Why do all my wrasses die?

[JoshH]

@evolved any other insight here?

 

[kapnkush608]

@evolved any other insight here?

Forgot to tag @evolved hopefully the Lord of the wrasse can shine some light.

 

[ReeferSteve]

You said this has been going on for years, how are you coming to the conclusion it’s the star?

 

[kapnkush608]

It's the only thing in my reef that I can think of that's been consistently in my tank along with missing wrasses.

 

[ReeferSteve]

It's the only thing in my reef that I can think of that's been consistently in my tank along with missing wrasses.

It’s been there the entire time?

 

[kapnkush608]

When I went upgrade to a 75 before the 120 I got the star when I bought the cleanup crew. Wrasses were dying before anemones and Dotty back was added. Could be like a bobbit or something but i honestly doubt it.

 

[kapnkush608]

It’s been there the entire time?

Yeah I never tried keeping a wrasse until I went to the 75.

 

[ReeferSteve]

Yeah I never tried keeping a wrasse until I went to the 75.

Really odd. If it is the star, why only the wrasses. As others have said, sump it and try again. I’m definitely interested to see if you can find some answers

 

[kapnkush608]

Really odd. If it is the star, why only the wrasses. As others have said, sump it and try again. I’m definitely interested to see if you can find some answers

Me too brother. I'm honestly disheartened. I feel like a scumbo cuz I just keep trying and failing. I would think some of the other fish would be on the menu as well but they all sleep really high in the rockwork so that's why I also think something down low is hunting. But I feed 3 times a day pellets and heavy feed rods original every night so there is plenty of food to be had.

 

[evolved]

I had a few questions starting this thread, but now most of them have been answered.

I just have to ask this one, and I doubt this is it provided the background, but what salinity are these fish coming from? Provided your experience, I doubt you're raising them too quickly, but I just have to clear that up...

Beyond that, predation seems like a clear red flag to me:

I woke up the next morning and their he was in the low flow settling pile, dead and picked almost clean.

The "picked almost clean" seems like a smoking gun. Unless you've got the most voracious CUC ever, being reduced to just bones in less than 8 hours, including the actual death, something has had an expensive snack in the dark.

 

[El_Guapo13]

Are you 100% sure there is no bobbit worm in the tank? Or any other large hitchhiker? If it still persists after putting the Star in the Sump, then my suggestion would be to get a camera on the tank during the night to see if anything comes out that you hadn't noticed previously. Heck, even if there isn't a nasty hitchhiker, could always be that at night one of your other fish that is usually a nice, well behaved member of the reef turns into a psycho wrasse murderer. Which once again, a camera could end up recording such behavior that you would otherwise miss.

 

[kapnkush608]

Gonna sump the starfish and run to the warehouse and see

I had a few questions starting this thread, but now most of them have been answered.

I just have to ask this one, and I doubt this is it provided the background, but what salinity are these fish coming from? Provided your experience, I doubt you're raising them too quickly, but I just have to clear that up...

Beyond that, predation seems like a clear red flag to me:

The "picked almost clean" seems like a smoking gun. Unless you've got the most voracious CUC ever, being reduced to just bones in less than 8 hours, including the actual death, something has had an expensive snack in the dark.

The salinity is 1.026 in this system (33-34ppt). I thought it was the clean up crew too so all the hermits sans 3 Scarlett, the starfish and snails which consist of a few turbos and trochus and countless stomatella. Predation is honestly the only thing I can think of and mainly the starfish since it's so active at night. I've watched the tank alot at night the past year especially to check that berghia we're still around and for nocturnal uglies. I'm gonna sump the starfish and see what happens.

 

[evolved]

sans 3 Scarlett

I don't see any way that 3 scarlet's could pick a dead fish clean in less than 8 hours. Something else is munching...

 

[kapnkush608]

I don't see any way that 3 scarlet's could pick a dead fish clean in less than 8 hours. Something else is munching...

Exactly my thoughts. The first few year I can chalk up to husbandry but at this point what else.

 

[kapnkush608]

Are you 100% sure there is no bobbit worm in the tank? Or any other large hitchhiker? If it still persists after putting the Star in the Sump, then my suggestion would be to get a camera on the tank during the night to see if anything comes out that you hadn't noticed previously. Heck, even if there isn't a nasty hitchhiker, could always be that at night one of your other fish that is usually a nice, well behaved member of the reef turns into a psycho wrasse murderer. Which once again, a camera could end up recording such behavior that you would otherwise miss.

Amazon here I come. Lol.

 

[Artimusclyde1974]

Iv heard stories like this b4 and a lot of them end up with them giving up the tank and in tear down they find a large bobbit they are great at hiding it’s worth considering

 

[kapnkush608]

Iv heard stories like this b4 and a lot of them end up with them giving up the tank and in tear down they find a large bobbit they are great at hiding it’s worth considering

Star fish is coming out and I'm picking up a camera and gonna watch awhile before I try again. I did a whole teardown for the upgrade to the 120 and didn't find anything though.

 

[normal]

Did you ever find what killed your wrasses? I have the same problem. Tried 2 Melanurus, all other fish (that sleep higher on the tank) are fine, but the wrasses simply die after eating well and being active for 1-3 days. I only find them dead in the morning being eaten by bristle worms. I have a sand sifting star fish, but I never thought of it as a predator.