No more wrasses for me

[MellowReefer]

I've had many wrasses for many years...IMO/E fairies do much better than flashers... Start with some 'inexpensive' females that will eventually turn into more colorful males.

Are the wrasses you've had for years in the 450 gallon tank in your signature line? Maybe with very large tanks its easier to keep them since they have more hunting ground and larger numbers of pods to eat?

I know its best to feed them several times a day, what is your feeding schedule like?

 

[bluecoyote79]

Wish I'd found this thread earlier. I tried gradually dosing cupramine on a McCoskers and it did not go well once the concentration reached the recommended level. The female seems like she'll pull through but the male is in bad shape. I got a second QT tank and transferred them both there tonight. I'm hoping that they can pull through without the copper. If I get more, I'll definitely do TTM and prazi only.

 

[SDguy]

Wish I'd found this thread earlier. I tried gradually dosing cupramine on a McCoskers and it did not go well once the concentration reached the recommended level.

If you mean the recommended level from Seachem (0.5 mg/L), I agree, it's too strong. I do around 0.35 mg/L.

 

[formsix]

The last two were the only ones to survive QT, and I used TTM and one dose of Prazi. Both ate well and looked great in QT. The ones I tried using cupramine on, even with a gradual dose over 5 days, didn't tolerate it at all. If I try again I will probably do only TTM and maybe skip Prazipro if I get them from Divers Den.

What type of tops does everyone have? The one thing I was considering is that I read where someone said that glass/acrylic tops could be dangerous if wrasses jumped up and hurt themselves more on a hard top versus netting/mesh. I have a covered acrylic tank with only an inch of clearing above water level. Wonder if they jumped and hurt themselves?

I have a mesh top on my acrylic tank, and other than the (probably not going to make it regardless) leopard that somehow jumped out, the others have been fine. I have a lubbock's fairy wrasse who was my first fish, and I've never seen her jump -- though I have no doubt she could, and certainly keep the tank covered. I guess a hard top could hurt them if they hit it hard enough... I never thought about that.

Confession: Before I got the wrasse I had planned to do TTM and prazi on her. I did TTM and as a new fish owner I was growing very attached to her. I started reading mixed things about prazi and wrasses, and ultimately decided not to dose her with prazi. She looked healthy from day 1 (picked her out at the LFS), poop looked normal, eating, good weight, etc., so I just observed for another 2 weeks and them plopped her in the DT. She's been a picture perfect healthy wrasse ever since.

So... I religiously do TTM on all my fish (except leopard wrasses) because it doesn't involve chemicals, and I think it's completely worth it. But anything else... well, only if I see something in QT that makes me think it would be necessary. I'm not saying that's the right thing for everyone to do, but that's the choice I've made for my fish.

 

[evolved]

If I try again I will probably do only TTM and maybe skip Prazipro if I get them from Divers Den.

I wouldn't skip Prazi; it's quite gentle and it's really easy for flukes/worms to go unnoticed.

What type of tops does everyone have? The one thing I was considering is that I read where someone said that glass/acrylic tops could be dangerous if wrasses jumped up and hurt themselves more on a hard top versus netting/mesh. I have a covered acrylic tank with only an inch of clearing above water level. Wonder if they jumped and hurt themselves?

It is a possibility, and I have heard of several instances where it has happened. 1/4" clear mesh is my preferred choice and recommendation, for this reason and numerous others.

Are the wrasses you've had for years in the 450 gallon tank in your signature line? Maybe with very large tanks its easier to keep them since they have more hunting ground and larger numbers of pods to eat?

I know its best to feed them several times a day, what is your feeding schedule like?

Yes; they're all in his 450, but had you seen them and over 70 other fish in the same tank, you might not think that's the case here.


Back on the copper front, I don't ever use copper. I don't proactively treat for ich in QT either. If it shows up during the QT process (a minimum of 6 weeks), then I'll deal with it, but not with copper.

 

[MellowReefer]

So for these last two wrasses that seemed very healthy when I got them, and I used tank transfer and prazi with no issues and they seemed perfectly healthy when I introduced them to my tank, it was either bad luck or the only possible problem I can think of would be that they jumped and hit my acrylic top? This is unfortunately something I can't change, as I have the type of acrylic tank built like a box, with three cutouts at the top (which I suppose I could switch to netting, but there would still be about 70% hard top area).

The other possibility is that I didn't feed them all day long (as is recommended for wrasses)? Most days I fed them 3 times, but not until 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm.

 

[Aussieiniowa]

Wonder what the copper reading is ?

 

[evolved]

The other possibility is that I didn't feed them all day long (as is recommended for wrasses)? Most days I fed them 3 times, but not until 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm.

No problem there; that's plenty sufficient.

 

[Deinonych]

The last two were the only ones to survive QT, and I used TTM and one dose of Prazi. Both ate well and looked great in QT. The ones I tried using cupramine on, even with a gradual dose over 5 days, didn't tolerate it at all. If I try again I will probably do only TTM and maybe skip Prazipro if I get them from Divers Den.

What type of tops does everyone have? The one thing I was considering is that I read where someone said that glass/acrylic tops could be dangerous if wrasses jumped up and hurt themselves more on a hard top versus netting/mesh. I have a covered acrylic tank with only an inch of clearing above water level. Wonder if they jumped and hurt themselves?

I have a DIY mesh top using nylon mesh from BRS and a screen kit from Lowe's. Never have a problem with jumpers.

 

[Deinonych]

if you mean the recommended level from seachem (0.5 mg/l), i agree, it's too strong. I do around 0.35 mg/l.

+1

 

[Nina51]

i have 3 wrasses in my 75g, all came from LA. yellow fin flasher wrasse is crazy pretty, red velvet fairy wrasse is gorgeous and has almost doubled in size, silly yellow coris wrasse took 2 solid months to come out of hiding but is out all the time now and adds SO much color! i'm thinking about making my last fish a second yellow wrasse.

all went through tt and then 4 weeks of observations, no meds.

 

[roberthu526]

I just found this thread using google because I am having bad luck with solon fairy wrasse or the red head fairy wrasse. I bought one a few weeks ago and that guy was active and eating for the first two days but then disappeared. Right before he disappeared I used a flash light in the night and found him breathing heavily under a rock. Then I never saw him ever. Last week I bought another Solon fairy wrasse from the same LFS and as soon as I release the fish in the water I noticed he wasn't very active. Not swimming quickly and exploring around like other wrasses did. He was eating but didn't really chase the food. Then again, two days later he disappeared just like the first one. Last night I found him under a rock in the sand where my diamond gobby dug a nest and he wasn't breathing heavily. This morning when I checked the gobby was back in that hold and the wrasse was gone. I have a really bad feeling that this one is not gonna make it...
Do these wrasses get internal infections quite often? I feel that should have listened to the LFS guy and used metroplex and focus the first day I brought him home...
If this one doesn't make it I am going to give it a break and wait for my chance to spot a wrasse that I am certain are healthy... This really breaks my heart they are such beautiful creatures.