Wrasse help!

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

I need help. For some context, on Friday I picked up a China wrasse from my LFS, she has been there for a month and was eating readily though a bit skinny. So I acclimated her and added her to my tank. The tank is a 120 gallon 9 month old system with no other fish then her. Anyway didn't see her for two days until yesterday I saw her laying on her side. She's still breathing though I tried tapping her with my coral pipette and there was hardly any reaction. Though she does track me with her eyes and shift when I open the sump door. Parameters are stable and listed below
Alk-8.4
Calcium-500
Magnesium-1280
Salinity-1.024
Tempature-75
Po4-.06
No3-~5
Her breathing rate is around 80 breaths pet minute. Hasn't moved overnight. Here's a video
My LFS did mention she was laying on her side when she first came in though I'm really concerned
#fishmedic

Thanks for your help

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Lemons · Nov 28, 2023

Hmm looks very stressed. Most sand bed dwelling wrasses come out of the sandbed when they are near death

Is anyone picking on it?

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Lemons said:
Hmm looks very stressed. Most sand bed dwelling wrasses come out of the sandbed when they are near death

Is anyone picking on it?

No fish other than this one

Reefer Matt · Nov 28, 2023

#fishmedic

littlefoxx · Nov 28, 2023

@Slocke @icantthink @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal @MnFish1

nereefpat · Nov 28, 2023

Darn. I know those China wrasses are difficult fish.

I suspect that there isn't anything you can do.

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

littlefoxx said:
@Slocke @icantthink @vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal @MnFish1

Already messaged slocke and I can't think...

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Jay Hemdal · Nov 28, 2023

Sorry, the fish is moribund, it is usually not possible to bring them back from that point.

One thought - it was thin but eating at the store, but acting odd and not eating in your tank? To me, that implies something changed. One thing I see a lot of is when LFS hold fish at low salinity and then people try to acclimate them to full salinity when they get home - and any large rise in salinity is tough on fish. Do you know what salinity it came in at?

Jay

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Sorry, the fish is moribund, it is usually not possible to bring them back from that point.

One thought - it was thin but eating at the store, but acting odd and not eating in your tank? To me, that implies something changed. One thing I see a lot of is when LFS hold fish at low salinity and then people try to acclimate them to full salinity when they get home - and any large rise in salinity is tough on fish. Do you know what salinity it came in at?

Jay

They only did once-Daily feedings at my LFS, I do not know what their salinity is at. Is it possible that the fish is top stressed/tired to swim? Only suggesting this as my LFS mentioned that she layed on her side for a few days after arrival. I did see her start to move though, but she hasn't gotten up.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 28, 2023

Reefkeepers Archive said:
They only did once-Daily feedings at my LFS, I do not know what their salinity is at. Is it possible that the fish is top stressed/tired to swim? Only suggesting this as my LFS mentioned that she layed on her side for a few days after arrival. I did see her start to move though, but she hasn't gotten up.

Wrasse will lay on the tank bottom when exhausted or when they are preparing to bury themselves. However, when they rotate past vertical, it usually means they are moribund, unable to prop themselves upright.

Jay

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Wrasse will lay on the tank bottom when exhausted or when they are preparing to bury themselves. However, when they rotate past vertical, it usually means they are moribund, unable to prop themselves upright.

Jay

Should I try adding some food to see if she reacts?

JoJosReef · Nov 28, 2023

How long did you acclimate? What food do you have? Seems like a long shot when it's laying on its side like that, but ROE is one of the easiest foods to get them to eat imo.

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

JoJosReef said:
How long did you acclimate? What food do you have? Seems like a long shot when it's laying on its side like that, but ROE is one of the easiest foods to get them to eat imo.

I did a 30-40 minute acclimation, made sure to temp match the bag, added tank water every 10 min. I have 0
PE callinus and PE mysis. Though haven't tried feeding her yet

Crabby48 · Nov 28, 2023

Thin? Was she pinched behind head or tail? If so it’s almost impossible to bring a wrasse back from that. Also that is behavior of a highly stressed wrasse. You poking it or hovering the tank will not help. If she ate at lfs and is thin then that tells me she had disease. Also if lfs salinity is low and you acclimated that is to fast for most wrasse. I will only raise salinity hold.001-.002 in 24 hours at most.
Sorry to say there probably is nothing you can do for her. China are not an easy one

JoJosReef · Nov 28, 2023

Important to find out what salinity the LFS had. I set up a "landing pad" tank for wrasses that I raise to 1.026sg slowly over multiple days, about 0.002sg per day. That's how I finally got a healthy leopard wrasse.

Reefkeepers Archive · Nov 28, 2023

Here's an updated video

Lemons · Nov 28, 2023

They do NOT look well

Im so sorry but i think theres nothing anyone can do.

I would suggest euthanasia

Crabby48 · Nov 28, 2023

Sand sleeping wrasse can’t bury when weak and they won’t go in the sand to die. Unfortunately it looks way too late for it.
Hope for the best
She won’t eat in that condition. Of it wants food it will hunt pods