Cleaner wrasse in qt

[jscarlata]

I bought three small fish this weekend, all are in qt. I got a nice looking tomini tang, falco hawk, and a small cleaner wrasse. All three were acclimated via drip with air for a few hours. All three fish seed healthy, swimming and they all ate well yesterday evening. Today the tang and hawk looked real good, but the wrasse doesn't look good. After lights came on he didn't come out of his sleeping spot, so I gave him a nudge. He then came out and swam around. An hour later and he is curled up in a half moon sitting on the bottom. His gills are working, but he's just siting there. Yesterday he was trying to clean the tang and otherwise very active. I didn't treat the tanknwith any meds yet, I haven't needed to meditate any fish yet. I'm
Not sure if I should wait, or if I should treat the tank or even what to treat with. Qt is a 30g with a hang on power filter and an airstone slimmer. Water is clear and good, did a 15g wc before adding the fish.

 

[VVickedFish]

Cleaner wrasse are extremely hard to keep unless you have a huge tank full of fish the cleaner wrasse can easily find enough parasites to nourish it. The longest i have ever kept one was 2 weeks. Blue streak. There is another kind of cleaner wrasse that would surivive longer. I cant think of the name. But i suggest you do alot of research online and ask around before you purchase any fish etc. 30 gallon quartine i would say is to small. Just some advice. That way you dont be blowing money. Its a bummer when your fav. fish end R.I.P

 

[humaguy]

sorry for the loss, cleaner wrasses should stay in the ocean...

 

[jscarlata]

Ok thanks for the info....fwiw I have a 90 mixed reef with 12 fish that it was going into. As for a 30g not big enough for qt, really? How big of a qt do you think is big enough?
Is there anything to feed it besides regular flake and frozen foods that might revive it?

 

[jscarlata]

did some reading this aM on the way to work and i feel like an idiot...you were right, very hard to sustain in captivity due to it feeding almost entirely on parasites. even if i put it in my 90 it probably would not have enough to eat. i bet this is why LFS's stock them, to help keep their livestock from being over-run with parasites.
damn, lesson learned though.

 

[humaguy]

yeah, it is a huge bummer these fish are still being sold...fwiw, my qt is a 125...

 

[jscarlata]

well, a little optimism for the time being. i cam ehome from work and tried to get it some cyclops and reef plankton i had in forzen cubes. it was at th ebottom curled up in is slime web so i put a little bit of food right by its head and left it alone. an hour or two later and it was out and about swimming..not sure whats going on, we'll see how it goes. it really sucks that stores sell these fish and dont even pause to explain the care requirments to purchasers. its my own fault for not looking the fish up, but still...

 

[VVickedFish]

well, a little optimism for the time being. i cam ehome from work and tried to get it some cyclops and reef plankton i had in forzen cubes. it was at th ebottom curled up in is slime web so i put a little bit of food right by its head and left it alone. an hour or two later and it was out and about swimming..not sure whats going on, we'll see how it goes. it really sucks that stores sell these fish and dont even pause to explain the care requirments to purchasers. its my own fault for not looking the fish up, but still...

12 fish for a 90 gallon should be plenty. Depending on how big there going to get. I know you bought a tang and hawk. So that would be 14. I have a 60 gallon QT tank. I would say 30 would be to small. But if its working for you with no fatalaties. Then shouldnt be a problem. Just make sure to do your own research online and ask questions on here before your purchase any lifestock and dont believe whatever the seller is telling you, haha. They dont work in sales for nothing, haha. Trust me i lost many many of lifestock when i first started this hobby and had to horrible run ins with Ick. For not doing my own research and not being patient. Good luck.

 

[jscarlata]

Thanks...ya know normally i DO do my research, i dont know why this one slipped past me...as for my existing fish, nothing big, basic stuff, fire fish, assesors, blenny, goby, percs...these three were to be my last ones..my water is actually too clean and i have a lot of light so my sps werent coloring up so great, so i felt a few more fish wouldbe ok. my tank has good swimming space and plenty of caves and hiding spots. As for fatalities none, im quite patient and take my time...this was one of those things where i was with my son and i wanted him to be involved and i let him help pick the last few fish. hindsight...right? LOL

 

[jscarlata]

Well the little guy has a taste for mysis! So far he seems to be doing well. I know it's probably not going to last long, but so far he seems pretty good. I rinse it, them add some selcon, vitamin c and a touch of garlic. He seems to suck it down readily.

 

[Ostara]

Good to hear that he is eating! His initial reaction may have just been from stress; mine did not take well to being moved and hid in the rocks, also breathing heavily. Don't write him off so easily; lots of people keep common cleaner wrasses successfully for years. I've had one of mine for about two years, and recently got a younger one for another tank. There's a thread in the Responsible Reefkeeping section right now that has lots of success stories and advice for keeping them. Most people there seemed to agree that the common bluestreaks are not hard to keep provided that you get a healthy specimen. Good luck with your little guy.