We got a "wrasse bass" in yesterday, wow!

[Chris Lucia]

In one of our Caribean shipments we received a very cool deepwater species which the divers called a "wrasse bass". I am wondering if anyone has any experience with them. He (she?) is 4" long with a bright magenta band down the length of his elongated, almost wrasse-like body shape. He ate live brine shrimp heartily today. Thanks for any input or experience with this beauty.

 

[Chris Lucia]

Here's a pic I found of him.

 

[Chris Lucia]

There it is.

 

[monkeyboy]

Come on guys! Anyone, anyone?

 

[davelin315]

Looks like a voracious predator to me. Have never seen one before, but he's a type of grouper IMO. Therefore, anything that will fit in his mouth, will be in his mouth. Other than that, i would think just treat him like a grouper. Very cool, by the way, great colors!

 

[hectina]

it looks quite a bit like a Swissgaurd basslet to me.

 

[Bomber]

Liopropoma eukrines - another of the basslets. Care and feeding exactly like cave and swiss. They like meaty foods (fish, clam, shrimp, etc) and not to be trusted around small inverts. Calm down fast and make good pets. Yours probably originated from the Keys or extreme South Florida.

 

[Anonymous]

If its roughly the same size as a swissguard (3") it probably safe with most inverts. I had a swissguard for years and it never bothered anything.

 

[Chucker]

From Coralrealm.com-

Size:
This species attains a maximum length of 13 cm (5.1 inches).

Distribution:
North Carolina to the Florida Keys.

Habitat:
In Florida waters the wrasse basslet occurs on rock patches, coral heads and under ledges in water 30 and 116 m (98 to 377 feet).

Feeding:
The wrasse bass eats crustaceans and is said to be particularly fond of the golden coral shrimp (Stenopus scutellatus).