FOTM - November 2012 - Psych-Head Wrasse/Red Tail Wrasse

Psych-Head Wrasse / Red Tailed Wrasse
Male


Female




Family: Labridae
Genus: Anampses
Species: Chrysocephalus
Common Names:
Female: Redtail Tamarin Wrasse, Redtail Wrasse
Male: Psych-Head Wrasse, Psychedelic Wrasse
Reef Safe: Yes
Maximum Fish Size: 7 inches

Min Tank Size: 75 gallons plus recommended
-Note-
1 Wrasse - 75 gallons plus
3 or more Wrasses - 125 gallons plus

Attitude: Extremely peaceful fish. Avoid aggressive tank mates if possible. As always with wrasses, this fish will not tolerate multiple males in a display.

Diet: Carnivore. This fish is an avid copepod hunter, and difficult to sustain on prepared foods. Supplements are a good thing to do with this fish. HUFA products and Vitamin C for my guy and gals are soaked in all foods before given to the fish. They are slow eaters, because they chew their food versus gulping. Often spitting food out and eating it again because the piece may have been to large.

Origin: Hawaii, Pacific

Care: The care of the Anampses Chrysocephalus should only be considered by advanced aquarium hobbyist or those that prepare themselves to know what they are getting into. Like wrasses in general, the Tamarins are not the best shippers. Often they come in with torn fins, broken mouths and or worse, dead. Not to often an Anampses with a torn/broken mouth will recover from it, usually leading to their death.

While considering to purchase one of these fish, try to get it from a local fish store. Make sure the mouth is not damaged in any matter. Make sure the fish has girth to it and is eating well in the stores display or sales tank. Eating prepared foods versus live is a big plus!

These fish require at around 2-4 inches deep of sand bed to sleep in at night or when frightened. I would avoid trying to keep any Anampses wrasse in a tank with a bare bottom or shallow sand bed (under 1.5 inches). As this will tend for them to damage their mouths.

Beware when just purchasing a male with no intent to have a female. Males are much more expensive then females, and without a female present in the tank, a male may revert back to female coloration. A reefer I know had the experience of this. And with a tank of only females, usually a male will emerge from the dominate female.

Compatibility: They are compatible with most other fish that have a peaceful disposition. I would avoid aggressive fish as it will make their introduction much more stress free. One male Anampses per tank as well.

Personal Observations: This is absolutely one of my favorite fish! They are very personable. With time and Dedication I have been weaning them onto a totally prepared diet, asides the copepods. With the time and dedication I have taken with my original female, I have gotten her onto Pellets, Flakes, Seaweed, Mysis, Brine, Cyclop-eeze and pretty much anything you put into the tank! The newer ones are already starting to taste the pellets and flakes I feed every now and then.

I would try if anything to have a single one in at least 100 gallons plus of water from my viewing. They love to swim (like most fish will use the space when given) However with their tiny critter diet, they need the space to consume their food when not fed to keep them fat and happy. They do however give me that heart attack every now and then. When they chew on food it is extremely loud. To be honest it sounds like glass cracking... :

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed.

 

Great write up Eric, congrats on the fish.

 

Nice write up.

 

Its been a while for the FOTM. Great to see it back and great write up.

 

Agreed Aaron.

Wonderful write up Eric.

How many times a day do you feed?

An interesting observation regarding the fish chewing it's food into smaller pieces and the sound they make when eating.

It's a beautiful fish as well.

 

Thanks, Depends on the day to be honest...

I feed about 5 - 6 Times a day, Usually turns out to be 4 cubes of mysis. They just get little bits at a time when I feed to Make sure theres no mysis waste. It also helps me Ensure by Smaller feedings and watching who's eating what that everyone gets something. If I didnt, My Tangs and Rabbitfish would have it all.

Before I got the new male and females. My old female was good on 2-3 feedings a day or less. That being said I tend to mix flakes and pellets in with the small feedings when they are in higher feeding amounts to get them used to other foods. I have the new Male eating pellets already.

 

Such a cool fish and great write up! I would love to see a flashing video!

 

I second the Psych-Head Wrasse/Red Tail for the FOTM!!

The Red Tail Tamarin is a fantastic fish! I personally am in love with Rabbitfish, but that was until I laid eyes on the Red Tailed Wrasse... More specifically the Psych-Head (male) Wrasse... They are soooo unique and vibrant, that it is almost hard to keep my eyes off of them. I couldn't be happier to have them in our tank, and my eyes are immediately drawn to them.. And their personalities are priceless; very personable fishes...

 

^^^Reported

 

I finally make a post... And someone has to scrutinize it... You need more fish bro....