Potter wrasse dies in QT. Why?

[Bigfish of La.]

I added a Potters wrasse ( Mac. Geoffreyi) from LA Tuesday morning and he ate later that day and acted normal, eating mysis and LRS nano reef fenzy till I noticed him this morning lethargic, did a FW dip, but did not notice and flukes in the container. He died a couple of hours later. I’ve had a bipartitus wrasse go thru QT and to DT with no problems.
Are they more difficult? Any idea why the fish suddenly died?

 

[Radman73]

I added a Potters wrasse ( Mac. Geoffreyi) from LA Tuesday morning and he ate later that day and acted normal, eating mysis and LRS nano reef fenzy till I noticed him this morning lethargic, did a FW dip, but did not notice and flukes in the container. He died a couple of hours later. I’ve had a bipartitus wrasse go thru QT and to DT with no problems.
Are they more difficult? Any idea why the fish suddenly died?

I have not tried a Potter's but plan to so I've read up on them. They can be very bad shippers. Could have been exposed to too much ammonia in transit. Tough to say.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Impossible to say without a necropsy, very quick passing could be bacterial?

How did the fish react to the fw dip and how long?

 

[albano]

Potters wrasses are difficult to keep and usually rated "Expert Only"

 

[Bigfish of La.]

I have not tried a Potter's but plan to so I've read up on them. They can be very bad shippers. Could have been exposed to too much ammonia in transit. Tough to say.

The fish didn’t appear to be effected by ammonia, he was very active while in QT. I’m sure his clock was off coming from Hawaii. He would swim from one end of the tank to the other during the day, did notice sand disturbed, so sure he slept some. In short, very active and ate readily.

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Impossible to say without a necropsy, very quick passing could be bacterial?

How did the fish react to the fw dip and how long?

Breathing heavy and in dip for 5 min. Once I put him back in QT, swam real fast and then slowly on his side and breathing heavy

 

[Gareth elliott]

Was the water ro/di? Same temperature as previous water?

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Potters wrasses are difficult to keep and usually rated "Expert Only"

Yeah, I understand the “expert” part, and I feel confident enough to get fish thru QT and into DT, but it’s tough if you are dealing with less than healthy fish. I lost a yellow wrasse from LA that was so skinny you almost see thru him. Dead in 2 days.

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Was the water ro/di? Same temperature as previous water?

Yes, ro water at same temp with air bubbler for 5 min

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Got a flame wrasse from Hawaii thru LA in same shipment as Potters. At the moment he is doing okay. Did a water change after I took out dead Potter, so jury is still out on this guy. QT has been set up for about 2 years so it is in good shape

 

[DylanE]

Sorry to hear it, dude. I just added 4 potters to my qt yesterday, they look great today but could definitely still go either way. They have a reputation for being tough to get established, even for leopards. Like others said shipping is the biggest thing for them, and if it was < 24 hours after acclimation it may have been a factor. Other than that, leopards have a tendency to be doing great and then up and dying for apparently no reason within a week or two. They are definitely sensitive fish, so I’m not planning on anything other than prazi while In qt, unless they give me a reason.

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Sorry to hear it, dude. I just added 4 potters to my qt yesterday, they look great today but could definitely still go either way. They have a reputation for being tough to get established, even for leopards. Like others said shipping is the biggest thing for them, and if it was < 24 hours after acclimation it may have been a factor. Other than that, leopards have a tendency to be doing great and then up and dying for apparently no reason within a week or two. They are definitely sensitive fish, so I’m not planning on anything other than prazi while In qt, unless they give me a reason.

I got mine Tuesday and had planned to start prazipro this weekend, most likely Sunday for the flame.
Where did you get that many Potters?

 

[DylanE]

I got mine Tuesday and had planned to start prazipro this weekend, most likely Sunday for the flame.
Where did you get that many Potters?

Ah, sorry I didn’t see that it went in Tuesday. I’d guess it’s less likely shipping, then. I hadn’t had any luck finding them locally, but found some random online shop named reef life aquatics that had them in stock. I’m hoping for a pair or trio, but ordered with some room to spare due to their reputation haha. In the off chance they all make it, I doubt it’d be hard to sell one off locally.

 

[ca1ore]

All leopard wrasse are considered 'expert only' mainly because they don't ship or acclimate well. Potters is in the harder end (along with choati). I've had them come in fine and be dead the next day. Mostly shipping stress I think.

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Ah, sorry I didn’t see that it went in Tuesday. I’d guess it’s less likely shipping, then. I hadn’t had any luck finding them locally, but found some random online shop named reef life aquatics that had them in stock. I’m hoping for a pair or trio, but ordered with some room to spare due to their reputation haha. In the off chance they all make it, I doubt it’d be hard to sell one off locally.

Maybe a Potters from DD would be a better choice since they have been somewhat acclimated.
Keep all up to date on your Potters.