Helping a wrasse and goby in QT

[Pbh-reef]

I have a couple of questions about a possum wrasse and high finned shrimp goby that I have in QT now. I got them both this Saturday and temp acclimated then to a 10 gallon qt at matching salinity and 1ppm
Copper Power with seeded hob filter and glass cover. So far ammonia badge has registered 0. Since Saturday I have been slowly ramping copper up( it is now
Just below 1.5) using the Hanna checker and feeding frozen brine/mysis and reef nutrition roe with selcon, focus and GC. I have seen no signs of disease so far.

My questions are -

1. The possum wrasse has gone from eating with gusto to swimming into the cloud
Of food but not putting much in its mouth. Somettimes she will eat an egg or
Peck at a shrimp but spit it out. Any advice about what I can feed that will entice her to eat? I have not seen her defecate yet so I
Don’t know if her poo shows signs of
Internal parasites. I don’t have access
To LRS food but I can get hikari and reef nutrition brands as well as SF bay frozen mysis. Any small tasty foods you’d recommend that binds well With GC?

2. The goby spends a lot of time in the corners and never enters any pvc tubes. She often jumps and spooks herself, I especially notice this in the mornings. Would
Adding sand be worth it for helping her be less jumpy? Any other advice for helping her be calm?

Thank you!

 

[Pbh-reef]

If anyone has food advice that’d be great - I plan on going to an LFS later this afternoon.

 

[HairyGary]

Were they eating the GC food before you ramped up copper? If not, I would try to feed them first without the GC and see if they eat with the copper in the water.

Also, I would also make sure you have enough O2 in the water via aeration or power head pointed to the surface.

 

[Pbh-reef]

The wrasse was eating GC food with copper. And I have seen it eat GC-less food. Maybe I discontinue GC until copper is done?

It is a 10 gallon with an aquaclear 50 at the highest setting so I think I have ok surface aeration? I’ve left the cover off the aquaclear to help with gas exchange. Are you thinking that low O2 is impacting the wrasse’s appetite? In terms of behavior I haven’t noticed a slow down in the wrasses swimming (she is pretty inquisitive and active) or spending lots of time at the surface.

 

[HairyGary]

The wrasse was eating GC food with copper. And I have seen it eat GC-less food. Maybe I discontinue GC until copper is done?

It is a 10 gallon with an aquaclear 50 at the highest setting so I think I have ok surface aeration? I’ve left the cover off the aquaclear to help with gas exchange. Are you thinking that low O2 is impacting the wrasse’s appetite? In terms of behavior I haven’t noticed a slow down in the wrasses swimming (she is pretty inquisitive and active) or spending lots of time at the surface.

Just trying to eliminate a few things that might be the issue. Heavy breathing? If GC gets in the water column I beleive there is some O2 depletion. They may also just have suppressed appetite due to the copper.

Have you tested for ammonia aside from the badge?

 

[Pbh-reef]

Just to add - they both started eating Sunday (didn’t feed on Saturday cause it was evening) so it seems like maybe a response to cooper?

 

[Pbh-reef]

Just trying to eliminate a few things that might be the issue. Heavy breathing? If GC gets in the water column I beleive there is some O2 depletion. They may also just have suppressed appetite due to the copper.

Have you tested for ammonia aside from the badge?

I see. I assume I can’t run carbon with copper in the water? I haven’t tested ammonia other than the badge but I thought I read here that copper makes ammonia kits inaccurate

 

[HairyGary]

Just to add - they both started eating Sunday (didn’t feed on Saturday cause it was evening) so it seems like maybe a response to cooper?

yeah that would be my take on it

 

[Pbh-reef]

Ok thank you. I wonder if oyster feast, frozen clams or some kind of very small pod will help. Not looking forward to 30 days of therapeutic copper if it stays this hard to get the little guy to eat

 

[HairyGary]

Ok thank you. I wonder if oyster feast, frozen clams or some kind of very small pod will help. Not looking forward to 30 days of therapeutic copper if it stays this hard to get the little guy to eat

Yeah that tough. Reef cavier is small and works for some finicky eaters. Good luck

 

[Pbh-reef]

Thanks - that seems similar to Reef Nutrition ROE Which seems to be getting the best feeding response so far

 

[Pbh-reef]

I think I found the culprit - the wrasse finally pooped when I was home - it’s vedy long and white. I remember @HotRocks saying internal parasites will Lead to appetite loss. Any advice for what to do in this case? I could discontinue copper to try to help with appetite until the internal parasite clears up from GC bound food?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Pbh-reef]

See photo below

 

[4FordFamily]

I think I found the culprit - the wrasse finally pooped when I was home - it’s vedy long and white. I remember @HotRocks saying internal parasites will Lead to appetite loss. Any advice for what to do in this case? I could discontinue copper to try to help with appetite until the internal parasite clears up from GC bound food?

Any advice appreciated.

He may want to eat now with extra room in there!

I’d leave the copper and continue to feed general cure. After 14 days you can transfer him to a different, completely sterile quarantine with no copper present

 

[Pbh-reef]

He may want to eat now with extra room in there!

I’d leave the copper and continue to feed general cure. After 14 days you can transfer him to a different, completely sterile quarantine with no copper present

Hahaha i hope so! Gonna try again soon- stupid question -is the white poop the worm itself? Like is this a good sign? He was eating medicated food for a few days...

(I know this is wishful thinking...)