Red Coris Wrasse...Feeds, But Looking Thin -- 11/04/10
Hello, it's Jason again with another question.
<<Hey Jason>>
I purchased a Red Coris Wrasse 3 weeks ago. I have had him in qt since then and he eats ferociously.....nonstop. I do notice though, that his head is slightly bony and I can see his spine when he swims around.
<<Mmm'¦>>
I followed the normal procedures that Bob recommends i.e., keeping up good water quality, vitamin additives, food variety, and well circulated water.
<<Okay>>
If this is a nutrient deficiency can I bring him back or is it too late?
<<I have seen some pretty badly starved fishes brought 'back,' so yes, if the weight loss is from lack of proper foods/feeding before you acquired it, and not loss due to some other complaint (e.g. - damage from the collection process) there is a good chance this fish can recover with plentiful nutritious feedings in a healthy environment>>
Shall I do anything else at this point?
<<Do offer this fish some New Life Spectrum pelleted food (highly nutritious and palatable)'¦and though I'm doubtful this is a parasitic issue as in my experience all specimens stopped feeding well before displaying such weight loss as you describe, trying their 'Thera-A' formula can't hurt.
Thanks everyone.
<<Happy to share'¦ EricR>>
Re: Red Coris Wrasse...Feeds, But Looking Thin -- 11/05/10
Thanks a lot Eric.
<<Quite welcome Jason>>
Actually, I soak Mysis shrimp in Selcon and feed....is that just as good as the New Life Spectrum you were recommending?
<<On its own, no'¦ What you are doing is very good, but the wrasse needs more variety (as do all your fishes) to truly fulfill its nutritional requirements. Some would consider the NLS products an excellent food 'on their own' (have known those who successfully fed this exclusively to breeding Cichlids, large marine fishes'¦and of course, Bob's Goldfish). I prefer to use it in conjunction with other foods (offered daily), and whole-heartedly recommend any hobbyist to add it to their fish-food pantry as a nutritious and palatable offering that will increase color and health/vitality/longevity in any fish that accepts it. EricR>>
R2: Red Coris Wrasse...Feeds, But Looking Thin -- 11/07/10
Definitely not on its own
<<Ah! very good>>
but I meant to plump him up w/high protein and vitamins
<<Understood>>
but thanks so much for your help, have a good weekend.
<<And you, mate... EricR>>

Red Coris Wrasse 18 Jan 2005 I've added a red Coris to my 55 gallon setup, which has a fairly light bio load. In responding to a past question, you had indicated he'd likely be a nice addition to the tank, considering that I got him small, at about 3 inches. He's terrific! He's active, peaceful, and eats a variety of foods, including flakes, seaweed selects green and brown algae, krill, etc. He seems fairly smart too! I've observed him taking pieces of Krill that are a bit too large, and scraping them on the live rock in an obvious effort to shred it so he can get more manageable sized bits. My question is, will he likely grow and change color in this tank? The LFS told me he'd get no more that 6 - 8 inches, but I've since learned that's not necessarily the case. Is the color change a factor of size, age, or both?  I'd love to see this little guy do well and watch the transformation. Are there any other specific foods that he would benefit from, such as to encourage the color change?  Thanks again!! <I like wrasses a lot, and the red Coris is full of so much personality. They can and often do change in the tank. In my experience you have to give them a variety of food and plenty of room to grow in order to encourage them to reach mature size and color. As for foods, make sure you give him foods with plenty of vitamins and variety. Once again in my experience, the change can take a long time. . . years, and they really must have good to great conditions and plenty of room to grow. Good luck, MacL>  

-Yellow tail Coris wrasse- I have a few questions about my yellowtail Coris that I bought a while ago; After the 21 days in QT my yellowtail has been hiding in the sand bed a lot, and I was wondering how to get him to eat during all the others. The first week I didn't see him at all, and lately he'll come out for about 10 minutes; I've been a little successful running to the freezer and stabbing a piece of krill and putting it down in front of him on the feeder stick. Still though he's not staying out very long, and I've hardly gotten him to eat anything compared to the others. <Others? How many fish do you have in this quarantine tank!?> So I have lined up a few questions that might help me insure a long lived life for this beautiful creature: 1) If this continues how long can he go without food until I need to get worried? <Start worrying now, if he's in the sandbed, something has spooked him. From your above description, it sounds like you're not quarantining singly (which you should), so he may be getting stressed out by the other fish.> 2) On average when he does get fully introduced to the tank how long will he stay out of the sand bed, and around in the tank? <They're generally out during the day.> 3) What foods would you highly recommend for long lasting health? (I have krill, prawn, squid, silversides, formula 1 and 2 pellets, brine shrimp, and a few others on hand now) <Any kind of meaty seafood besides brine shrimp will be fine. Brine is ok too, but there's better foods out there.> 4) Also 2" of fine sand bed is all he's going to need for his adult years right, because he's doing awesome now but he's only about 5 - 6 inches. <Should be ok. I hope this helps! -Kevin> Thanks so much for the advice -- Nathan M

Red Coris wrasse Good Morning all...I hope this day finds your tanks healthy, <<and you as well>> I bought a Red Coris (juvenile Yellow tail) wrasse. I watched this little guy about (3 inches) in the LFS for over two weeks in a quarantine tank, the owner was kind enough to leave him in there for me all by his lonesome since I had taken down my QT tank because I didn't plan on adding any fish to my tank. I have a Pseudochromis Paccagnellae and a Chrysiptera Cyanea in a 45 gallon fish only tank. I watched him eat and swim normally in the QT tank, he was in there for a total of three weeks, my LFS QT's all fish for one week before moving them to his for sale display tanks. Well now that I have him at home in my tank it has been about two weeks, he is not acting right... He spends the entire day swimming up and down in the right front corner of my tank up down up down all day its enough to make a person nuts. and I have read a few articles that say juveniles of this species are difficult to keep alive, can you tell me why? <<Most are lost to mis-care, or collective trauma from collection, shipping, holding, and delivery to your home.>> he is eating but not as well as my other fish, and the Pseudochromis doesn't seem to appreciate him being in the tank at all, what a nasty little bugger. <<This is not at all uncommon for a Dottyback - very mean for such a small fish.>> I have added a few inches of soft material for the wrasse to burrow into in the corner which he did find and uses nightly or when ever frightened, The other fish have not physically hurt him in any way no torn fins... not breathing hard, just not eating as well as I think he should and up down up down all stinking day...he does seem thin to me...and I have never seen him flair his tail open it is always gathered...the other two fish in this tank have been in there for a long time I moved the decor around as to upset territory and the wrasse has his sand bed to hide in ...I have tried several kinds of food I feed my fish a variety of foods he just nibbles on a few pieces, while the other two greedily gobble up what ever is offered. Any clues?.... Cherri Thanks in advance for your response! <<Cherri, there are some clues... first the Dottyback. I would re-consider keeping this fish; they're just too mean to keep anything else with them, and it could very well bother your Coris to death. Next the tank itself is a little small - a typical Coris wrasse will reach at least 8" and some as much as a foot, and all this at a very rapid pace. You will want to consider a larger system in the near future. As for the feeding and quarantine, even though this fella was quarantined at the store, you should still keep incoming fish in a separate tank to give them time to adjust to you and your feeding practices without other fish hassling them. As for feeding, the fact the wrasse is not eating a lot is not a good sign but not reason to give up hope - these fish are greedy eaters, and not typically picky about their food in the least. In fact, with a healthy Coris, you should be concerned that the other tank inhabitants get a chance to eat. With that said, you should really be throwing the kitchen sink at this fish in an attempt to create some better interest in food - perhaps you don't have the fave. If you haven't you might try Mysis, shrimp, clams, squid - I think you'll have some better luck. Lastly, it's only been two weeks since you introduced this fish, and in my opinion it usually takes a month or more for a new fish to feel comfortable in a new system. Give this article a read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/Coris/gaimard.htm Cheers, J -- >>

Coris Gaimard Wrasse in Seclusion Hi Lorenzo, <Bob back again...> Thanks for filling in! I introduced a Coris Gaimard to my aquarium, exactly one week ago. He immediately dove in to the substrate and has hidden there ever since. He doesn't come up to swim or to eat. I know he is alive because I see undulations under the sand. I'm getting worried... Is there anything I should or can do? Your advise would be appreciated, Thank you, Jennifer <Hmm, not much really... best to wait... this specimen will "pop up" if/when it is ready... likely is coming out at night to check out the real estate. Do try offerings of bite-size meaty foods toward "lights out" time... this may hasten the unburrowing of your Coris. Bob Fenner>