Picked up a Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse...weee...

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Ill get some pics once he gets acclimated. Hes going into a 29 gallon QT with 40 lbs of LR and a glass top.

This is my first "step up" fish (something other than a damsel or clown), anything in particular i should be doing? He was eating frozen brine at the store, but it was a little timid because there was a wrasse twice his size in the same tank...so it was mostly hiding under a large rock.

[IFbettas]

You'll really like this fish. My first fairy wrasse was a lubbock's too. I hope you don't still have the damsels you mentioned keeping. This wrasse is quite shy. When I got my second one he got picked on constantly and hid for a week before coming out. Eventually he got killed by an aggressive sixline wrasse. Make sure that the you only have peaceful fish. Good luck!

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Lucky for the damsel he is the an A-typical damsel. Or else he would have been long gone (I had 6....). Im more worried about the clowns, they get fiesty with the damsel sometimes...so im hoping thats only because they are closely related and not a an ongoing thing.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Its been 24 hours and he is still pretty much hiding, staying in a cave on the bottom of the QT tank.

He does swim around, mostly to hide from me i guess...i broadcast fed some frozen brine and i could see it make a quick motion when the cloud came near it. But to be honest, i could not see a feeding response or anything close.

I know its only been 24 hours, but im used to my new fish eating by now...should i be trying something different?

[John Zillmer]

Lubbock's are really hidey, even after they get comfortable. They are really hardy, so don't worry -- he'll be fine. The main reason they die is from jumping -- keep a lid on it!

Like above posts mention, keep a close eye on aggression from other fish -- mine jumped after too much abuse from a lyretail anthias.

Oh, and make sure it can't jump out of the tank. Did I mention that?

Cool fish, though. Underrated, IMO.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Well that makes me feel better:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/jgs240/DSCN1414.jpg

Here is a crummy pic of where it hides in the little nook.

[SDguy]

One of the whimpier fairy wrasses, IME. But I agree, TOTALLY underated!

Mine is over three years old now.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/Fish%20Pics%2011-8-06/Lubbockswithgorgonian.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/Fish%20Pics%203-24-08/LubbocksFairywrasse.jpg

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Wow...beautiful fish. What does he eat? *looking down the road* how would i go about getting a female with him? Is that possible?

[SDguy]

Mine eats everything I toss in the tank.

I have not tried to add any females.

[Luiz Rocha]

Very nice, keep in mind that they will have a lot of color variation depending on where they were collected.

This one I photographed in Bali:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki1.jpg

And this one at the Philippines:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki2.jpg

[SDguy]

Aren't there even more varieties?

[Luiz Rocha]

Aren't there even more varieties?

Yep, like 3 or 4. Rudie Kuiter considers them different species, but most other ichthyologists (including Gerry Allen and Jack Randall) do not. Only genetics will tell :)

[flameangel88]

You folks keep posting those beautiful wrasse pictures I may end up getting another tank just for wrasse before the upgrade. :)

[super1man]

love the color of the fairy wrasse

[wrasseguy2]

Very nice, keep in mind that they will have a lot of color variation depending on where they were collected.

This one I photographed in Bali:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki1.jpg

And this one at the Philippines:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki2.jpg

i have kept both of those varients and i have seen two others...cool fish one of my favorites

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Just checked in on him again, and again i fed some brine shrimp/bloodworm mixture to his area in the tank. Because of his location i still can not verify he is eating...i will have to setup a flashlight to shine into the cave so i can see better before i feed tomorrow.

At any rate, the body is in good shape the stomach is still rotund, the fins are in great shape and it does not appear to be in any distress. I guess just time is all it will take to get him to warm up to eating out in the open.

Also, Luiz...awesome photos. Thanks for sharing! I beleive i have the Bali variant you posted.

[pecdo]

i have had a lubbcock for about 2 years. for the first few days he hid, but ultimately the call of all that tasty food the other fish were getting brought him out.

[richie shepherd]

nice fish

[1DeR9_3Hy]

i have kept both of those varients and i have seen two others...cool fish one of my favorites

Looking back at it now, these guys look like parikinsoni rainbows (FW). Could be why i am so drawn to them, ive kept rainbows for a decade.

[jubjub]

yeah mine hid for a few days after i got him...great fish soo much color mine was sooo fat then he jumped through a small hole in my tank......ran in the front room when i heard the noise...but the dogs got to him before me....UGH....so yeah even though they are super duper fat they can still jump..

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Its a gonner. I checked on it last night before going out, and it was the same old same old. I went down this morning to turn the light, and it was laying just outside of it cave on its back on the substrate.

Its got to be something on my end, this is the second wrasse that has not made it though QT in a month. Maybe someone can review my setup and point out something i am not doing.

The QT tank:

29 gallon
30-40 lbs of year old LR
20 lbs of oolite sand
one Koralia 2 pointed at the surface about 3" down the water line
One air pump hooked up to a rigid air line tube that is on the other end of the tank to move water past the heater
standard T5's 10K as lighting (i keep the tank dark for the first 48, then 6 hours a day there after for feeding purposes)
1.024 s.g
0 readings on NH3, No2, and 20-40 ppm on No3
77-79 F temp, it never sways outside of that range


I dont keep copper/other meds in the water. If the fish requires treatment i will add it then, but ive never had to take care of any issues like that.

Any suggestions or ideas?

[bradleyj]

Sorry for your loss.
This is just my personal opinion, but I like to add the wrasses straight to my D/T .
They are stressed enough at it is.
I use an acclimation box now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v714/tileman/IMG_5756.jpg

[IFbettas]

What is the orange wrasse in the back left of that picture?

[bradleyj]

My Tongan flame wrasse

[IFbettas]

It's an awesome fish! Do you know the scientific name by chance? thanks.

[wrasseguy2]

i don't think that it has been named yet

[IFbettas]

i don't think that it has been named yet

That's what I was afraid of. That will probably make it harder to find one.

[John Zillmer]

Sorry for your loss.
This is just my personal opinion, but I like to add the wrasses straight to my D/T .
They are stressed enough at it is.
I use an acclimation box now.


I don't want to turn this into an 'acclimate or not?' thread, but you might try skipping the quarantine. After all, you did the QT by the book, it seems to me, so skipping it seems the only reasonable way to improve your procedure.

I agree that new fish are stressed enough, and after years of going back and forth on the matter and trying both ways, I've decided that keeping fish calm and feeling secure is more important than the low chance that some pathogen will be introduced to the tank that is not already in there.

Really, seems you did everything quite conscientiously. Lubbock's are typically very hardy (for a fairy wrasse, anyway) -- perhaps your source for these fish is the weak link? Try a different vendor, perhaps.

Good luck!

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I don't want to turn this into an 'acclimate or not?' thread, but you might try skipping the quarantine. After all, you did the QT by the book, it seems to me, so skipping it seems the only reasonable way to improve your procedure.

I agree that new fish are stressed enough, and after years of going back and forth on the matter and trying both ways, I've decided that keeping fish calm and feeling secure is more important than the low chance that some pathogen will be introduced to the tank that is not already in there.

Really, seems you did everything quite conscientiously. Lubbock's are typically very hardy (for a fairy wrasse, anyway) -- perhaps your source for these fish is the weak link? Try a different vendor, perhaps.

Good luck!

Thanks for the words.

The problem i see is that wrasses seem to move very quickly in my area. Which means they are only in stock tanks for 1-7 days before they sell out. I hate buying fish that have just been moved, and moreover i hate buying fish that have not proven themselves in captivity. But i really dont have any other choices since every time i look at the arrival date on a wrasse its less than a week ago.

IF i try another wrasse, ill wait until i can find one that's been in a healthy system for a 2 or more weeks and that is eating (although both of the last ones i bought have been eating well before i brought them home). Then i might just go straight to the DT...depending on how the fish looks.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I was back the the same store today, and saw a carpenter that was dated 11-14...but passed in favor of a starry blenny that had been there 3 weeks and a C. Loriculus that had been there even longer.

Im skipping QT with these guys as they both ate like pigs and i was able to observe them for 30 minutes and could not see any visible damage/parasites. Ill go out on a limb here and say i am making the right move this time.

There in bags temp acclimating now. The angel had a pH of 8.0 and a s.g of 1.025, and the blenny had a pH of 7.8 and a S.g of 1.021. My tanks params are 7.9 and 1.025...so this should not be too bad.

[John Zillmer]

Starry blennies are decent fish, IMO. Hardy, fun, usually well-mannered. Flame angels are not my favorite -- watch out for ick on yours, not necessarily now (was it in copper at the LFS? I'll bet.) but throughout the next couple weeks. Hopefully yours stays healthy and well-behaved. Good luck!

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Starry blennies are decent fish, IMO. Hardy, fun, usually well-mannered. Flame angels are not my favorite -- watch out for ick on yours, not necessarily now (was it in copper at the LFS? I'll bet.) but throughout the next couple weeks. Hopefully yours stays healthy and well-behaved. Good luck!

Thanks for the heads up on the flame....its fat enough and large enough that i am still on the edge about QT'ing it...i think it would be a good candidate...but as you see I have a bad track record with QT.

Opinions while its still in the bag?

EDIT: Just called the LFS, they said they have not run copper in that system in over a year. And with the amount of water changed out he said it will probably test positive, but not enough to really be affective on treating anything.

[John Zillmer]

Since it doesn't have an active external parasite infestation right at the moment, I think you ought to continue acclimating directly to the DT.

My habit with new fish that are prone to ick (angels, tangs, clown gobies) is to mix Metronidazole into the food for the tank every other day for a week or so. I've used this as an adjunct to FW dips for treating active infestations of ick, and it seems to help. I understand this isn't a standard treatment, but there's plenty of evidence of Metro's efficacy in treating other protozoan infections, too.

Whatever you do, just keep an eye on it (I'm sure you will...).

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Since it doesn't have an active external parasite infestation right at the moment, I think you ought to continue acclimating directly to the DT.

My habit with new fish that are prone to ick (angels, tangs, clown gobies) is to mix Metronidazole into the food for the tank every other day for a week or so. I've used this as an adjunct to FW dips for treating active infestations of ick, and it seems to help. I understand this isn't a standard treatment, but there's plenty of evidence of Metro's efficacy in treating other protozoan infections, too.

Whatever you do, just keep an eye on it (I'm sure you will...).

Thanks :)

How is it that a antibiotic aids in the treatment of protozoan infections? Does it help the fish fight off secondary bacterial infections that weaken it during the battle with the first infection?

P.S. The angel is in, and looks to be doing well. Its already picked at a few rocks, met the clowns and kept picking at rocks.

[John Zillmer]

Sounds like the angel is happy already. Nice.

My understanding is that a bacteria and a protozoan are pretty similar things. Someone could certainly educate me on this matter, though. Whatever the case, Metro is an considered an antiprotozoal agent (I've heard it called an 'antibiotic', too, but consider that a machine gun is an antibiotic of sorts) by both aquarists and the medical profession. Aquarists use Metro most commonly to treat the protozoan Hexamita in Discus. Metro is a moderately decent treatment for malaria (a protozoan infection) in humans. Oh, and it is used to treat intestinal protozoa in reptiles, too. So, if it is actually effective against ick as I think it is, it is directly effective against the ick parasite.

[Scott-CapeCoral]

Very nice, keep in mind that they will have a lot of color variation depending on where they were collected.

This one I photographed in Bali:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki1.jpg

And this one at the Philippines:
http://www.luizrocha.com/fish/C_lubbocki2.jpg

Awesome, and you took these photos yourself? Great camera!

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Sounds like the angel is happy already. Nice.

My understanding is that a bacteria and a protozoan are pretty similar things. Someone could certainly educate me on this matter, though. Whatever the case, Metro is an considered an antiprotozoal agent (I've heard it called an 'antibiotic', too, but consider that a machine gun is an antibiotic of sorts) by both aquarists and the medical profession. Aquarists use Metro most commonly to treat the protozoan Hexamita in Discus. Metro is a moderately decent treatment for malaria (a protozoan infection) in humans. Oh, and it is used to treat intestinal protozoa in reptiles, too. So, if it is actually effective against ick as I think it is, it is directly effective against the ick parasite.

Good to know! I just lumped it into the "Antibiotic" treatment and dismissed it as that. Ill have to pick up a little bottle of it next time im out.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Reporting in:

Both of them are eating brine, so long as they dont bring in a disease....i would call this a success.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Pics at last:

Ugly the starry blenny
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/jgs240/DSCF1880.jpg

And 'as yet to be named by wife' C. Loriculis
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f80/jgs240/DSCF1879.jpg

The angel is getting a little picky about what it eats. It samples a lot, but rejected everything i saw it take into its mouth today (brine, mysis, krill bits...but i had some nori on a clip all night....could it have filled up on that?)

The blenny goes nuts for H20 foods Fish & Reef #2. Great fish!

[John Zillmer]

The angel is getting a little picky about what it eats. It samples a lot, but rejected everything i saw it take into its mouth today (brine, mysis, krill bits...but i had some nori on a clip all night....could it have filled up on that?)
!


What exactly was it eating at the LFS? Try that.

I think that fish that are rock-pickers can satisfy their hunger enough with what they find on the live rock until they (a) eat everything off the rock that is palatable to them, and/or (b) figure out that even though frozen mysis doesn't taste as good as live amphipods, it does fill the belly. And your angel could well have eaten a bunch of nori.

If it was eating well at the LFS, I would just offer it food regularly until it gets comfortable in your tank.

Nice name for the starry, BTW:)

[Korrine]

oo sorry about that wrasse :(

Nice pick ups in the new fish :) Any more photos?

[CeeGee]

if you are going to keep wrasses in quarantine it is imperative that the quarantine is up to the same standards of water quality as your main tank. Also lots of decorations (not just PVC pipe) is a good measure (fake corals, plastic plants, and the like) are a good idea as it will give the fish a sense of security.

Also it is not easy to locate a healthy lubbocks. They can originate from the Philippines and we all know what that means. If you find a healthy one however they are very easy to maintain in captivity unless they jump out of the tank or have a bad encounter with the return pump in the sump :( I speak from experience.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

What exactly was it eating at the LFS? Try that.

I think that fish that are rock-pickers can satisfy their hunger enough with what they find on the live rock until they (a) eat everything off the rock that is palatable to them, and/or (b) figure out that even though frozen mysis doesn't taste as good as live amphipods, it does fill the belly. And your angel could well have eaten a bunch of nori.

If it was eating well at the LFS, I would just offer it food regularly until it gets comfortable in your tank.

Nice name for the starry, BTW:)

lol...ugly has been getting a little fiesty with the angel, but i beleive that is because the angel was picking at the same rock he was eating on.

I have yet to offer i PE mysis, which will be done tomorrow. I fed heavy yesterday because the blenny was willing...i figured if he will eat, i will keep feeding him for now.

The angel went crazy for frozen brine, so it might just be settling in.

oo sorry about that wrasse :(

Nice pick ups in the new fish :) Any more photos?

Ill keep the camera near by should the angel decide to slow down long enough to get a better shot :)

if you are going to keep wrasses in quarantine it is imperative that the quarantine is up to the same standards of water quality as your main tank. Also lots of decorations (not just PVC pipe) is a good measure (fake corals, plastic plants, and the like) are a good idea as it will give the fish a sense of security.

Also it is not easy to locate a healthy lubbocks. They can originate from the Philippines and we all know what that means. If you find a healthy one however they are very easy to maintain in captivity unless they jump out of the tank or have a bad encounter with the return pump in the sump :( I speak from experience.


Thanks for the tips, how would a lubbocks go with the current combo of fish i have?

Im going to give it a few months and see how this combo shakes out as far as how my tank handles the bio load and how the fish get a long...but i may get another wrasse.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

A little update:

Everyone is happy, and everyone is eating well...except the angel.

I have tried all of the follwing atleast 2 times:

Ocean nutrition brineshrimp +
Ocean nutrition Dwarf angel formula
H20 foods Fish & Reef 2 (herbivore diet)
H20 foods fish & reef 1 (omnivore)
PE Mysis
H20 mini mysis
H20 Cyclops
Ocean nutrition formula 1 pellet
NLS Thera A small fish pellet
H20 foods Clams on the half shell
Brine shrimp
flake

All the frozen foods were fed with and without garlic additive. All the fish have gone crazy when i feed those foods, expect the angel that picks at the pieces but always spits them out. The only thing it eats is an occasional part of a H20 mini mysis that has been torn apart, and even then it only eats 1-2 tiny pieces. Everything else its spits out after sampling it.

It spends most of its time picking at my rocks (i dont have any algae either...), and when i turn off my power heads to feed it is the first critter to climb in the powerhead and eat the algal film off from the parts.

Any ideas? It looks to me like its getting a pinched stomach.

[John Zillmer]

It spends most of its time picking at my rocks (i dont have any algae either...), and when i turn off my power heads to feed it is the first critter to climb in the powerhead and eat the algal film off from the parts.

Any ideas?

Sounds like the angel is getting what it wants from browsing, though not enough quantity. Maybe let the tank get a little dirty, or overfeed a bit. Get some algae growing. Can you remove some of the other herbivores to a 'fuge or different tank?

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Thats what im guessing as well, judging by what it does all day. I have a bunch of astrea snails and a starry blenny, but i am not too keen on moving the starry blenny into the prop tank (it seems to like to lose fish) and the snails seem to eat more.

If i can easily catch the angel ill trade him into another lfs or to someone with a bigger, dirtier tank that wants a c. angel. Or if he makes it to my break down (around 6 months from now), then i can trade it in then.

Two herbivores in a small cube tank....not a good combo.

[Big E]

if you are going to keep wrasses in quarantine it is imperative that the quarantine is up to the same standards of water quality as your main tank. Also lots of decorations (not just PVC pipe) is a good measure (fake corals, plastic plants, and the like) are a good idea as it will give the fish a sense of security.

Also it is not easy to locate a healthy lubbocks. They can originate from the Philippines and we all know what that means. If you find a healthy one however they are very easy to maintain in captivity unless they jump out of the tank or have a bad encounter with the return pump in the sump I speak from experience.

I couldn't agree more...............I don't understand why people blame a properly set up QT tank when a new fish dies. You should thank your stars that this fish didn't kill or contaminate your display tank.

For the angel,try Nori & fresh seafood chopped to size(shrimp,clam,& scallops) If you still have that QT tank running I'd put it in there where you can concentrate on feeding it so the other fish aren't eating the food.

The fact he's sampling the food means he wants to eat but doesn't like the taste or texture of the food. That's another reason why I like a bare QT, if the fish is hungry, eventually he'll stop spitting out that food when there aren't tidbits on rock to prefer over the food.

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I couldn't agree more...............I don't understand why people blame a properly set up QT tank when a new fish dies. You should thank your stars that this fish didn't kill or contaminate your display tank.

For the angel,try Nori & fresh seafood chopped to size(shrimp,clam,& scallops) If you still have that QT tank running I'd put it in there where you can concentrate on feeding it so the other fish aren't eating the food.

The fact he's sampling the food means he wants to eat but doesn't like the taste or texture of the food. That's another reason why I like a bare QT, if the fish is hungry, eventually he'll stop spitting out that food when there aren't tidbits on rock to prefer over the food.

The QT tank had about 40 lbs of LR (in a standard 29 gallon) and 20 lbs of live sand. The water params were actually better than in my display...its a moot point now though, its been taken down for a good while.

Ive tried nori, soaked and un soaked as well as brown and red algae soaked and unsoaked. I have not tried fresh seafood though, thanks for the idea!