Melanarus wrasse in QT not doing good

[Marc2952]

i purchased a melanarus wrasse a week ago and ever since i put him in the tank he has been extremely stressed, hasnt eaten anything and even though i have put a container with sand he only went on it once and now cant seem to find it. He is always on the bottom laying down. The first 2 days i added him was in the first QT where i had a kole tang and 2 flame hawks. I moved him thinking that maybe he didnt eat due to them. I slowly brought up the copper level to 2.25 with copper power and the QT is "established" of sort since it has been running for 5 months and theres no ammonia. Do ya think i shoukd remove tbe copper and add prazipro instead? He seems really weak and has not eaten anything i really dont wanna lose him.

 

[CCauthers]

Not a wrasse expert, but @evolved is and @Jay Hemdal really knows his stuff

 

[Marc2952]

Not a wrasse expert, but @evolved is and @Jay Hemdal really knows his stuff

This is the first fish QT that looks liek its about to die and i have no idea why. Thanks

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi, I couldn’t get the video to play, and in the picture, the fish is hiding a bit. Do you see any abnormality with the fish? Cloudy fins, spots, rapid breathing? I’m just searching for clues as to what might be wrong here. Wrasse don’t always react well to copper, but this fish’s issue preceded that. Was the fish swimming normally at the LFS?
Jay

 

[Coralsdaily]

They really need to bury themselves under sand to feel secure and to rest. Having a bare bottom tank in quarantine is the equivalent of a hotel room without a bed for this guy. You don't need to fill the whole tank with sand, just a couple inches in a bowl to allow this guy to hide and rest.

 

[Marc2952]

Hi, I couldn’t get the video to play, and in the picture, the fish is hiding a bit. Do you see any abnormality with the fish? Cloudy fins, spots, rapid breathing? I’m just searching for clues as to what might be wrong here. Wrasse don’t always react well to copper, but this fish’s issue preceded that. Was the fish swimming normally at the LFS?
Jay

The fish was shipped and when he arrived he darted into the sand right away. After he came out the next day he has been on the bottom showing stress signs and hasnt gotten into the sand yet. He looked in perfect condition.

 

[Marc2952]

They really need to bury themselves under sand to feel secure and to rest. Having a bare bottom tank in quarantine is the equivalent of a hotel room without a bed for this guy. You don't need to fill the whole tank with sand, just a couple inches in a bowl to allow this guy to hide and rest.

Yea i put a container with sand and he darted into it the first day but then came out the next day and hasnt gotten into it ever since just lying on the bottom not moving. Strange the video doesnt show he is just laying on his side breathing slightly fast.

 

[evolved]

I simply see a very stressed Halichoeres; it will need to bury in order to feel secure. You might need a larger container with more sand to make it enticing.

 

[Marc2952]

I simply see a very stressed Halichoeres; it will need to bury in order to feel secure. You might need a larger container with more sand to make it enticing.

So i should keep the copper at 2.25? Im gonna get another container with sand to see. It worries me that he hasnt eaten anything though.

 

[evolved]

I've QT'd Halichoeres at 1.9-2 ppm of copper before, and have never had an issue.

 

[Marc2952]

I've QT'd Halichoeres at 1.9-2 ppm of copper before, and have never had an issue.

Ok so ill see if adding another sand container will help.

 

[Marc2952]

W

I've QT'd Halichoeres at 1.9-2 ppm of copper before, and have never had an issue.

He keeps playing dead and just laying on the bottom like this, hope ya can see this video.

 

[evolved]

Does it always lay it that same corner? Considering moving your sandbox to that corner.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Does it always lay it that same corner? Considering moving your sandbox to that corner.

I also wonder: wrasse like to slide under the sand, the sandbox may not be large enough, and maybe it bumped its snout once and now says “Nope!”
Jay

 

[Marc2952]

Does it always lay it that same corner? Considering moving your sandbox to that corner.

I actually removed the sand from the container and added it in a little corner he stays on top of the sand but wont go in it, he moves sometimes but always on the bottom and still showing stress markings.

 

[Marc2952]

I also wonder: wrasse like to slide under the sand, the sandbox may not be large enough, and maybe it bumped its snout once and now says “Nope!”
Jay

I took out the sand from the container and just added it on his corner, he stays ontop of it but wont go in the sand. He is still showing stress markings.

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

My melly didn't take to copper well at all, after day 2 of the treatment I replaced the water with fresh sw and gave him a bath in prazi and just fed him with metro/focus. After I put him in the new sw with no copper he was fine. Yours may just not be reacting to it very well as mentioned above.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I took out the sand from the container and just added it on his corner, he stays ontop of it but wont go in the sand. He is still showing stress markings.

Is it deep enough for it to bury in?
Jay

 

[evolved]

What copper product are you using? Is it chelated?

 

[Tamberav]

I just dump the sand out of the container in a corner. I have had some wrasses refuse to use the container until I dumped it out. I personally use fake plants and things that look less like an alien world than just pvc.