wrasse trouble

[ribki]

Hello, I am fairly new at this and would like some help. My wrasse has been very anti-social for some time now. I have yet to get a lid for my tank and as a result, this fish has jumped out on multiple occasions. I wonder if that has traumatized him on some level, because he rarely comes out of hiding. I have 3 chromis, 1 blue damsel, 2 mexican snails, 1 hermit crab, and 2 shrimp. Also have a sun coral in a 30 gallon tank. I used to have a bristle worm problem, but since getting this wrasse it's been a whole lot better. Any advice? I want every little guy in my tank to be happy and this wrasse seems to be miserable.

[saltysailor2329]

Well I would definitely say that the first thing you need to do is get a lid. What if you fell into the water on multiple occasions and struggled to breathe and had to be saved each and every time...think that you would be very anti-social? I would be.

[Fish_King_25]

+1 on getting a lid. If temp or evaporation issues are a problem, and for whatever reason you don't want to cover the top of your tank completely, get some type of netting and make a DIY top that allows airflow, but will prevent any carpet surfing.

[ribki]

I've been meaning to get a lid, it's just that I am on a college budget and they're like $50! It will be my next purchase, for sure. The water evaporating so quickly and the noise is bothersome. Thanks for the push, guys. As for further advice, what else can I do to make my tank a better home for the wrasse? He is so beautiful and I would really like to see him come out more often. He is the largest (and most expensive) fish I have in there, after all.

[xCry0x]

I bought like 20 feet of window screen for $5 at home depot, that is all you need. A solid lid is bad, it prevents gas exchange.

I would get rid of the chromies and damsels, I would not be surprised if it is stressed out in part because of how aggressive those fish are. We have a few chromies in our 550g tank at work and the stupid little standard blue/green alpha chromie attacks all the fish in the tank including the formosa wrasse, spiny puffer, emperor angel & clown trigger (aka fish MUCH larger than it).

Damsels & chromies can be very pretty but they are not naturally friendly schooling fish in tight quarters like LFS sell them off to be by putting 30 in a tank.

If you want a fish that groups up more consider firefish or cardinals.

[sponger0]

What kind of wrasse?

How long have you had the wrasse?

You can make a lid for less than $50. BRS netting $20 or from Home Depot for $10. The frame and all other items you can get for less than $10

[xCry0x]

The frame and all other items you can get for less than $10

Scissors and Tape ;)

[sponger0]

Scissors and Tape ;)

Sure....if you wanna ghettofy it lol

[ribki]

Thanks for all the great input, guys. I do like the idea of saving some major money and creating one myself, but the one thing that I don't like about a top made of netting is that the water will still evaporate at the same rate. Also, the times that the tail-spot a.k.a. hoevens wrasse has jumped out is when I am in the middle of vacuuming the tank, so the lid would be off anyway. The reason I got the damsel fish is because they are great starters and are on the cheap. You are right about their aggression, those pesky little guys.

[sponger0]

My tank has the lid off alot. My wrassehas never jumped out. The main reason yours might be is the size of the tank. If you notice how they swim, they arent per se jumping out but darting through the water. Your tank isnt big enough.

So if you dont wanna do netting? What do you plan on for a lid? If you put glass your going to have a heat issue.

[SKurj]

What I have done for my tank in preparation for a Hoeven's... (he goes in today)

I got some egg crate (light diffuser) and made 2 pieces for the rear of my tank to accomodate all my hob gear. I then ordered some 1/4 clear mesh from BRS and went to home depot and got the pieces to make custom sized window screens. I have a 4 ft tank with a center divider, so I have 4 sections total covering the tank.

If you make something in multiple sections you could then just uncover the section you are working on and leave the rest covered.

You don't want to stop evaporation. I tried glass lids and what a mess, always having to clean them, the clear screens work great, don't block light, don't get dirty, and are easier to work with.

[ribki]

Those are some creative ideas! I realize that my tank is small and would love an upgrade, I've been searching craigslist for a good deal on a larger tank. That is part of the reason I have yet to get a lid, and now I learn that there would be issues with temp. and gas exchange if I were to install one thanks to you guys. My plan for now is to continue the search for a larger tank, once acquired I'll make a lid of netting. Sounds like that would be the consensus?

[sponger0]

I would make one now, or rehome the wrasse for a better suited tank.

[SKurj]

You can make the screens pretty cheaply and reuse the parts on a larger tank you just may need to cut some longer frame pieces. The netting is fairly cheap and you get way more than you need so you will have lots for the next tank.

Some guys get away with uncovered tanks and wrasses but it sounds like yours isn't going to learn its' lesson.

[ribki]

I just put an offer in for a 55 gallon tank. I love my little wrasse and will put the effort into upgrading now so that he can live a happy little life. I will go to home depot and purchase some screen for the lid as well. Thanks for the help, guys! Really appreciate it :)

[SKurj]

My Hoeven's wrasse has been in the Display Tank since Friday night. He just made his first attemtp to escape...

I can sit in front of the tank and watch him all day and everything is fine, but as soon as I pull out the iPhone to take pictures he goes into panic mode. The eggcrate stopped him from finding the carpet.

Now the only other troubles besides hating my iphone, is that he likes to kick sand everywhere occasionally, all over corals etc.. Its not worth blowing them off it seems because he just does it again as soon as they are cleaned...

Getting more than I bargained for with this fish..