Red Coris Wrasse

[triguy]

I bought an adult red coris wrasse a little over a month ago. For the first two weeks, it was always out, turning over every rock rubble and frag plug on the sand bed looking for food. It was also eating frozen foods, so it was a healthy fish, not being bothered by any of my other fish.

Then around the third week, I wasn't seeing him much, but maybe an hour of the day. I figured it was coming out when I was at work. Later that week, it stopped coming out altogether. I thought maybe it had died, but then the weekend came, and sure enough, there he was again for a short period of time.

So, I'm relieved to know it is alive, but then a day or two later, I see it's head sticking out of the sand. I thought maybe it was stuck, under a colony I have on the sandbed, so I gently helped it out. It didn't swim around, but rolled over on its side, almost looked like it was dieing, but I was hoping it was just still asleep and I had woken it up.

It's been two weeks since that night, and I have not seen it at all. Not even on the weekends. I've never had any wrasse stay buried this long, so I am beginning to think it is dead. Wouldn't I see signs of the body if it died? It wasn't a small juvi, but a 4" adult. And how long can they stayed buried?

Any thoughts?

[randomfishguy85]

do you have a clean up crew? if so, if it died, they will take care of it. They will stay buried until they feel comfortable coming out, just be patient. But next time they are in the sandbed or partially in the sandbed, leave them there.

[Dmorty217]

If you haven't seen the fish in two weeks not even during feedings and you were seeing him before during this time, it's probably a bad sign. If you have a clean up crew or a brittle or serpent star it would of taken care of the fish and you would probably never know it. I have lost 2 fish before in my tank that weren't found dried up on the floor and was never found in the tank again

[pinnatus]

I don't see mine very often because he usually doesn't get up till after I leave for work and is asleep when I get home. I see him on the weekends, or occasionally in the morning if he gets up early.

He did go missing for several weeks, but I found him living in the overflow. Put back in the tank and all is well.

:lol:

[triggreef]

The time of the day when you are observing is key. Mine is usually up shortly after the light comes on but he retires always well before lights out. Time in between though he is always hunting. Even after he is plenty fat.

[triguy]

I'm pretty sure there has been one weekend since I haven't seen him. I have the next 4 days off, so hoping I get a nice surprise and see it come out. If not, then I'm thinking maybe he died and as mentioned, my snails, hermits, starfish took care of it.