Choati Wrasse - Difficult or Not?

[captainandy]

Just received 2 Choati wrasses from on line vendor. Hour acclimation and then into a very stable 300 g reef. Mostly SPS. Conditions absolutely rock stable. First one died within 12 hours. Second one dead at 48 hours. I have peaceful fish and saw no aggression. No external disease noted. They were picking on frozen mysis and live rock.
I ha eng added a fish in over a year but extremely rare that I lose something.
Suggestions?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.231676,-71.642230

 

[LemonLemon]

difficult.

i've tried them 5 times and all ended badly.

collection problems, handling problems, stress, internal parasites, refusal to feed are some of the obstacles you have to overcome with this species.

 

[btkrausen]

Yes, I've read they are difficult fish to keep which is why many vendors list them as Expert-Only. I have no personal experience with them, but have seen many threads regarding them.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[pacislandaqua]

not really collection problems as they are shallow water (20-50 feet). when i get them from AU they always do well, but once i ship them, who knows. To much stress maybe. Small ones do much better. I had a little baby one a while back. It was so cool!

 

[Ralph ATL]

no comment

 

[aquaph8]

no comment

went that well?

 

[Ralph ATL]

Sorry, but I have not had the opportunity to own one...yet, as I will not kill that fish.....I will only undertake under the correct conditions......

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1486086


I have 4 Leopards at this moment, one male MM Leopard, and 2 Female MM Leopards, and one Potter's....to say that they are difficult is an understatement, and one must spend many, many hours/days researching these fishes BEFORE any potential purchase ....just wasteful life.....

 

[Arkayology]

You spent the money on two of those fishes and didn't know the difficultly in caring for them?

 

[snorvich]

I had a mated pair for over a year. Then I made a tragic mistake and used aiptasia-x for killing aiptasia. The pH change killed them both. They are difficult but doable. (I have other leopard wrasses which I have had for multiple years so far) Largish tank, large refugium, PE mysis, no aggressive fish.

 

[tanglovers]

I have a pair in one of my display tanks. I was fortunate enough to run across two very good ones. My male I got from a fellow hobbyist getting out of the hobby and the female I got from LADD. Both are doing amazing and have them for over a year now.

I would highy recommend getting them from LADD if you are going to do them, my little girl was eating frozen within 10 mins of being acclimated to her QT tnak upon arrival!

 

[snorvich]

Yes, LADD is a good source. All leopards, in my experience, eat PE mysis as well as copepods.

 

[ReefBum]

I picked this one up yesterday and it is eating, which is good. It was in quarantine for a while so hopefully that will help. I have 2 other Leopards so maybe they will take the new guy under their collective wings and show him where the pod stashes are

 

[snorvich]

Gorgeous fish!! The thresholds of success are: one day, one week, one month. Hope it goes beyond them because after that you are in pretty good shape!

 

[aquaph8]

Reefbum, if I was in your tank Id be happy. Im sure he'll do great, best of luck to you.

 

[aquaph8]

Reefbum, if I was in your tank Id be happy. Im sure he'll do great, best of luck to you.

 

[96gts]

Here's a picture of mine that I have for over 1 month now. He started eating pellets today, He was only eating frozen food. He still have a hard time adjusting to my light schedule, he gets up at 9am and go to sleep around 5pm. So I'm having problem feeding him during the week.

 

[ReefBum]

Thanks Steve and Brett.

96gts-

That is a beauty....I hope mine makes it to that 1 month mark and beyond...good luck.

 

[Didac]

here's a picture of mines, he's been in my system for about two weeks and he eats pellets and frozen food. :lol2:

sorry. iphone picture

 

[Didac]

keep this thread open...
ps; reefbum and 96qts keep us updates...

 

[96gts]

There's a pair of Choati coming up on DD later today.