Missing Christmas Wrasse

[orcafood]

I just put a Christmas Wrasse into my 90g last weekend. In the beginning (first few days) it came out. Now for the past 3 days it has been missing. Is this normal? What should I do?

[snorvich]

Water parameters? Other fish? Probably buried. I would not disturb.

[650-IS350]

Most wrasses I believe have the capability to dive in to the sand for protection. Some though if too stressed or scared stay down their and just perish. Depending if they are being harrased.

[snorvich]

Totally agree.

[tweetyfish]

Could have jumped out into the overflow.

[orcafood]

It is not in the overflow. While out, no one harassed it.
Water parameters are near perfect ex. There is many Acropora thriving.

I guess its just hiding? The sand is a little coarse, but I have still seen him dive into it before.

[650-IS350]

I had a Lineatus get harassed to death by another one, the harrassed one hid for 4 days straight and never saw it again. Knew it died cause my nutrient levels flew up.

[orcafood]

There is/was nothing harassing the wrasse at all. Has anyone ever had a wrasse hide for a few days then just come out again?

[ThePhytoMan]

This may not be what you want to hear, but here goes:

I have tried fairy wrasses on three different ocasions. The first 2 went badly: they simply vanished after a day or so. No trace.

3 weeks ago I decided to purchase anothe rone and monitor closely, find it's night hiding spot and make sure he was alive.

When out and swimming, I made sure to feed a little extra to avoid having the other fish pick on him.

All is well with him so far.

So, in your case, he may have gone to the same location my first went - but don't give up if you like the fish.

[orcafood]

Man, thanks for the input. That is too bad, this wrasse was a gorgeous specimen which was the main reason I got him. He was doing so well, and feeding, I don't really know what went wrong. Do you think he is dead in the sand somewhere? I could shift my fingers through the sand if you think that would help locate him.

Also, I had already had him for more along the lines of 11 days when he vanished not 3 I miscalculated.

[revaltion131]

I wouldn't count him as dead until you see a congregation of CUC members on a certain spot in the sand. It is normal for sand-sleeping wrasses to dissappear for a few days at a time, but I would check under your rockwork to make sure it's not laying ontop of the sand under there.

I had good friend that had excellent luck with a leopard wrasse, then it dissappeared for a few days. It went up under one of their base rocks and got stuck there. Somehow, my pygmy angel ended up doing the same thing in my tank.

[orcafood]

That is what I was thinking, because I never saw any congregation of cleanup crew members. If it stuck under a rock, what do I do, just lift up all the rocks? I think I will try that.

[orcafood]

I just took half of the coral/rocks out of my tank, and sifted my fingers through the sand. It wasn't there. I guess it's on the left side.

On the upside, I just found some hitch-hiking cespitularia on the backside of my milleopora. I never even knew it was there :)

[chefcarl]

Do you have the tank covered well? Might have jumped out. Have found 6 line and fairy wrasses under my stand after jumping.

[lilalove]

I've had two failed attempts with wrasses. One was a velvet wrasse....it was healthy and eating at the LFS. In my tank it swam around for a couple of days, and then I found it dead on day 3. I recently bought a Christmas wrasse as well (H. ornatissimus) it was the largest thing in my tank.....same thing. Swam around and ate first 3 days, then went missing. I found it's hiding spot, and it survived for 2 days before I found it dead in that same spot. From what I saw, neither fish were being harrassed by the older crew. But then again, I can't watch the tank all day. I do have an H. Chrysus in there who has been with me for 4 years.....I dunno. I've sworn off wrasses for a few months.

[orcafood]

I haven't seen my christmas wrasse for 5 days now. Should I consider it dead, or is there a possibility that a 4in christmas wrasse could be hiding in my 90g?

I had him for about a week, then he vanished.

[orcafood]

Sorry for the double post, but does anyone know what the latin name of this wrasse is. Here are some pictures. It came as H. Cometes

http://www.carolinafishtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5169