Pick apart my wrasse purchase...

[CedzAquAddictio]

Yeah. I found a killer deal on the laboutei , but it's not worth risking the comfort of the other fish, or the peacefulness of the tank. It's a shame too, because they are such beautiful fish...

I'll forego this fish at this time...

Thanks so much for everyone's input. I'll keep you all posted...

 

[gsiegel]

I had a loboutei as well that I had to find a new home for as he was also too aggressive - and that is in a 280g tank with many more stereotypically more aggressive than him.

Curious for those who say cleaner wrasses are better left in the ocean. Please explain why (not trying to be a smart***, really want to know). I actually have had one in my tank for about 6 months that is doing great. Eats everything and is best buddies with my crosshatch trigger - very comical/interesting to watch their interaction.

 

[Marshall O]

Cleaner Wrasses (IMO) need large, well stocked tanks in order to do well. In smaller tanks, either they can starve to death from not meeting their nutritional needs (some may take to prepared foods, but not all), or they can pester fish non stop trying to clean them. For these reasons, I as well feel they are better left in the ocean where they can perform their valuable cleaning services. To get similar cleaning benefits but without the negatives, look to Neon Gobies or Cleaner Shrimp.

In your case, with such a large tank, it may do just fine. But I see too many people suggesting others to get them for their "smaller" tanks with only a few fish.

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Alright, RC community. I'm going to need your help.

I was surprised with 3 wrasses today (long story, but not an impulse buy on my behalf). The bad news: I was aiming for two bipartus for my experience level with leopard wrasse. She got me some wrasse that are at the top of the expert list.... 2 potters, and 1 red-tail tamarin wrasse.

I was somewhat prepared as I set up a 30g QT tank with about 30 pounds of LR from another one of my tanks, 30 gallons of water from a water change from my 225g reef, a 3 inch sandbed, and about 500 pods.

Here's where I'm going to need some help. I'm stuck with the fish as I don't know of any expert owners near me that can take them, she got them from out of town, and LFS here are definitely not up to par well enough to take in these fish if I chose to take them to one...

I very slowly acclimated them to the new QT. My reef runs at 1.026, the water they arrived in was 1.20, so I set up my QT with some fresh RODI water to bring the new QT water down to 1.22. The 3 wrasse were out and about for about an hour in the QT when I realized that they were constantly trying to swim to my reef tank that was right next to the QT with the lights on. I covered that side of the tank to darken the QT as they were probably stressing themselves swimming constantly against the glass. After the reef tank was blocked from their view, they dove into the sandbed...

The good: I was told they were at the store for 3 weeks, and she saw them eat. She also bought some of the food that they were eating at the store when she brought the fish. They were very active at the store, and also in the QT before I blocked off the light. They came from a store that I have purchased from before, and they are a VERY good store.

The bad: TBD

Anyway, enough talking. Here are some pics. They are not very good because I didn't want to stress them anymore from their nearly 3 hour trip. Bare with me. I'll probably have many questions over the next couple of weeks...

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Also: Been doing allot of extra reading tonight, and it seems that the majority of these fish owners DON't QT, and instead throw them straight into the DT.

I set up what I think is a pretty comfortable QT for them, and it just seems so wrong not to QT a fish as I QT everything that goes into my tank (Admittedly, sometimes I don't QT inverts).

What are your thoughts on this? I have a full reef tank, so treating the tank if they have anything isn't an option...

Thanks...

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Still in the sand as of this morning. I did manage to catch a glimpse of one of the Potters darting back into the sandbed this morning, so I know they are still alive (at least one of them anyway)...

Edit: They are all three out and about this morning!!! I'm not snapping any pictures right now because I don't want to scare them back into the sandbed...
They have plenty of pods right now in the tank with them. Should I try to feed them the food from the store they came from, or just let them get settled in?
Also: My lighting schedule is from 4:30 PM to 12:30 AM has anyone had success with acclimating them to a new lighting schedule. The blanket method has worked for me in the past. Just seeing if there were any different ways...

Thanks...

 

[snorvich]

Cleaner wrasses are best left in the ocean.
Solar wrasses can be aggressive. I would choose something different to go with the Leopards.

I agree.

 

[snorvich]

Food wise, try PE mysis, nutramar ova, cyclopeeze (frozen).

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Thanks Steve. I have some Mysis defrosting right now. I'll try to feed them shortly, and let you all know how it goes...

I'm reading that allot of people don't QT these fish as they are so delicate. What are your thoughts on this? I have what I consider to be a comfortable 30g QT with LR, and allot of pods (until I start treatment if needed)...

thanks again!!!

 

[snorvich]

Thanks Steve. I have some Mysis defrosting right now. I'll try to feed them shortly, and let you all know how it goes...

I'm reading that allot of people don't QT these fish as they are so delicate. What are your thoughts on this? I have what I consider to be a comfortable 30g QT with LR, and allot of pods (until I start treatment if needed)...

thanks again!!!

Best to quarantine all fish. I know that many folks do not quarantine sand dwelling (at night) fish and especially those, like Anampses that are considered delicate. But, it is a risk, and especially with a significant embedded base of existing fish.

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Thanks for the reassurance. Once I'm comfortable that they are eating well in QT, I'll start the prazi treatment. I'm still on the fence about cuppramine. I've used it on wrasses in the past, but they were a much hardier species...

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

They are all eating frozen Mysis, and the tamarin is even going after pellets!!!

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

All fish are doing well, and eating Mysis and pellets.

Question for everyone: I have a Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse in my 75g mantis tank that seems to be sworn enemies with the Hoeven's Wrasse that also resides in there.

I'm thinking about moving the Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse to my 225g with the potters and tamarin when they make it out of QT. Do you all see any issues with the Yellow Fin being aggressive to the potters and tamarin in my 225g?

Thanks...

 

[Marshall O]

Use an acclimation box either way, but I have to think it will be fine with your existing Wrasses.

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Well, one of the potters and the tamarin have disappeared under the sand since yesterday. One potters is still out and about and eating.

The potters under the sand has been partially emerged since this morning with only the head above the substrate. It is still breathing from what I can tell. Here's the best picture I could get. Is this normal, or is something wrong? I haven't started prazi yet.

Edit: I know it's probably normal. I'm just a little paranoid...

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

The tamarin is still MIA, but the potters is still inching its way out. Not sure whether I should leave the lights on if it makes it out tonight or turn them out and send the potters back to sleep.

 

[albano]

The tamarin is still MIA, but the potters is still inching its way out. Not sure whether I should leave the lights on if it makes it out tonight or turn them out and send the potters back to sleep.

Leave the lights alone, so it will adjust to your schedule...it has 'jet lag'!

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Cool. Thanks for the input. I run my DT lights from 4:30 pm until midnight. I've been covering the QT to mimic that schedule. I'll continue to do so.

Thanks for the confirmation...

 

[CedzAquAddictio]

Well, the tamarin still has not revealed itself, and the potters that was partially emerged last night is dead. I just found him in the back of the QT under a rock, upside down, and not breathing. I'll remove her after my niece goes to bed, and do a 10g water change.

The other potters is out from sun up to sun down eating pellets, Mysis, etc...

Edit: So, how do I find out if the tamarin is dead? Just monitor for ammonia each day and look for a spike?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Don't go looking for him. If he is still alive it is stressful to him to be dug up, and if he is dead he will be consumed by microfauna with no visible affects in a tank your size.