Pintail Fairy wrasse

Johng723 · Dec 10, 2022

I just got this pintail fairy from the LFS yesterday and put her in my established QT tank. Haven’t started any CP yet as I wanted to make sure she was eating well first. Initially she hid for the first day, but just today came out a bit when I was feeding a little frozen. I didn’t see her eat, but she did move from her hiding spot. Then I noticed this around her eye. Seems like the skin is a bit blistered? Maybe it’s normal, but I’m not so sure. She also seems to be breathing fairly rapidly. Any thoughts?

vetteguy53081 · Dec 10, 2022

Johng723 said:
I just got this pintail fairy from the LFS yesterday and put her in my established QT tank. Haven’t started any CP yet as I wanted to make sure she was eating well first. Initially she hid for the first day, but just today came out a bit when I was feeding a little frozen. I didn’t see her eat, but she did move from her hiding spot. Then I noticed this around her eye. Seems like the skin is a bit blistered? Maybe it’s normal, but I’m not so sure. She also seems to be breathing fairly rapidly. Any thoughts?

Around her eye, it looks like it may be damage/injury from netting at lfs
For breathing, can also be from netting but confirm your ammonia and nitrate levels are not elevated
Did you acclimate fish to the quarantine tank?

Johng723 · Dec 10, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
Around her eye, it looks like it may be damage/injury from netting at lfs
For breathing, can also be from netting but confirm your ammonia and nitrate levels are not elevated
Did you acclimate fish to the quarantine tank?

Okay, that’s good to know. I’ll check ammonia and nitrite, but I can’t imagine they are elevated since this QT has been up and running for almost 4 months now with some fish just getting done. I did a big water change and put another 3 in there. The salinity was the same as the LFS, so I just did a temperature acclimation and put them in. The other two fish seem to be doing well as far as breathing goes. This is my first wrasse I’m QTing myself so I’m hoping I don’t mess it up!

BartMan · Dec 10, 2022

Do you have a bowl of sand in the QT for her?

Johng723 · Dec 10, 2022

BartMan said:
Do you have a bowl of sand in the QT for her?

I was under the impression that fairy wrasses don't need sand. I could very well be wrong about this!

Petcrazyson · Dec 10, 2022

BartMan said:
Do you have a bowl of sand in the QT for her?

Pintails don’t burrow

Petcrazyson · Dec 10, 2022

Johng723 said:
I was under the impression that fairy wrasses don't need sand. I could very well be wrong about this!

They don’t only Halichoeres and Leopard Wrasses burrow….for the most part just these two.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 10, 2022

Johng723 said:
I was under the impression that fairy wrasses don't need sand. I could very well be wrong about this!

For quarantine, not needed even in display- their more ornamental

ninjamyst · Dec 11, 2022

I got a pintail three weeks ago for $50 during my LFS pre black Friday sale. I initially thought it was too good to be true when I notice one eye looked a bit swollen. It was also very skittish. I put it in my nano reef tank that doubles as an observation tank. It wouldn't come out the first two days. 3rd day it came out during feeding but quickly went back into cave. I have to feed and back away from the tank quickly. By end of week it was eating and out a lot more. The eye also recovered and looked normal. A few days later, I added it to my 200g display and it's out the entire day and just enjoying the big tank.

I hope yours acclimate quickly like mine. They are a beautiful fish.

Johng723 · Dec 11, 2022

ninjamyst said:
I got a pintail three weeks ago for $50 during my LFS pre black Friday sale. I initially thought it was too good to be true when I notice one eye looked a bit swollen. It was also very skittish. I put it in my nano reef tank that doubles as an observation tank. It wouldn't come out the first two days. 3rd day it came out during feeding but quickly went back into cave. I have to feed and back away from the tank quickly. By end of week it was eating and out a lot more. The eye also recovered and looked normal. A few days later, I added it to my 200g display and it's out the entire day and just enjoying the big tank.

I hope yours acclimate quickly like mine. They are a beautiful fish.

I might wait a week before I start copper just to make sure that it’s eating well. I also got this one at a steal! Great to hear yours is doing well!

Johng723 · Dec 11, 2022

Well, I just noticed one of her pectoral fins on the other side was shredded. I have a feeling the other fish in the QT, a couple small springer damsels were possibly bullying the wrasse. She’s not looking great at all.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 11, 2022

Johng723 said:
Well, I just noticed one of her pectoral fins on the other side was shredded. I have a feeling the other fish in the QT, a couple small springer damsels were possibly bullying the wrasse. She’s not looking great at all.

Springeri are nicer as far as damsels go, but I wouldn't trust them too much.
Can you put in a tank divider?

Jay

Johng723 · Dec 11, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
Springeri are nicer as far as damsels go, but I wouldn't trust them too much.
Can you put in a tank divider?

Jay

Thanks Jay, I got the Springeris for the sole purpose of flatworm control, but I’m re-thinking the idea of keeping them. It could be that they took over this 30g QT and just got really territorial. Unfortunately, the pintail did not make it through the night.