Salty Waffles
New member
Hello, two weeks ago I added a female meleagris to my 125 LPS/SPS/Fish tank. She has been flashing occasionally for the past few days. Not excessively, but enough to get my attention. I am on the fence about pulling her to QT. I have read that her behavior could be normal for a Leopard Wrasse who is displaying mating behavior, but there are no other Leopard Wrasses in the tank, so not sure about this.
1. How old is this aquarium?
Tank has been running four months with water and live sand. Dry Pukani rock was cured with circulation and heat for 12 months. Obviously, the display tank cycled immediately. I've never had detectable levels of ammonia or nitrite.
So far, params have been rock steady.
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
5 ppm nitrate
dKH 8.3
Cal 420
Can provide other params if needed. I'm using Red Sea tests, except for the dKH which is a Hanna checker.
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.025 measured with Milwaukee electronic refractometer
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
7 days ago, an Orange Banded Goby who is doing quite well.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
No, not quarantined. It was a calculated decision based on the wrasses excellent appearance and behavior at LFS. I was trying to avoid the stress of QTing this tougher to keep fish.
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
N/A
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?
N/A
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
She looks very healthy. Excellent color. Clear eyes. Normal breathing. Full belly. No outward signs of stress or disease, other than yawning and flashing.
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
When introduced, she explored the tank for 20 minutes then buried herself in the sand bed for three days. She has been increasingly out and active, to the point where she is out most of the day.
She swims around normally around the lower half of the tank. She is not shy at all. She shows no aggression towards other fish, nor do any fish or other inhabitant bother her.
The behavior that concerns me is the occasional flashing and yawning. She has yawned since introduction, but not constantly. The flashing has only occurred for the last three days.
10. Is the fish eating? What?
She spends most of her time picking copepods off the sand, glass, and rockwork. She appears to eat some PE Mysis and Ocean Nutrition Formula Two, but primarily eats pods.
Additional info: No other fish have any symptoms of any sort nor have I ever had any sort of issues in this tank. The Blue Striped Cleaner Wrasse occasionally checks out the Leopard and will gently pick at her near her dorsal fin, but this seems normal as he does this with all the other fish in the tank.
1. How old is this aquarium?
Tank has been running four months with water and live sand. Dry Pukani rock was cured with circulation and heat for 12 months. Obviously, the display tank cycled immediately. I've never had detectable levels of ammonia or nitrite.
So far, params have been rock steady.
2. If less than six months old, what is ammonia level?
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
5 ppm nitrate
dKH 8.3
Cal 420
Can provide other params if needed. I'm using Red Sea tests, except for the dKH which is a Hanna checker.
3. What is SG of this aquarium? How measured?
1.025 measured with Milwaukee electronic refractometer
4. When was the last fish added to this aquarium?
7 days ago, an Orange Banded Goby who is doing quite well.
5. Was it quarantined? If so, how? And how long? Was it prophylactically treated? How?
No, not quarantined. It was a calculated decision based on the wrasses excellent appearance and behavior at LFS. I was trying to avoid the stress of QTing this tougher to keep fish.
6. If you are using a copper based medication, which one? How often do you measure level? When?
N/A
7. If you are using hyposalinity, how did you calibrate your refractometer?
N/A
8. Please describe in detail, the appearance of the fish? If there is one or more pimples, are they lumpy? What color?
She looks very healthy. Excellent color. Clear eyes. Normal breathing. Full belly. No outward signs of stress or disease, other than yawning and flashing.
9. Please describe the behavior of the fish as best you can. Is it acting reclusive? Is it always up towards the top of the aquarium? Is it avoiding light? How active is the fish?
When introduced, she explored the tank for 20 minutes then buried herself in the sand bed for three days. She has been increasingly out and active, to the point where she is out most of the day.
She swims around normally around the lower half of the tank. She is not shy at all. She shows no aggression towards other fish, nor do any fish or other inhabitant bother her.
The behavior that concerns me is the occasional flashing and yawning. She has yawned since introduction, but not constantly. The flashing has only occurred for the last three days.
10. Is the fish eating? What?
She spends most of her time picking copepods off the sand, glass, and rockwork. She appears to eat some PE Mysis and Ocean Nutrition Formula Two, but primarily eats pods.
Additional info: No other fish have any symptoms of any sort nor have I ever had any sort of issues in this tank. The Blue Striped Cleaner Wrasse occasionally checks out the Leopard and will gently pick at her near her dorsal fin, but this seems normal as he does this with all the other fish in the tank.
