Should I add a fake fish to my QT tank?

[djryan2000]

I have a yellow and pink-streaked wrasse together in QT. They're both very timid and don't come out and I don't think they're eating. Its been a few weeks and the yellow especially looks deathly skinny. I don't see either of them come out ever; I accidentally disturbed the sand where the yellow was and that made him come out, that's the only reason I know he's so skinny. For feed I've added live baby brine shrimp, copepods when I first put the wrasses in the tank weeks ago, and added some frozen.

Ive heard that fish will be more inclined to come out if there's a fish in the water, signaling that predators are absent. Could adding some sort of fake fish toy provide this? I'm considering taking my clownfish out of my reef tank and adding him to provide this as I'm confident the wrasses are disease free.. but don't want to risk damaging the water quality of the QT tank.

 

[Sk8r]

I don't think the fake fish would fool them. Adding more cover might encourage them, fake plants, rocks (real) etc. Dim the light. The skinniness could mean parasites, but if not eating, that;s cause enough. If it's been over 2 weeks, and the fish aren't tolerating the conditions but show no signs of illness or parasites, it might be worth the risk depending on the population of the DT and what's at risk there.

 

[djryan2000]

I don't think the fake fish would fool them. Adding more cover might encourage them, fake plants, rocks (real) etc. Dim the light. The skinniness could mean parasites, but if not eating, that;s cause enough. If it's been over 2 weeks, and the fish aren't tolerating the conditions but show no signs of illness or parasites, it might be worth the risk depending on the population of the DT and what's at risk there.

Thank you. The DT only has 1 fish currently so that might be the best course of action. I didn't think of that. My DT is kept at 1.026, while the QT tank is currently at 1.022. How should I recommend getting them to the DT? Should I just add 1.026 water to the QT tank to bring it up a little more and then try to drip the fish?


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