Help!! New Wrasse stressed

[saltyMJ]

I just purchased a melanurus Wrasse.nearly an hour ago. Saw him eat at the fish store and was swimming around fine. When I got home and got ready to float him I noticed he was having trouble staying upright. I put him in a bucket and put an aerator in there. He is laying on the bottom and keeps tipping over and has labored breathing. What should I do?

 

[ryanjohn1]

I just purchased a melanurus Wrasse.nearly an hour ago. Saw him eat at the fish store and was swimming around fine. When I got home and got ready to float him I noticed he was having trouble staying upright. I put him in a bucket and put an aerator in there. He is laying on the bottom and keeps tipping over and has labored breathing. What should I do?

Hope for the best. How long was drive. Did the bag get hot or cold bumpy road

 

[sc50964]

Did they catch him with a net? He may have gotten hurt during the process.

 

[saltyMJ]

Hope for the best. How long was drive. Did the bag get hot or cold bumpy road

30-40 minutes. Wife held him the whole time to reduce bumps.

 

[saltyMJ]

Did they catch him with a net? He may have gotten hurt during the process.

They did net him.... Seemed pretty quick and he didn't freak out at all.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Possibly really stressed out and wants to hide but can't. I'd get it into a QT with a few inches of fine sand in the bottom ASAP.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

This exact thing happened to a scopas tang I brought home, was a 30 min ride and he looked fine until i got home and he couldn’t keep upright, i think it was just too much stress to handle… RIP scopy

 

[saltyMJ]

Possibly really stressed out and wants to hide but can't. I'd get it into a QT with a few inches of fine sand in the bottom ASAP.

I unfortunately don't have any substrate for a QT tank. I put some hiding places for him in the bucket I currently have him in along with an aerator. How long do you think I can keep him in there for? I don't really want to transfer him anywhere unless he starts looking better and swimming around. He is currently just sitting by the aerator hardly moving. I have an acclimation box I was planning on putting him into but I'm worried the acclimation process will just kill him.

 

[TARHEEL78]

I unfortunately don't have any substrate for a QT tank. I put some hiding places for him in the bucket I currently have him in along with an aerator. How long do you think I can keep him in there for? I don't really want to transfer him anywhere unless he starts looking better and swimming around. He is currently just sitting by the aerator hardly moving. I have an acclimation box I was planning on putting him into but I'm worried the acclimation process will just kill him.

You need to get some sand and put it in there so he has somewhere to hide and calm down. You can't keep that fish without sand.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I unfortunately don't have any substrate for a QT tank. I put some hiding places for him in the bucket I currently have him in along with an aerator. How long do you think I can keep him in there for? I don't really want to transfer him anywhere unless he starts looking better and swimming around.

Unfortunately, in a bucket is not the sort of environment that is conducive to reducing stress. You've kind of got a paradox going there.

If you don't have a proper QT tank set up, then probably acclimating the fish ASAP and getting it into the DT is the least worst course of action if you're going to keep it.

 

[sc50964]

Wrasses play dead or at least super stiff all the time when they are scared so it’s best to put him in your QT and add a small tupperware with live sand.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Actually, belay my last suggestion for a minute. What tank is this fish going into? A 30g cube? Or this one?

 

[Brian S]

I got a Melanurus Wrasse from live aquaria. I swear it looked doa - acclimated it to the qt and all is well 2 years later. Haven't seen a planaria is over a year.

Definitely get some sand - mine buries itself every night, and when things get crazy in the tank too.


Best wishes!

 

[Uncle99]

I just purchased a melanurus Wrasse.nearly an hour ago. Saw him eat at the fish store and was swimming around fine. When I got home and got ready to float him I noticed he was having trouble staying upright. I put him in a bucket and put an aerator in there. He is laying on the bottom and keeps tipping over and has labored breathing. What should I do?

It’s an hour ago, not usual behaviour IMM.
Just keep him safe for now.

 

[saltyMJ]

Actually, belay my last suggestion for a minute. What tank is this fish going into? A 30g cube? Or this one?

75 gallon fowlr tank.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

75 gallon fowlr tank.

I don't see that that tank in the link has sand.

 

[saltyMJ]

Actually, belay my last suggestion for a minute. What tank is this fish going into? A

I think it's a combination of over stress and " playing dead". He started moving around a little more so I started the acclimation process and got him into the tank. Unfortunately don't have a QT tank setup. Though I wish I did. He seems to be doing a little better. Still mostly laying still on the bottom. But he's having periods of swimming around where he seems ok. Makes me think he's just playing dead. Fingers crossed he's the most colorful melanurus Wrasse I've seen!

 

[TARHEEL78]

I think it's a combination of over stress and " playing dead". He started moving around a little more so I started the acclimation process and got him into the tank. Unfortunately don't have a QT tank setup. Though I wish I did. He seems to be doing a little better. Still mostly laying still on the bottom. But he's having periods of swimming around where he seems ok. Makes me think he's just playing dead. Fingers crossed he's the most colorful melanurus Wrasse I've seen!

Do you have sand in the tank the wrasse is in now?

 

[saltyMJ]

I don't see that that tank in the link has sand

Do you have sand in the tank the wrasse is in now?

Crushed coral

 

[TARHEEL78]

You absolutely MUST have sand for this wrasse. You need to return the wrasse if you don't have sand. Crushed coral isn't going to cut it.