Having most trouble QTing wrasse

[m0nkie]

Hi guys. I'm having a lot of issues QTing wrasse. I'm asking if there's any improvements I can do to help with success rates.

currently I have 95% success QT regular fish (anthias, clowns, tangs).. and about 50% success with wrasse (mostly flame wrasse,1 lineatus, other flashers)

My basic QT procedure is very simple. 4 sets of 20 gallon tanks, heaters, air pumps and PVCs. I only do TTM and Prazipro. Fish go in DT after 2 weeks. I do not QT for other sickness because I don't feel comfortable with it yet. I'm working on a permanent QT.

1) Is there anything special you guys do for wrasse? or be more careful about?

2) Do wrasse need more flow in QT? is a small powerhead a must?

3) will male and female fight in a 20gal QT?

4) in a 20 gal tank, how do you guys control temperature in summer? My 100gal reaches up to 85 during the day without AC. I can assume the QT gets warm too.

Recently I bought a pair of established wrasse. Been in another tank for a year, so they are somewhat healthy. I dropped them in my QT for TTM. Both were eating and swimming the first 2 days. 3rd day, male wrasse is breathing heavily. Female is perfect. no ammonia. no change in salinity. 4th day male dies. Female still perfectly normal.

the pair before this, I lost the female during 3rd transfer. Her fins were torn badly, as if the male was beating on her..

 

[Deinonych]

My procedure is similar to yours and I've had no trouble with wrasses. Major difference is that I keep the temperature stable at 79F (we have central A/C). One thing I've found helpful is to give wrasses several days to settle in, especially if they are purchased online. My most recent acquisition was a C. exquisitus, and he took over a week to get comfortable and swim in the open water column in QT. He just "graduated" to the DT after nearly 6 weeks in QT, and he's well-adjusted and doing great with my two flashers.

Not sure if a powerhead is a must, but I always have a small one (Koralia Nano) for QT just to ensure there's enough gas exchange.

Also, it's possible the female in your recent purchase was bullying the male. In general, any female wrasse will transition to male in captivity, so it's best to stick to males of different species.

 

[m0nkie]

Thanks Chris!

do you have an established QT?

my unestablished QT turns cloudy after 2 days of feeding. It makes me nervous thinking the water is bad. But no measure-able ammonia. I tend to keep transferring them into newly made salt water until they go in DT. If i feel more time is needed, i continue to transfer them and monitor.

do you guys do large WC on QT to keep it clean? vacuum all waste food? does the water look cloudy at all for you guys?

 

[evolved]

Yeah, I don't see anything "wrong" here, but I do see some points of concern.

Temperature. 85 is awfully hot; best to keep things under 82 at worst.

If there's no ammonia detectable, my second thought about some of your issues would be O2 levels. A powerhead isn't required for flow, but you may want to consider one pointed at the surface for better gas exchange.

Sometimes (or often times as the case may be) "females" or "pairs" which are sold are incorrectly ID'd and are actually males/all males. If you put two males of the same species in a 20g tank, I would certainly expect aggression issues.

 

[evolved]

my unestablished QT turns cloudy after 2 days of feeding.

If nothing else, that's a bacterial bloom, which can rob you of needed O2.

 

[Deinonych]

Thanks Chris!

do you have an established QT?

my unestablished QT turns cloudy after 2 days of feeding. It makes me nervous thinking the water is bad. But no measure-able ammonia. I tend to keep transferring them into newly made salt water until they go in DT. If i feel more time is needed, i continue to transfer them and monitor.

do you guys do large WC on QT to keep it clean? vacuum all waste food? does the water look cloudy at all for you guys?

No, I set up my QT as needed. I use Bio-Spira along with media in a HOB filter to control ammonia. I can't say that I ever get cloudy water. I feed small amounts of mysis twice a day so there is no wasted food. Weekly 25% water changes are all that I do, and I siphon out any crud that settles to the bottom.

 

[m0nkie]

thanks guys. Maybe it is the hot weather and lack of O2 that killed my last wrasse.

I'm picking up a Femininus wrasse later next month and my (lack of) QT success is freaking me out. I have sand in a bowl prepared already. I guess the house AC is staying on for a 2 weeks.

 

[m0nkie]

Here's the comparison after 3 days... I only feed home made frozen. the juice adds a little color..

first made

3 days

 

[Deinonych]

Yikes, that's significant cloudiness after only 3 days. I can't say I've ever seen my QT get that cloudy, ever. Maybe switch to commercially prepared foods for QT? Hikari mysis is what I use primarily for QT (and NLS pellets if the fish will eat them).

I'll admit that I overdo it equipment-wise, but I haven't lost a fish in QT for well over a year (knock on wood). I have three of everything, so it makes TTM pretty straightforward.

 

[Dayson]

I would suggest lack of O2. Wrasses are very busy fish and will quickly deplete the water if O2. I use a simple $15 air pump in my QT tanks. When j am performing TTM I simply cute off the section of air hose that has been in the water and replace the airstone. I shoot this helps.

I to get a bit of cloudiness in my QT tanks but have not had any loss.

I assume you are keeping the water level stable by topping off with rodi.

 

[CoralsAddiction]

I get cloudiness in my QT as well when I add beneficial bacteria and keep salinity at a normal level. However, during hyposalinity there is no cloudy water.

 

[MellowReefer]

I would suggest lack of O2. Wrasses are very busy fish and will quickly deplete the water if O2. I use a simple $15 air pump in my QT tanks. When j am performing TTM I simply cute off the section of air hose that has been in the water and replace the airstone. I shoot this helps.

+1

You definitely need some type of water movement, as it looks like you don't have any? I would even wonder how the prazi is being mixed evenly throughout the water. Get a cheap air pump, a pack of air stones, some airline tubing and use a fresh air stone and tubing each time. That will really circulate the water well and add oxygen. I wouldnt use a powerhead because it's harder to make sure it dries completely before each tank transfer.

 

[m0nkie]

I do use airline, air tube during every TTM. The pictures shows the tubes attached to the heater. Every transfer i switch air tubes. I was thinking of adding more flow with a PH. (The bubbler is not on in photo. Sry)

The cloudiness is not from bacteria i assume because i dont use bio sipra products in qt. I may give it a try next time

I pre mix the prazi pro 1hr before TTM and mix with my hands... then i toss the wrassw into the PP tank for 3 days

 

[evolved]

Yeah, I didn't understand there was no circulation at all. That plus the lack of any biological filtration will be problematic here.

 

[m0nkie]

got it.. I will add more water, more flow, and possibly keep the house AC on.

Will also add some biospira next time just in case.

Maybe my over feeding habit is also an issue here. There's always a ton of left over food in the QT after. I usually over feed a little to see what they eat.

 

[Flippers4pups]

My two scents: using half of the 20 water volume, why? No, water movement, lack of powerhead? No screen top?, wrasses are jumpers! Heat too high!

 

[m0nkie]

My two scents: using half of the 20 water volume, why? No, water movement, lack of powerhead? No screen top?, wrasses are jumpers! Heat too high!

got it. thanks!

-I started using 10gals of water to save salt.. since I never measured detectable ammonia, i assumed it was enough. I'll use more water for wrasse.

-I was never sure if airtube is enough water movement. However, many suggested using it for TTM, so i followed. PH are hard to dry completely. I will purchase a few sets of nano PHs to add flow for wrasse. my smallest MP10 seems a bit excessive for this.

-I have screen tops. just not shown on picture.

-Heat I don't know how to deal with.. I will leave house AC on for now. no way I can prepare chillers for QT.

 

[m0nkie]

Sorry guys. The pictures were meant to show the cloudiness. There is no fish inside so i turned equipments off. Bubbler off.

 

[Deinonych]

PH are hard to dry completely. I will purchase a few sets of nano PHs to add flow for wrasse.

They are indeed somewhat challenging to dry. I overcome this by soaking in a bleach solution for 24 hours, then allowing to dry thoroughly (the hot Texas sun helps this greatly). I also disassemble them after the bleach soak. I have three PHs for QT, so it's easy to rotate them during TTM and ensure enough time has elapsed for sterilization and drying.

 

[m0nkie]

if heat/O2 is the main factor, shouldn't both fish show symptoms of labored breathing?

I seem to always lose 1 out of the pair... sometimes male, sometimes female..

better results when QTing individual wrasse.

1 thing for sure is I'll never save salt money again.. will fill the 20 gallon full from now on.