Leopard wrasse not looking well at all!!!

[Eleni18]

Hi everybody. I just got a leopard wrasse today (macropharygonton cyanogutatus). He was delivered online after a six hour trip. I have wanted such a fish for a long time but was worried about him delivered online, as I have read that they get extremely stressed when shipped, but it was the only way as my LFS never carries more demanding fish. As soon as he was acclimated, I put him in the tank and he immediately dived into the sand under a rock. I knew this was normal for this kind of fish, so I did not worry. However, a few hours ago he came out and is not looking well. He is mostly lying on his side under rocks or at the corners of the tank, swims a bit and lies down again. I realize he may be very stressed from his day, but should I be worried or do something? I don't want to lose him. Bullying is out of the question, as all his tank mates are very peaceful and nobody has disturbed him so far. Thank you all for helping if you can

 

[Sharkbait19]

What was your acclimation process? There should be a very specific process for online fish, especially sensitive ones.

 

[homer1475]

Also curious to the acclimation method used. Very sensitive fish that was probably shipped at a lower salinity.

 

[Eleni18]

What was your acclimation process? There should be a very specific process for online fish, especially sensitive ones.

I always use the same process. Drip acclimation in the bag for about 15 minutes, float the bag in the tank for about 10 minutes

 

[homer1475]

Nothing added to the bag?

Shipped fish accumulate ammonia, when you open the bag, the ammonia then becomes toxic. With shipped fish it's best to open the bag, and immediately get them out of the water they were in.

 

[Eleni18]

Nothing added to the bag?

Shipped fish accumulate ammonia, when you open the bag, the ammonia then becomes toxic. With shipped fish it's best to open the bag, and immediately get them out of the water they were in.

Nothing added to the bag, just water from the tank little by little. I always get my fish online and use this process. I know this fish is very sensitive and easily stressed by travel, so I tried to put him in the tank as fast as possible

 

[Eleni18]

Four chromis that came with him are doing fine and eating already

 

[homer1475]

@Jay Hemdal

Lets get some expert eyes on the situation.

Also my favorite fish. I currently have a melagris, and black leopards.

 

[Tamberav]

They are poor shippers and likely nothing you did. I had 3 come from LA awhile back. One looked good, one DOA, and one that could not bury and getting stuck to overflow. The bad looking one did survive with some TLC and I still have her years later.

I would recommend using TSM for online purchases as they ship their fish really well. They come in huge bags of water and the fish are all conditioned and do better with shipping.

ALWAYS test the bag waters salinity. I have had fish come in hyposalinity by mistake which would have killed the fish If I didn’t add them to a QT matched and bring it up over a week.

Also LA fish sometimes come in at 1.018. I get these fish into clean matched water in a bucket to get them out of ammonia bag water and then drip from there when the difference is great.

 

[Eleni18]

They are poor shippers and likely nothing you did. I had 3 come from LA awhile back. One looked good, one DOA, and one that could not bury and getting stuck to overflow. The bad looking one did survive with some TLC and I still have her years later.

I would recommend using TSM for online purchases as they ship their fish really well. They come in huge bags of water and the fish are all conditioned and do better with shipping.

Hi. I live in Greece. I was considering having one shipped from Germany with overnight UPS, but was really scared about the shipping/stress issue. I found him in my preferred online LFS in Greece yesterday and thought a six hour travel would be better than a 24 hour trip. So....I don't know if there is anything I can do to help him.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi. I live in Greece. I was considering having one shipped from Germany with overnight UPS, but was really scared about the shipping/stress issue. I found him in my preferred online LFS in Greece yesterday and thought a six hour travel would be better than a 24 hour trip. So....I don't know if there is anything I can do to help him.

Oh ya not much choice then. Did you check the salinity of the water?

 

[Eleni18]

I did not test the bag for salinity.....Never had an issue before with this LFS....

 

[Tamberav]

I did not test the bag for salinity.....Never had an issue before with this LFS....

I would check it next time just to be safe. A place I purchased from, an employee forgot the RO on when making new shipping water and fish arrived at 1.006. Obviously unlikely but crazy things happen sometimes.

It’s probably just poor shipping stress. My reason for ordering 3 from LA is I expected some to not make it through shipping.

 

[ca1ore]

Leopards do not ship well and are tough to acclimate. Picture is too small though, cannot tell anything. Probably nothing to be done at this point other than wait and hope it recovers. Goes without saying that laying on the sand is not a good sign.

 

[Eleni18]

They are poor shippers and likely nothing you did. I had 3 come from LA awhile back. One looked good, one DOA, and one that could not bury and getting stuck to overflow. The bad looking one did survive with some TLC and I still have her years later.

I would recommend using TSM for online purchases as they ship their fish really well. They come in huge bags of water and the fish are all conditioned and do better with shipping.

ALWAYS test the bag waters salinity. I have had fish come in hyposalinity by mistake which would have killed the fish If I didn’t add them to a QT matched and bring it up over a week.

Also LA fish sometimes come in at 1.018. I get these fish into clean matched water in a bucket to get them out of ammonia bag water and then drip from there when the difference is great.

What is DOA and TLC?

 

[Crabby48]

Can’t help you with the fish but also highly recommend Tsm.

 

[Uncle99]

D

What is DOA and TLC?

DOA.....dead on arrival
TLC....some tender loving care.

Except for checking salinity and temp, nothing to do but watch carefully.

Just lying in the sand is not abnormal for this fish.

 

[Dom]

Received.
Acclimated.
Placed in the display.

I'd be worried about not quarantining it. If the cause is not stress, but disease, you may have created a problem for your tank.

 

[Tamberav]

What is DOA and TLC?

Dead on arrival and tender loving care

 

[Eleni18]

So.....this morning, no trace of the fish. He is no longer lying on the sand, but I cannot see him anywhere....What do you think?Dead or alive hiding somewhere?