Looking for some input, weird occurrence this morning.

[EddieJ]

I picked up a Flame wrasse at my LFS on Sunday. Brought him home and drip acclimated him to the QT water. Yesterday he looked great and was eating well and active. This morning, I check in on him and I notice where he is bedding down there is what appears to be a spider web above him. There are specks of red (his top color) in it. So then I move the piece of PVC and rock he is by and swims away. When I turn on the light to examine him he looks terrible, large white spots all along the top of him, sort of like a severe ich infestation. So I syphon out the web (which I assume was his slime coat?) and start to think about going HYPO. As I am getting things lined up and doing some research on hypo (and letting the RO/DI water warm up) I go back and he looks much better. I have been examining him and I really don’t see the specs like ich. I have never noticed him breathing heavy or any flashing/scratching at all. He was at the LFS for around 3-4 weeks and I did see him weekly there as I was deciding if I was going to buy him.
Any ideas?? I don’t want to treat for something that is not there. Do you think it was just stress?


Update: I was just checking him out, and he swam up and asked for food, I threw some pellets in and he ate like a champ... Keeping close observation on him today.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Alot of wrasses create a cocoon like sleeping bag.

 

[EddieJ]

Alot of wrasses create a cocoon like sleeping bag.

Yup, that must have been what it was. I found this information on the Flame Wrasse

"Found only in Hawaii, flame wrasses generally live on coral reefs below 100 feet, eating plankton and secreting a mucous cocoon for protection at night"

He just looked awful when we woke up, but the color has returned and he does not act like a sick fish in the least bit. You learn something new everyday!

 

[snorvich]

Alot of wrasses create a cocoon like sleeping bag.

All fairy wrasses including flames do this.

 

[EddieJ]

It's my first wrasse and it caught me off guard. You know how it is those first few days of QT LOL!! He looks fine now and it back to looking for a weak link in my defense system (aka eggcrate cover on my QT tank). I custom cut it so there are no gaps anywhere. I had a diamond goby jump out of my QT thru the narrowest gap by the filter. I swear he just keeps eyeing thinks up looking for a jump route LOL!!

 

[snorvich]

FYI, egg crate will not keep fish in.

 

[EddieJ]

FYI, egg crate will not keep fish in.

Why do you say that? With the size of this fish there is no way he is going thru the little squares in the egg crate. There are weights on the egg crate as well, so I can't see him knocking it around or off. Is there something I am missing?

 

[sandwi54]

Why do you say that? With the size of this fish there is no way he is going thru the little squares in the egg crate. There are weights on the egg crate as well, so I can't see him knocking it around or off. Is there something I am missing?

a regular sized wrasse can go through the holes in a regular egg crate. That is, assuming the egg crate you have is a regular, common one. If you have one with smaller holes, then you'll be fine.

 

[EddieJ]

It is 1/2 inch crate, in black. I was looking at my flame wrasse and it would be almost impossible for him to fit thru that 1/2 inch clearance. He is pretty thick!! So he would have to jump at precisely the right trajectory to make it thru, and I am not even sure he would unless they stretch way out and become very narrow in the jump.. I would have to see it to believe it, and the odds have to be stacked strongly against it...

In any case, I did double up the crate on an offset to make the holes smaller. I will pick up some 1/4 inch net and make some tops for my QT. My display has a canopy fully enclosed so that should be ok.