Calling all wrasse keeprs

[Eddie7144]

Hello all, I am stocking my tank after running fallow for 4 months. I understand that wrasse don't handle copper well. How can I protect against ich if I can't use copper? I've read that wrasse don't usually get ich, but I imagen they can carry it. So where does that leave me ? I'm hoping to add a tang later on maybe a golden rim powder blue or Achilles. Or should I just forget about the tangs ?

 

[Turnage]

Freshwater dip, Quarantine the wrasse and observe it.

 

[346700984]

I agree with quarantining as an option, although our wrasse came from a store that has copper in the water and was fine. There are other non-copper medications although I don’t know how well they work. It’s just like how you can’t use copper on inverts but they can have something on them, you can put them in quarantine. Our six line wrasse got ich, so it’s possible. If you’re worried about ich, don’t get a powder blue. They are known to get ich easily. Our powder blue was the reason why our tank broke out. Plus our powder blue thinks she owns the tank and likes to rough up newcomers and start “tail-fighting” the other peaceful tangs on occasion. Others I’ve discussed this with agree that powder blues are a handful in regards to those matters. It’s up to you, but that’s my 2 cents.

 

[Eddie7144]

Freshwater dip, Quarantine the wrasse and observe it.

I've never done s fresh water dip

 

[Tamberav]

I would treat all wrasse if you plan on tangs like Achilles. Wrasse can hide disease easily so just watching them would be risky to such disease prone fish you want to put them in.

I just hybrid TTM my wrasses which seems to work great for leopards, Halichoeres, and Anampses. Fairy wrasses not so much as they freak out too much with transfers. I would probably just treat them for flukes and internal parasites first and then copper those and raise it slowly.

You could also just buy your wrasse from TSM or Dr Reef and they will QT it for you.

Difficult Fish to QT guide

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/difficult-fish-to-qt-guide.56/ ** Below is a list of difficult fish to quarantine, with specific recommendations on QT strategies for each group of fish. Angelfish (and their sensitivity to copper)...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[JeffLED]

I would treat all wrasse if you plan on tangs like Achilles. Wrasse can hide disease easily so just watching them would be risky to such disease prone fish you want to put them in.

I just hybrid TTM my wrasses which seems to work great for leopards, Halichoeres, and Anampses. Fairy wrasses not so much as they freak out too much with transfers. I would probably just treat them for flukes and internal parasites first and then copper those and raise it slowly.

You could also just buy your wrasse from TSM or Dr Reef and they will QT it for you.

Difficult Fish to QT guide

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/difficult-fish-to-qt-guide.56/ ** Below is a list of difficult fish to quarantine, with specific recommendations on QT strategies for each group of fish. Angelfish (and their sensitivity to copper)...

www.reef2reef.com

Could you offer more insight, or steer me in the correct direction? My long term plans include a tang species, so last year after an ich outbreak that claimed my yellow watchman goby, I placed the remaining livestock into QT to allow the DT to go through a fallow period. The fallow just completed, and I am preparing to reintroduce the livestock that has been in QT. While in QT, no one ever showed signs of ich or other illness/parasite (that I saw). As the long term plans include tang species, I want to be extremely thorough in my treatments, and I am concerned the hybrid TTM, while effective, may not be 100% effective in eradicating the water borne pathogens I need to eliminate. The only livestock I have are 2 ocellaris clowns and a melanurus wrasse. I was planning on copper treatment for the clowns, as this was going to become the new standard for all new livestock. Unfortunately, I have seen so much conflicting information about the the melanurus wrasse/copper/ich treatments, etc. and I still do not know how to proceed with this little guy.

I totally understand hybrid TTM can be effective, but is it a good method for "total eradication"? Is there another method I should consider based on my "symptoms" in order to achieve the desired effect?

 

[DrMMI]

I quarantined a yellow coris wrasse, melanarus wrasse, and carpenter's wrasse at 2.0 copper using copper safe. They all made it over 30 days with no issues. Followed it up with 2 rounds of prazipro.

 

[Tamberav]

Could you offer more insight, or steer me in the correct direction? My long term plans include a tang species, so last year after an ich outbreak that claimed my yellow watchman goby, I placed the remaining livestock into QT to allow the DT to go through a fallow period. The fallow just completed, and I am preparing to reintroduce the livestock that has been in QT. While in QT, no one ever showed signs of ich or other illness/parasite (that I saw). As the long term plans include tang species, I want to be extremely thorough in my treatments, and I am concerned the hybrid TTM, while effective, may not be 100% effective in eradicating the water borne pathogens I need to eliminate. The only livestock I have are 2 ocellaris clowns and a melanurus wrasse. I was planning on copper treatment for the clowns, as this was going to become the new standard for all new livestock. Unfortunately, I have seen so much conflicting information about the the melanurus wrasse/copper/ich treatments, etc. and I still do not know how to proceed with this little guy.

I totally understand hybrid TTM can be effective, but is it a good method for "total eradication"? Is there another method I should consider based on my "symptoms" in order to achieve the desired effect?

Many people do use copper on wrasse FYI... but you want to raise slowly and use Hannah to be accurate. Things like mandarins are a big no no for copper.

I have yet to see TTM fail for ich but I can not promise the hybrid part is 100 percent for velvet and brook as it is still experimental. All my fish have been observed for a month and treated for internal parasites in a cycled observation tank after. So far no velvet or brook has shown itself either (Remember that copper does not treat brook or internal issues though).

Also ich/velvet can come in on corals or frag plugs and such so a fishless coral QT is another necessity if you want to be extremely careful.

I would prophylactically treat everything if you want to be 100 percent... whether it be copper or TTM or what not. Many fish will never show symptoms, especially for something like ich but can certainly give it to a sensitive tang species.

 

[DucatiGtr]

If you never want any problems I would copper w copper power or copper safe.. I have Ich In my tank do to observing fairy wrasses for months..
I have 14 tangs and the only one that shows ich is my achillies.. it’s 30 plus fish so hoping if will eventually die off w no new ich strains.. I do want to add 5 more or so wrasses then be “done”

 

[JeffLED]

Many people do use copper on wrasse FYI... but you want to raise slowly and use Hannah to be accurate. Things like mandarins are a big no no for copper.

I have yet to see TTM fail for ich but I can not promise the hybrid part is 100 percent for velvet and brook as it is still experimental. All my fish have been observed for a month and treated for internal parasites in a cycled observation tank after. So far no velvet or brook has shown itself either (Remember that copper does not treat brook or internal issues though).

Also ich/velvet can come in on corals or frag plugs and such so a fishless coral QT is another necessity if you want to be extremely careful.

I would prophylactically treat everything if you want to be 100 percent... whether it be copper or TTM or what not. Many fish will never show symptoms, especially for something like ich but can certainly give it to a sensitive tang species.

Thank you for the information!
Let me answer/question each item:
1) Re: wrasse and copper. I have seen anecdotal evidence of both safe and unsafe. I was intending to use copper but I will heed your advice and raise slowly. Assume the clock only starts once we hit the therapeutic dose?
2) Totally aware of coral being possible carrier but appreciate the reminder. Anything coming in is also going into a fishless system for its own fallow but nothing added yet.
3) I know it’s nearly impossible but I am trying to achieve a parasite/disease free system so the the treatment was also going to include prazipro with copper (prob after) for all fish. I was not as concerned about this causing issues with the current livestock but please correct me if I am wrong.
I really appreciate your time!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello all, I am stocking my tank after running fallow for 4 months. I understand that wrasse don't handle copper well. How can I protect against ich if I can't use copper? I've read that wrasse don't usually get ich, but I imagen they can carry it. So where does that leave me ? I'm hoping to add a tang later on maybe a golden rim powder blue or Achilles. Or should I just forget about the tangs ?

As some others said, coppersafe for 30 days using a good test kit (Hanna checker) to monitor the dose is safe for wrasses. Everyone "knows" wrasse don't handle copper well, but when you try to track down actually copper toxicity in them, it all leads back to the days when we used copper/citric acid solutions. That, and then people dosing low copper on their wrasses because they are afraid of reactions, then the fish dies and they say, "see? copper killed my wrasse" when actually the wrasse died from a disease not controlled by the low dose copper.

Jay