Possum wrasse delivery looking very rough

[Hairyteeth]

This possum wrasse came in 3pm yesterday, a little late but was hanging on. Came from reef pro, followed all acclimation steps including ammonia binder…just got home from work, this fish looks rough pic attached, think I know the answer here but thoughts

 

[shakacuz]

pictures under whites would be better. when i used to have my yellow handed possum wrasse, it took him like 2-3 days to finally show true colors and swim around.

this guy does look pale/lethargic but could still be acclimating.

 

[Hairyteeth]

One sec I’ll get a better pic

 

[Hairyteeth]

Is this a lil better pic

 

[vetteguy53081]

Keep it under blues- Will keep fish calm. How did you acclimate it and for how long?

 

[Hairyteeth]

Followed the direction it came with, ammonia binder immediately upon opening, two hour drip acclimation…temp float before intro …light off for the rest of the day until today

 

[tgrick]

I really hate the term acclimate. In my humble opinion, a fish should never be 'acclimated' in the traditional sense. Let me explain. When I get a new fish, I put the fish in a holding tank. I then read the salinity of the water IN THE FISH BAG and adjust the salinity of the holding tank to the fish bag water. When the salinity is the same, I wait an hour or so for temperature and then release the fish.

It's in a holding tank...I want it in my display? Well, I let the water evaporate or I add RODI slowly over days until it's the same levels of the display. Then I catch and release into the display. Except that...

I will not add ANY FISH into my establish system that have NOT been quarantined or treated! I will not violate this. ALL FISH I ADD MUST GO THROUGH PARASITE TREATMENT BEFORE BEING ADDED TO MAIN DISPLAY! I also treat for worms.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I really hate the term acclimate. In my humble opinion, a fish should never be 'acclimated' in the traditional sense. Let me explain. When I get a new fish, I put the fish in a holding tank. I then read the salinity of the water IN THE FISH BAG and adjust the salinity of the holding tank to the fish bag water. When the salinity is the same, I wait an hour or so for temperature and then release the fish.

It's in a holding tank...I want it in my display? Well, I let the water evaporate or I add RODI slowly over days until it's the same levels of the display. Then I catch and release into the display. Except that...

I will not add ANY FISH into my establish system that have NOT been quarantined or treated! I will not violate this. ALL FISH I ADD MUST GO THROUGH PARASITE TREATMENT BEFORE BEING ADDED TO MAIN DISPLAY! I also treat for worms.

Totally… but do you have thoughts on the current status of this fish, just trying to gauge what other peoples thoughts are based on the pic, and if they have experience with possums… can always change what I do next time (and appreciate the advice) just wondering this guys odds as he looks rough

 

[Hairyteeth]

Keep it under blues- Will keep fish calm. How did you acclimate it and for how long?

Will do

 

[Hairyteeth]

pictures under whites would be better. when i used to have my yellow handed possum wrasse, it took him like 2-3 days to finally show true colors and swim around.

this guy does look pale/lethargic but could still be acclimating.

Thx for the response

 

[tgrick]

I do not think the issue is acclimation. I think your fish is sick. The question is with what? Did the place you buy the fish from RUN COPPER in their system? Call and find out. Have they had any outbreaks of ick? Velvet?

I suspect either flukes or velvet in the gills. Can you capture the fish and put them in a hospital tank? You may need to do that. If they run copper it keeps parasites in check. When the fish enters a copper free environment the parasite takes over.

 

[Hairyteeth]

Yes, it came from reef pro, they run copper… I’ll see if I can get him out and set up a qt

 

[tgrick]

If it were my fish? Okay, you asked.

1) Freshwater dip. If it's flukes or velvet the parasites drop off the gills and the fish can breathe. You prepare RODI water. You add an air stone and leave it in the container (A SMALL ONE) working away for about 15 mins. Then, you take some tank water and add a squirt to the RODI container to help PH. Add fish. This one is tough. They go nuts and then relax. I like to go 5 mins IF THE FISH IS CALM. IF THE FISH IS GOING NUTS I GO 2 Mins. After this process you need to move them into a quarantine tank, no more display tank. In quarantine you need copper or CP. Let's see how far he gets 1st.

 

[tgrick]

I have the original fish in my system that I setup about 4 years go. I have had marine fish since I was 10. I'm in my 50's now. I tired of being burned. More importantly, I'm tired of killing fish! I like them! So I'm BIG on quarantine. I'm big on treating fish BEFORE they go into the display. I'm afraid of FRAGS even. I do make exceptions on frags but it depends where they come from. Fish, no exceptions. Assume they all are sick.

 

[tgrick]

LEAVE THE AIRSTONE WORKING WHILE THE FISH IS IN THE RODI WATER!!!

 

[Lyss]

I wouldn’t give that stressed fish a FW dip in that state, and if I did I wouldn’t do it in RO/DI unless buffered to match my tank’s Ph — I’ve more than once seen jay say to use declorinated tap water.

I could be wrong but pretty sure I’ve read that these guys don’t ship well — unless that’s just the tanaka’s and pink streaked. It may be very stressed and need time, or yes it’s possible it could be sick since it was just conditioned, not fully quarantined.

can you share a video of the fish? Might be easier for folks to see/comment on stress, illness, etc.

 

[tgrick]

I wouldn’t give that stressed fish a FW dip in that state, and if I did I wouldn’t do it in RO/DI unless buffered to match my tank’s Ph — I’ve more than once seen jay say to use declorinated tap water.

I could be wrong but pretty sure I’ve read that these guys don’t ship well — unless that’s just the tanaka’s and pink streaked. It may be very stressed and need time, or yes it’s possible it could be sick since it was just conditioned, not fully quarantined.

can you share a video of the fish? Might be easier for folks to see/comment on stress, illness, etc.

I would not use tap. That's why I add a squirt of tank water into the RODI. It helps with PH. The reality is that if you do nothing the fish dies. The dip is a hail Mary. Does it work? Yes, I have saved MANY a fish in a RODI dip.

 

[tgrick]

Either way, you take a risk. The choice is not mine. I always assume a fish is sick.

 

[Lyss]

I would not use tap. That's why I add a squirt of tank water into the RODI. It helps with PH. The reality is that if you do nothing the fish dies. The dip is a hail Mary. Does it work? Yes, I have saved MANY a fish in a RODI dip.

With all due respect, a squirt of tank water is not going to bring the ph up in any meaningful way. You would need to use an alkaline buffer and match the ph as close as possible to the tank.

If the fish is stressed and needs extra time to adjust then doing nothing and taking steps to allow the fish to de-stress like the suggestion to keep it under blues is exactly what to do. That’s why I asked for a video.

 

[tgrick]

With all due respect, a squirt of tank water is not going to bring the ph up in any meaningful way. You would need to use an alkaline buffer and match the ph as close as possible to the tank.

If the fish is stressed and needs extra time to adjust then doing nothing and taking steps to allow the fish to de-stress like the suggestion to keep it under blues is exactly what to do. That’s why I asked for a video.

It's almost impossible to buffer RODI. Tap water is really difficult in a small container. A drop here and there and you start over. I'm on the RODI side with a squirt. I have not seen any ill effects. Yes, I have personally saved fish using RODI with a squirt.