Do these survive shipping/acclimation?

[otrlynn]

I received an exquisite wrasse on Wed. from a very reputable online fish supplier. It looked dead in the bag, but in getting the bag into a floating position in the QT, I could see the mouth moving a little. I acclimated by dipping small amounts of tank water into the bag over a 90 minute period, but did not see any more movement from the fish. He was dead at the end of my acclimation period. I should add that I had dropped the salinty of my QT to 1.023, and the shipping water was 1.020. I did not drop the salinity of the QT down all the way (to match the shipping water) because I already have a couple of small fish in there from earlier in the week. I reported the loss to the supplier, who shipped out another, which arrived about 45 minutes ago. This time I am drip acclimating and the fish is more obviously alive, but not swimming around in the bucket. Are wrasses particularly sensitive to shipping and acclimation? I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

I think wrassses are more delicate than other fish but shipping is stressful for any fish. Hopefully after acclimation it will start to liven up a bit. Good luck w/ it.

 

[crvz]

I don't think they're particularly more delicate than other fish, but like Ryan mentions it can be stressful to just about any particular fish depending on the situation.

 

[Harley Fish]

good luck with your wrasse

 

[otrlynn]

Just a quick update. The wrasse "played dead" under a small piece of live rock I have in the QT from the time I put it in until I went to bed last night. I left the tank partially covered by a towel yesterday and last night. This morning he has moved to a piece of PVC pipe, so I know he's alive. I'm feeling good about that. My other two new fish, a chalk bass and a purple firefish are out and about and eating well.

 

[Harley Fish]

all wells and ends well i think thats how it goes anyway

 

[otrlynn]

Well, the wrasse is still alive but spending most of his time in the short pieces of PVC pipe. Yesterday he finally came out to eat some mysis and cyclopeeze but did not stay out very long. I was unsuccessful finding live brine shrimp in my area earlier in the week, but will check the LFS again tomorrow. He was very pale when I first got him--even the characteristic black spot near the tail was very pale, but I noticed that he has assumed more normal coloration. I'd be a bit more comfortable if I saw him eating a little better...