Sick wrasse

[Jmck]

Ok, so before I went away I had put a cleaner wrasse in my tank.

After getting home, I did a 3am checkup which included a top up, feeding and neatening up of corals which had been knocked off by my starfish and 2 urchins.

Everything seemed great until I saw my wrasse between two rocks with no color, after moving the rocks, he swam away after nipping at me. I saw him then head under my acro. This morning after the lights came on, I could still see him under the acro and he was still looking pale. When i moved the acro he limped off looking like he was struggling to swim, swimming horizontally (side facing the top of the tank) and disappeared to the back, His actions sound as though he has been stung by something or beat up, but the nem is the only thing that could sting him, and he seemed to be the one picking on the foxface before i left, and he is fine.

So interesting, ill try get a picture, im at uni at the moment so im hoping when I get home he will be well.

thanks for any ideas :sfish:

 

[dcantucson]

Maybe the Foxface had enough!

 

[Bifferwine]

Cleaner wrasses do not live long at all in our systems. They are obligate feeders on fish parasites -- they eat nothing else. So if your fish don't have parasites (or if they eat all the parasites), they starve to death. Their typical life span is only a month or so in our tanks. They survive longer at LFSs because they are constantly getting in new fish (and new parasites) for them to eat.

Hobbyists should not buy cleaner wrasses for their home tanks. Instead, get a cleaner goby, which eat fish parasites and other things, so you can at least supplement their diet if you need to.

 

[Jmck]

The fox face did look like he had had enough before I left!

I heard they dont normally live long due to food, but im not sure thats why he is like that? my LFS said they are hard to keep but that they do eat algae sheets. Which I forgot to get my uncle to feed him.

So you think he just doesnt have enough food? should I try and get him out see if I can take him to the LFS so they can nurse him back to health? (no store credit for this guy unfortunately! Cause he did warn me lol)

 

[BL1]

Many fish will change colors or their colors will dull at night as a defense mechanism (foxfaces aren't the only ones that do that). Also, a lot of people have posted on here about the weird sleeping habits of wrasses. It's not uncommon for them to wedge themselves between/under rocks and even buried in the sand. Sounds normal to me.

 

[Jmck]

Thanks Brian, the only thing is lights had been on for 3 hours when I checked on him this morning, so he shouldnt have been under the rock, or light in color still.

I know some fish change but his swimming behavior did not seem normal.

 

[Bifferwine]

They don't eat algae sheets... They are obligate feeders of fish parasites.

 

[Jmck]

Thanks Biff, I guess that was a bit of misinformation! First mistake from my LFS lol

 

[BL1]

Oh ok, when you said 3am I just figured the lights were off

 

[Jmck]

oh at 3am, they were off, but i checked him at 9am as well. I wasnt worried early this morning, just after I had gotten up!

my mistake

 

[yote]

Biffs right.It sounds like the wrasse is starved.
If you want a cool little fish thats easy to keep and will clean parasites off other fish,look at the little neon gobies.

 

[Jmck]

Thanks yote, he actually looks almost identicle to the cleaner wrasse! what does he eat?

and unfortunately, i got home late from uni (went to see the gf after the trip) so havent seen the wrasse tonight. and but have some time tomorrow morning, hopefully he is swimming

 

[PRC]

I got a cleaner goby about a month ago I loved him, and my yellow tang really loved him. alot like a cleaner shrimp he would just set up a service station on a rock, fish would swim over and get cleaned, he'd ride along with them in the tank. The poor little guy jumped after a week or so. Since I don't have a lid, I've got no plans to replace him.

like yote said, they're definitely cool little fish.

 

[Jmck]

Ill definitely look for one, is he a jumper? because my tanks are open lid tanks.

 

[PRC]

Mine jumped, or got pushed:D Are they all jumpers? I can't say.

 

[Jmck]

hahaha unlucky! I havent seen one at my LFS so might have to get it special ordered.

He is cool though.

 

[dcantucson]

Josh I can't believe you would tend to your GF instead of your Wrasse. Man, you've got to get your priorities straight!!!! :lol:

 

[Jmck]

Disappointing isnt it david, I think im losing my addicted status? but I just gained. Woke up right now, 5:30 am to do a run before uni.... and first thing i do before lights are on... LR :D

 

[dcantucson]

How's the Wrasse today?

 

[Jmck]

Its still too early, my lights havent come on. ill post something in about 1 and a half hours because lights will have been on for a little bit. unfortunately, I have uni early today and its a big drive so im acclimating them to early morning t5's so as not to shock them !