Wrasse question... health   9/3/07 Hi folks, <Chris in China> I have been searching the site for an acceptable solution before sending this off to you, but I would like to confirm my hunch with you. We have a yellow wrasse and purple tang currently in a 150L QT (with skimmer and external filter; pH 8.2; salinity 1.016; ammonia 0; nitrites 0.6ppm [yes, I know these are high, but are using the other QT to house an ich infected PBT and set this one up in a hurry to keep these fish contained ... We do a 30% water change daily]); both have heretofore been eating like pigs. Two days ago, we noticed that the wrasse's upper lip was swollen and today we've noticed it turning brown (a la a bruise). <Not atypical symptoms/circumstances for a Halichoeres chrysus in captivity> Moreover, we've noticed a red line develop on the right side of his head between the corner of its mouth and eye. This also has been accompanied by abbreviated and white stringy poop, which makes me believe that we are dealing with a bacterial infection due to an injury (potentially with the tang). <Maybe> I have been feeding vitamin soaked Mysis and Marin Pearls and the wrasse prefers the latter. As a matter of fact, he just voraciously downed 10 pellets. While his appetite is good now, I am afraid that it could taper quickly. Is this a Flagyl treatable situation? <Perhaps... though to point out, the Flagyl is really a protozoan parasiticide... not useful for much in the way of infectious problems... What really needs to happen is for you to rid this system of the nitrites... IF the two fishes aren't infested with something you intend to treat with that might be absorbed... I would place a few pounds of live rock in the 150> All the best, Chris in China <Bob Fenner in presently-too-hot San Diego, CA, USA>

Halichoeres chloropterus acclimation/survival... Labrid Sel...   8/24/07 I wanted to ask for some input on maximizing the survival of a Green Coris wrasse, Halichoeres chloropterus. I've tried twice now to get one: the first was mail-order and dead when I opened the box. The second, a LFS got for me 2 days ago. They left it in the shipping bag, and I picked it up about 3-4 hours after they had gotten it from the airport. I drip acclimated it into my QT over about 2 hours, and it seemed to be fine the first evening. But all day yesterday, the fish did not look good, and by evening, I knew it was dying. It seemed lethargic and weak. No skin lesions of any kind, not staying at the top of the water, but breathing more labored than it should and lying on the bottom, having to constantly right itself from listing. <Mmmm> My QT currently has a carpenter's wrasse, which I acquired about 1 week ago, and it appeared normal the entire time and still does. The water never showed any ammonia or nitrite, but I added some Prime in case my test kit was off. I thought maybe it was from cyanide or something, so I dipped the fish in methylene blue (in salt water) for 4 minutes, and added an air stone to the tank to maximize oxygen saturation. It was to no avail, as the fish seemed to progressively have trouble breathing and finally died late last night. <Too much stress... better to place such "touchy" species, genera in their own darkened isolation system and leave them alone for a week or two...> The LFS is going to order another one, and I would like to ensure another one isn't killed. Any ideas on why the first would have died, and ways to minimize the risk again would be greatly appreciated! I've kept marine fish for 3 years now, and have a lot of fish and corals in 3 tanks, so the problem isn't purely my inexperience; I just am stumped as to what would have led to the 2nd fish's demise in 1 day like that, leaving the other unaffected. Thanks for your help and a greatly informative site. Scott <Well... these Labrids are on the "skittish" side and quite a few initial losses occur... as you've experienced. Again, really doing very little with them other than careful flushing of metabolites through acclimation... and leaving let be is a very good idea. Bob Fenner>

Weird unexplained wrasse problem!  9/19/05 Hi WWM crew! <Samuel> I have used you archives many times in the past and they have never failed me, thanks for that! <Welcome> This time, I have found a few cases similar to mine but none were resolved or followed up!!! (uh-oh) I have a wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus) I think it is also called a Tailspot wrasse? <Yes, one common name> I have had it for 18 months or so and someone else had it prior to that for a year. I have never had any problems with it but recently introduced a bicolour angel straight into my tank after my quarantine tank sprung a leak after only a week of the angels quarantine. The angel is great (if a little shy and reluctant to take food amongst other fish) But my wrasse has several problems. It seems to have its mouth permanently half open and constantly head butts the front glass with its mouth (no visible damage yet!) But I have seen it quite a few times spontaneously shaking quite violently - one time for a few seconds (very distressing for me and him!) <Not good> It has also had some unusual swimming patterns - up and down up and down in the same spot. It is eating as piggishly as ever and still buries at night. There are no visible signs of disease or parasite within 4 - 5 days of the behaviour. My only thought is some internal parasite but I thought they usually affected appetite! AHH Help me please! Thanks so much crew! <Much more likely a degenerative condition born of nutritional deficiency... I would quickly start supplementing its foods by soaking in a prep. like Zoe, Selcon... Bob Fenner> Radiant wrasse, Bailey's pod show  1/18/06 Dear WWM Crew, <Belinda> :) It is with a heavy heart I tell you I found our beautiful radiant wrasse dead in the tank today.  My guess is he died a day or so ago.  I am not sure why as he had been coming out regularly and was eating. Although he did not stay out all day he was coming out almost every day.  I did notice that when we saw him out last he was swimming sort of humped, with a humped back and I was afraid something might be wrong.  Any ideas? <Not a great answer, but "cumulative stress" likely> I really hate it as we have a yellow wrasse that really liked him.  At least I think it is a yellow wrasse - it is yellow on top white on bottom, with pretty green horizontal lines at his head and tail.   <Likely Halichoeres chrysus...> We would really like to get another one or similar for him because he became really excited and would try to get him to swim with him constantly. Looking on www.liveaquaria.com site it looks like they have a yellow wrasse, a neon wrasse, a Hoeven's wrasse, and of radiant wrasse that looks in the same family as our yellow and white wrasse. <See fishbase.org or WWM with the scientific names...> Do you have a suggestion as to which might be a better friend? <Many choices>   We have tried to pair up as much as possible.  Our sailfin tang and bicolor Rabbitfish seemed to have really hit it off and constantly swim around together. Also have you ever consider doing a radio talk show called "aquarium talk" - something like "car talk" :) <Yes... is done by two (quite) old friends, Nevin and Tom Bailey... and of all things, they live in the same town (San Diego). I should contact them to see if they have a spot. Bob Fenner> Thanks so much, Belinda

Frightened Canary (4/21/04 Hello WWM crew, <Steve Allen with you this evening.> We have had a Canary Wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus) in our tank for about 6-7 months now. He was doing great up until a couple weeks ago. He was really active, swimming around the entire tank, curious, and his feeding/sleeping schedule was like clockwork every day. But lately he's seemed out of sorts.  He disappears for a day or 2 at a time and doesn't come out at his normal time for feeding like he used to. If he does come out, it's usually later at night. We feed him when he comes out and he eats, so we're assuming being hungry isn't the problem. But also, now that he's been gone for longer periods of time we've noticed the other fish (a tomato clown, and a damsel <What kind?> that's being given up for adoption soon) will chase him around and pick on him when he does come out of hiding. They never had problems getting along before. <None that you noticed anyway. I have little doubt that they started at some point before he started to hide and you just didn't happen to be there at the right moment to see it. It does not take much to spook this Wrasse.> We've tested the water, and everything seems normal. His coloring still looks normal too. The Wrasse is our favorite fish, we don't want to lose him. Any idea what might be causing his strange behavior? <The Tomato and the Damsel. They are well known to grow more aggressive with age. This Wrasse is obviously afraid. Unless you have some other aggressive fish, they're the culprits.> How long can he stay in hiding before we should start worrying about him? <You probably have to choose between the Wrasse and the other two. One thing to try first would be to remove the Tomato and the Damsel to a quarantine tank and re-arrange the rocks in the display. Then put them back in after the Wrasse has had a couple of weeks to settle down. However, I fear they will start back up where they left off fairly quickly.> Thanks, Kerry <Hope this helps.>