sleep at night and to hide when frightened. A fine sand bed of at least 5 cm deep is essential to prevent stress and injury.

Are Melanurus Wrasses reef safe?

They are completely safe with corals and will not nip at polyps. However, they will readily consume small ornamental shrimp, feather duster worms, and tiny snails, so caution is advised regarding delicate invertebrates.

Will a Melanurus Wrasse eat flatworms and bristleworms?

Absolutely. They are highly regarded as a natural form of pest control in the reef aquarium and will enthusiastically hunt flatworms, pyramidellid snails, and small bristleworms.

Why did my new Melanurus Wrasse disappear into the sand?

Burying themselves is their natural sleeping and defence mechanism. Newly introduced wrasses may hide under the sand for several days while they acclimatise to their new surroundings.

Can I keep more than one Melanurus Wrasse in my aquarium?

They are best kept singly unless you have a very large system and can introduce a male alongside one or more females simultaneously. Two males will fight aggressively and should not be housed together.

MarineMarineIntermediate

Melanurus Wrasse

Halichoeres melanurus

A vibrant and active marine fish famous for its pest-controlling abilities and striking striped colouration.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 23 – 26 °C
pH range: 8.1 – 8.4
Hardness: 14 – 22 dGH
Salinity: 1.023 – 1.025 SG
Adult size: 10 – 12 cm
Minimum 250 litres for an adult, with a large footprint for swimming and foraging.: 250 litres+
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Diet: Carnivore
Water flow: Moderate to Strong
Preferred setup: A soft, fine sand bed of at least 5 cm depth is an absolute requirement for sleeping and seeking refuge. A tight-fitting mesh lid is essential to prevent jumping.

About the Melanurus Wrasse

The Melanurus Wrasse, also known as Hoeven's Wrasse, is a magnificent addition to the marine aquarium. Highly sought after for both its aesthetic appeal and practical utility, this species is renowned for diligently hunting undesirable pests like flatworms and pyramidellid snails. They exhibit striking sexual dimorphism, with males displaying vivid blue-green and pink-orange horizontal stripes, while females have more subdued tones and distinct eye-spots. As an active, diurnal species, they bring constant movement to the reef display before retiring to the sandbed at dusk.

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Where Melanurus Wrasse comes from

Native range

Western Pacific, Indo-Pacific

Countries / regions

Indonesia, Philippines, Australia, Japan

Habitat

Shallow coral reefs, sheltered lagoons, and reef flats with mixed sand and rubble substrates.

Commonly found in shallow waters down to depths of about 15 metres, often near areas of fine sand where they sleep.

Similar species

Christmas Wrasse
Halichoeres claudia
Yellow Wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Peaceful community fish that occupy different zones in the aquarium and will not compete with the wrasse.
Great
Yellow Tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
A robust herbivore that generally ignores wrasses, making them excellent, active tankmates in adequately sized systems.
Great
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Centropyge bispinosa
A peaceful dwarf angelfish that shares similar water parameter requirements and gets along well with wrasses.
Great
Six-Line Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Six-Line Wrasses can be highly territorial towards other wrasses occupying the same rockwork; careful observation is required.
Compatible with caution
Peppermint Shrimp
Lysmata wurdemanni
As a micro-predator, the Melanurus Wrasse may eventually view small ornamental shrimp as a food source once fully grown.
Compatible with caution
Mandarin Dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus
The highly active wrasse will outcompete the slow-moving dragonet for benthic copepods, potentially leading to the dragonet starving.
Not recommended
Volitan Lionfish
Pterois volitans
A large predatory fish that is easily capable of swallowing a slender wrasse whole.
Not recommended

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