How long til consider Wrasse MIA?

[AdamNC]

Last Saturday I got a beautiful 3 inch Yellow Coris Wrasse. Got him home, acclimated him and he swam around for a few mins, no one messed with or chased him. Then BAM... right under the sand. I don't want to try and disturb him and have him scared to come out but... it's been 4 days. How long can they go with out eating?

 

[cginter]

Mine hid for weeks. Thought he was dead for sure. But then he came out of hiding. If you don't have lids, they are jumpers. Check all around your tank, if you think that's a possibility. But I hope that isn't the case and he's just waiting for the right time to come out.

 

[cloak]

Four days without a trace seems like quite awhile IMO, especially in a 29 gallon tank. Maybe this is normal behavior for this type of fish, but I would start poking around some.

 

[ReeferBean]

Possible the fish is off schedule, meaning its coming out before or after the lights come on. Sometimes they need time to adjust. But I would say a couple weeks max except for maybe rare circumstances.

 

[rlman41299]

My yellow coris never came out for 2 weeks after I transferred it from another tank. Then off schedule after that. I see him swimming right before the lights turn on and hide after a few minutes. So far he is swimming with the rest after about a month after transfer

 

[4FordFamily]

I've had wrasse hide for more than 30 days and emerge just fine. One of which was a lime green wrasse (close cousin to your yellow coris). He hid for 5 weeks in a 54 corner a couple years ago and is still alive to this day just fine. I've had other wrasses like leopard wrasses hide for up to a month.

Any halichoeres wrasses and leopard wrasses can hide for quite some time without worry. Any fairy for flasher wrasse that is MIA for more than a few days though is dead IMO

 

[ca1ore]

I agree that it can be really variable; also that 'clock reversal' may have them awake and out when you are not. I've has some leopard wrasses that buried for a day or so before emerging and gradually acclimating to the local time. I also had a black leopard bury and not be seen for over a month - was sure it was toast. A bit thin when it did emerge, but fortunately it ate. Also had leopards go into the sand and never re-emerge. On average, its about a week.

 

[4FordFamily]

I agree that it can be really variable; also that 'clock reversal' may have them awake and out when you are not. I've has some leopard wrasses that buried for a day or so before emerging and gradually acclimating to the local time. I also had a black leopard bury and not be seen for over a month - was sure it was toast. A bit thin when it did emerge, but fortunately it ate. Also had leopards go into the sand and never re-emerge. On average, its about a week.

My leopards have done the same, and I agree with the week average and my black leopards both did the same. Thought them both dead but 30 days later or more they emerged!

 

[evolved]

With Halichoeres, a week to 10 days is fairly common, but up to 3 weeks or so is not unheard of.

 

[AdamNC]

thanks guys. I'm used to a few days at most like my Gramma did.

 

[JerSaint]

I just found a wrasse after 2 weeks. I was sure he had jumped or died somewhere in the rockwork. Then all of a sudden last night there he was!

I hope he pops up for you!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Whatever you do don't go digging around for him that only stresses them out more.

A waiting period of weeks is not unheard of.

 

[Acrononomus]

I had a wrasse hid for 3 months! A melenaurus wrasse was amazing when I finally seen him, but that's nothing compared to a fire fish who hid for 9 months! No joke .... I found him dead in a hammer head coral one morning, and I was like wah! I haven't seen u in ages it was crazy!

 

[AdamNC]

Well at least I know he's alive. He came out about 20 mins after lights out.

 

[ca1ore]

Not a wrasse, but I had run a venustus angel through 12 weeks of QT, introduced it into my DT ..... and haven't seen it since ..... going on 12 weeks. Tanks not that big.

 

[AdamNC]

Well this sucks. He started swimming sideways and upside down. Also noticed after coming out of the sand his upper lip was missing like he hit a rock burrowing or something. So you can only imagine what came next. I'll try another one later, seems the other fish in the tank didn't mind a newcomer at all.

 

[4FordFamily]

Sorry thats unfortunate. They're usually very easy fish to keep. I wouldn't hesitate to try again.

 

[AdamNC]

Come to think of it though I do have egg crate under the rocks too, he could have hit that. And with only a 2 inch sandbed, it might not be deep enough.