New wrasses swimming near the surface

[gonzo256]

hi all,
I recently added (4 days ago) 3 leopard wrasses and 2 fairy wrasses to my main display tank (240 gallon) after a 3 week quarantine and 1 week isolation. Now they are added to the DT, I'm missing 2 leopard wrasses and the remaining 3 are all swimming near the surface. In QT i treated with focus and metroplex, no copper.

They are showing no spots and they are not hanging out in the water flow, nor are they flashing. They are not swimming upside down or on their side. Just constantly at or near the surface. They are eating regularly. I fear the missing wrasses are dead. Any ideas?

DT Specs:
pH: 8.0-8.1
Temp: 78-79F
Alk:9.0
Calc: 460
Mg: 1380
Nitrate: 2ppm
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia:0
System has been stable and running for about two years and about 10 months of that on Triton

 

[mclark452]

The missing leopards are probably just hiding in the sand. Although leopards are very fragile and therefore harder to keep. I have not had much luck with them.

 

[HotRocks]

Do you have a deep sand bed?

The leopards are probably in the sand if so.

"Usually" a fish swimming near the top is looking for oxygen. If you didn't treat for external parasites or flukes and these Wrasse are afflicted with one or the other, that could be why they are hanging near the surface.

Also what are your other tank mates? Any aggression towards the new additions?

 

[gonzo256]

They never hung out near the surface in qt. And there’s plenty of sand for them hang out in along with tons of pods. I have about 20 other fish in that tank. The only aggression has been from a six line and the powder blue. But that aggression was only towards the now missing guys. The ones that are out seem to be getting along with everyone.

 

[HotRocks]

So the aggression is most likely what has the 2 hiding in the sand.

 

[Big G]

+1 ^^^ very common for fish to react to aggression by hiding in corners, nosing up in corners, skimming along the surface. Their adrenaline is pumping like crazy, tiring the fish out, gasping for air like a tired marathoner. It's as if they are trying to get as far away or out of sight of the threat(s). You could try "egg-crating" a portion of your DT until everyone adjusts. Some fish can squeeze through the egg-crate's hole so zip tying some 1/4" mesh plastic screening to the egg crate will help. Something like this: