melanurus wrasse stays buried

[pfoxgrover]

Just thought I would add an update that this wrasse is still doing fine and has been a very resilient fish.

 

[AP_Reefing]

Just thought I would add an update that this wrasse is still doing fine and has been a very resilient fish.

Question.. I added a melanurus to my tank about 6 weeks ago and it instantly buried into the sand. It came out for 30 seconds about a day later and then buried again and I haven’t seen it since.
Is it possible that it is still alive?
tank is 5’ with an abundance of hiding places

 

[doughboy]

If you have a webcam, you can check the recording to see if it comes out. I have mine for over two years and it still only comes out for a few minutes, usually when my autofeeder drops food. If I’m around to watch them feed, it will go back in hiding without eating. I’ve had time when I did not see it for weeks and considered it dead, but then one day, saw it again. So unless you see the dead body, it is very likely just hiding.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Agreed. I once had a yellow Wrasse of some sort (it was much too long ago to remember what kind), and I thought for sure he did some carpet-surfing. I searched the tank (including tubing) and all around the outside of the tank with a flashlight. I couldn’t find him. It was a puzzlement for sure. Then I went over to the tank one day, maybe a month or two later, and there he was— bright yellow— swimming around with his friends. Lol.

 

[joec]

Question.. I added a melanurus to my tank about 6 weeks ago and it instantly buried into the sand. It came out for 30 seconds about a day later and then buried again and I haven’t seen it since.
Is it possible that it is still alive?
tank is 5’ with an abundance of hiding places

Just leave him alone. I have a Timor wrasse that once stayed buried for 38 days, then came out for a few hours, ate and then buried itself for another 9 days. That was 2 years ago and I still have him. He still stays buried for a week or two regularly

They usually un bury themselves if they are going to die

 

[AP_Reefing]

Thank you all. Was worried about losing it. It’s a shame though that it’s not swimming around, it would been nice to see it

 

[JumboShrimp]

I believe there are certain Wrasses that do ‘not’ burry themselves, but wedge between rocks each night. Maybe try one of them. Best wishes.