Sixline Wrasse

[Piggy]

He's not stuck. They do that.

[Ryan]

Umm... Ok he doesn't seem to be moving and I tried to get him out with a cue tip. Should I leave him alone?

[Piggy]

I would leave him. You poking at him will only stress him out. How do you know he's stuck? He's probably trying to hide. Are your lights out?

[Ryan]

They will be.

[Piggy]

Whenever you add a new fish you should turn the lights off. They seem to settle in better and less stress.

[Ryan]

God I feel stupid!!!! And bad!!!!!


He swam up this little hole in the live rock and the only thing you could see was his tail.

[messiah023]

Ryan,

Like others said, just let him be.
Wrasses are very strange fish. At night, they will try to find a hole or sandbed to sleep in. Most wrasses will coat themselves in a white-mucous cocoon while they are sleeping.....he will look dead, but this is a defense mechanism while they sleep.

When the lights go out, I never see my bluehead fairy wrasse. He hides in between some tonga rockwork and turns white! In the morning, he is swimming all over.

Just give him some time to adjust. A wrasse will exhibit ich if you mess with him too much and don't let him adjust.

Keep us updated.

[Ryan]

oh man.... stay on the forum if you can tonight. I'm certainly worried about him. And my wife is about to kill me. I have to be honest here, I tried shaking the rock a bit to get him out before I told you guys this. Very strange if you ask me. My clowns are acting like, "what the heck is going on here"! Lights are off.


Arrrggghhh!!! :grum ble:

[Rcpilot]

Go to bed!!

He'll be fine.................
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unless you keep screwing with him.

My 6-line is the only fish in the 10g tank. He sleeps in a black PVC 90* elbow. He makes a cocoon from some white mucous....kinda like a sleeping bag. They swim up in holes and cracks. Totally normal for them to lay down in a crack or on a ledge. They hide when stressed.........don't you?

Leave him alone.

They naturally swim in and out of all the rock holes and cracks. They prey on copepods and small crustaceans. Having an aquascape with plenty of holes, caves, crevices and ledges is the best environment for him. Thats his natural environment. Think about how small a 6-line wrasse is compared to most reef inhabitants. They get MAX 3 or 4" in the wild. Not exactly intimidating in the big ocean. They are naturally skittish and have adapted to envision the rocks as a place of shelter. Lots of large groupers, lion fish, sharks etc... on a reef. The wrasse has no defense mechanism to fend off predators. They have evolved to swim fast and stay small enough to fit in the smallest crack or hole when spooked.

He's doing what comes natural to him. He's in a new home. He's scared. He doesn't know you aren't trying to eat him. so, he's hiding and he's FREAKED OUT.

LEAVE HIM ALONE. If he dies, then he dies. But don't HELP him die. Leave him alone so his heart rate will drop below 500 and he might survive the night.

Did I mention that you should leave him alone? And turn off the lights. Go to bed. Leave him alone.

[messiah023]

RC,

So what do you suggest here? Leaving him alone or what?