My Wrasse Curse..

[tdileo]

I have not been able to keep wrasses for some reason. My first wrasse and most expensive fish by far was my supermale lineatus. Gorgeous fish, ate like a champ and got along great for about 2 weeks. Came home one day and he was swimming very strangely and poorly, easily blown around by the powerheads. He eventually died with no other symptoms. I bought a solorensis on my birthday (April 10) and last night he started doing the same thing. Get home today and it is much worse. The other day I purchased a leopard wrasse (bipartus) and he is still doing good. Does anybody know what the problem could be?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Did not see you mention anything about qt.
Do you qt ?
They may have had something going on internal I find that most wrasses come in with some wrong internally.
Well at least the ones that gets imported to me.

 

[Deinonych]

The symptoms you describe sound like a spinal injury, typically caused by hitting a hard surface like a glass top. Wrasses are highly susceptible to this, since they are prone to jumping. If you have a glass top, you might consider replacing it with a mesh frame. You can make one yourself with a frame kit from your local hardware store and some 0.25" nylon mesh (BRS sells this).

 

[eatbreakfast]

The symptoms you describe sound like a spinal injury, typically caused by hitting a hard surface like a glass top. Wrasses are highly susceptible to this, since they are prone to jumping. If you have a glass top, you might consider replacing it with a mesh frame. You can make one yourself with a frame kit from your local hardware store and some 0.25" nylon mesh (BRS sells this).

This is my initial thought on hearing the symptoms.

 

[tdileo]

QT is done at my LFS (not going by their word, I work there and do it with my own fish lol). I also did think of the spinal injury as I do have a glass lid, but they do not seem very skittish and I have never seen them jump so I’m not sure why this would happen. I am considering changing to a mesh lid, but without the glass my tanks evaporation rate is insane and the room gets very humid.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I lost one to this and when I took another out of qt, he hit the glass and I thought he'd injured himself as well. He just lay in the bucket on his side. Put him back in to die with the other. Next day he was fine. Went to get him out and he acted all funny again but he was swimming and fast. He's find now. He recovered. The first one did not.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I had one hit a light and damage its back. It actually survived and lived a few more years before it dove into the overflow box and I did not find it before it got ill. I had it for over 5 years though. My guess is an injury. Get those mesh lids on. I get the evap, but you will continue to have issues with wrasses. They just like to jump. No spooking, just for fun.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Even fish that are in tanks for years can try to jump. All it takes is in instant of being startled or excited. But the fact that they were relatively new makes jumping an even liklier scenario.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Even fish that are in tanks for years can try to jump. All it takes is in instant of being startled or excited. But the fact that they were relatively new makes jumping an even liklier scenario.

This:100%!

My Lineatus launches into the screen almost daily. It's also pretty much a monthly task to remove him from the overflow. He's chunked the skin off his head a few times, too.

 

[cancun]

I have not been able to keep wrasses for some reason. My first wrasse and most expensive fish by far was my supermale lineatus. Gorgeous fish, ate like a champ and got along great for about 2 weeks. Came home one day and he was swimming very strangely and poorly, easily blown around by the powerheads. He eventually died with no other symptoms. I bought a solorensis on my birthday (April 10) and last night he started doing the same thing. Get home today and it is much worse. The other day I purchased a leopard wrasse (bipartus) and he is still doing good. Does anybody know what the problem could be?

Just curious....how did you acclimate your Wrasses to your tank?

 

[evolved]

but they do not seem very skittish and I have never seen them jump

They're skittish by nature and I promise they jump when you're not looking. They can spook themselves from their own reflection at times.

 

[tdileo]

Just curious....how did you acclimate your Wrasses to your tank?

As in getting the parameters adjusted or social acclimation?

 

[cancun]

As in getting the parameters adjusted or social acclimation?

Parameters adjusted..... sorry I should have said that...lol...

 

[tdileo]

Parameters adjusted..... sorry I should have said that...lol...

Leave bag floating in tank, add 10 mL of water every 3 minutes for 15 minutes. Then add 1/3 cups every 5 mins for 15 mins, then a half cup every 10 minutes until it’s been an hour for everything total. I do this process for everything, fish, coral, inverts, and it is slow enough even for echinoderms like my stars.

 

[cancun]

Leave bag floating in tank, add 10 mL of water every 3 minutes for 15 minutes. Then add 1/3 cups every 5 mins for 15 mins, then a half cup every 10 minutes until it’s been an hour for everything total. I do this process for everything, fish, coral, inverts, and it is slow enough even for echinoderms like my stars.

Oh I gotcha.....that is strange.... sometimes there is no answer....I just lost a China Wrasse....was eatting frozen Mysis at the LFS....at Mysis in my tank doing great for several weeks...then yesterday morning I got up and he was dead on top of the sand. I have 4 Leopard Wrasses....Moyers, Bipartis, Ornate, and a Melegris that has been with me for a long time.....so I was shocked at this China Wrasse. I got him as a replacement for my China Wrasse that passed due to old age.

 

[YellowFinsReef]

I know how you feel. I have a particular bug for the Anampses & Macropharyngodon species. I recently purchased a femininus wrasse (eating well) and it didn't even last a night. I don't even know how it died. Went back, bought another one (this one is active but refuses to eat anything but PE Mysis).

 

[Deinonych]

QT is done at my LFS (not going by their word, I work there and do it with my own fish lol). I also did think of the spinal injury as I do have a glass lid, but they do not seem very skittish and I have never seen them jump so I’m not sure why this would happen. I am considering changing to a mesh lid, but without the glass my tanks evaporation rate is insane and the room gets very humid.

Do you have an ATO? I have a mesh top on my tank, and the ATO takes care of evap. Mesh tops have the added benefit of improved gas exchange. Understand about the humidity buildup though.

 

[4FordFamily]

I also agree this sounds like spinal injuries which are very common in fairy wrasse, IME

 

[tdileo]

Passed away while I was at work today.. I am done with fairy wrasses for now. If I ever switch over to a mesh top I will probably shoot for another one but I am pretty happy with my stocking at the moment so I will let everything be. Losing animals is the worst feeling. Swim in peace little dude.

 

[HB AL]

I was gonna say just don't get another wrasse, but looks like you came to that conclusion.