Leopard wrasse on bottom

SCReef'n · Jul 6, 2019

Today I brought home a leopard wrasse and placed in qt. No meds added yet but the wrasse is acting lethargic and won’t leave the bottom of the tank. It occasionally rolls to one side but corrects itself. I watched it in the lfs for a week and never observed this behavior it ate well and acted normally. Any ideas? Ammonia alert is yellow salinity is 1.021.

HotRocks · Jul 6, 2019

It can take them a while to acclimate.

However I usually get them in from UPS.

What species of macropharyngodon is it?

watdachuck · Jul 6, 2019

SCReef'n said:
Today I brought home a leopard wrasse and placed in qt. No meds added yet but the wrasse is acting lethargic and won’t leave the bottom of the tank. It occasionally rolls to one side but corrects itself. I watched it in the lfs for a week and never observed this behavior it ate well and acted normally. Any ideas? Ammonia alert is yellow salinity is 1.021.

Photos are helpful. Does the wrasse have places to hide, they typically burrow in the substrate.

How are the gills looking, is it breathing excessively fast? Tell us more about your QT set up?

SCReef'n · Jul 6, 2019

M . meleagris. I temp acclimated then added him to salinity matched water. Then I slowly reduced his salinity as i brought home another fish which was in a fish only system at a lower sg. Think that had anything to do with it other than just more stress?

SCReef'n · Jul 6, 2019

10 gal with hob filter and a tub of live sand from his tank at lfs. Also powerhead at the surface. PVC pipes for additional hiding places

SeaJay · Jul 6, 2019

Here’s my melanarus the day I brought it home. He’s absolutely fine and healthy months later. They just do this in new environments apparently.

rainmaker · Jul 6, 2019

If he has enough sand to bury his self he will,if not he may just be laying there

SCReef'n · Jul 6, 2019

Time will tell I’m just anxious. I know they have a reputation for being difficult and I’ve tried to get everything perfect despite being thrown a couple curve balls. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and tonight he just can’t fish after the trauma of a move. He currently has a 2 inch deep bowl of sand from his tank at the lfs. He’s currently laying behind it.

SCReef'n · Jul 6, 2019

After lights out he’s jumping repeatedly at the surface gulping and spitting water. From one extreme to the other

SeaJay · Jul 6, 2019

SCReef'n said:
After lights out he’s jumping repeatedly at the surface gulping and spitting water. From one extreme to the other

In my experience, they make most of their escape attempts at night.

SCReef'n · Jul 7, 2019

So the wrasse made it through the night still acting the same however listing to one side hen another occasionally swimming to the top. The tang that was in qt with him died early this morning after showing no signs of illness that I could see. I’ve tested every parameter I have the ability to test. The only thing that hit was copper at .04 ppm and the temp had dropped to the low 72 as I had the heater improperly adjusted. I assume the copperis either residual as this tank has been previously used as a medicated tank or it’s from the lfs and came with the Sand bed, pretty low reading may be within instrument tolerance

Bit of good news I offered the wrasse frozen brine which she ate

BZOFIQ · Jul 7, 2019

If there is no sand bottom, place a plastic cup with sand in the QT - I have my hoven's sleep in a cup at night.

SCReef'n · Jul 7, 2019

@HotRocks any thoughts I hate to loose both fish in under 24 hours. I have meds on hand if you think anything could help or just give it time.

SCReef'n · Jul 7, 2019

BZOFIQ said:
If there is no sand bottom, place a plastic cup with sand in the QT - I have my hoven's sleep in a cup at night.

Qt set up

SCReef'n · Jul 7, 2019

She has set up shop in the sand box but hasn’t buried herself. She doesn’t seem to be as lethargic as before and is holding herself upright better but she still refuses to leave her spot and swim normally.