Wrasse question for Jerel, or anyone else

cath · 07-12-2001, 11:42 PM

The wrasse that I've had for 3 weeks has started to swim rather oddly. (not sure what kind of wrasse, but it's pink like a FW gourami with a black dot in front of it's tail)

Anyway, these past three weeks it seemed as though Mr. Spot was enjoying the current of the water. Swimming around, up and down, just like a kid. But tonight I noticed that he would suddenly do a sharp movement, almost like a twitch. I noticed that he bumped into the glass a couple of times. Kind of disoriented.

FYI, the wrasse is the only fish in the tank, but I have a peppermint (maybe 2) and perhaps a pistol or mantis hiding like the troll under the bridge.

Water conditions are fine.

Got any ideas?

horge · 07-12-2001, 11:54 PM

Wrasses can be easily startled --was this possible when you saw it crash the glass?

The smaller wrasses (Coris etc.) often respond to danger by diving into the substrate. So they might go for the reflected extensionin they may see in the glass and knock their heads.

Also, if the samd is coarse, they can hurt themselves even if it's not an illuson they're diving for.

The hyperactive up-down swimming, while hardly unknown for wrasses, can be associated with poisoning in other fishes.

Maybe someone else has an angle?

Spanky · 07-13-2001, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by horge:
The hyperactive up-down swimming, while hardly unknown for wrasses, can be associated with poisoning in other fishes

Cath, small wrasses are almost impossible to hand net or herd into barrier nets. Unfortunately, a lot of them are still chemically caught. Also, because of several different things, they also seem to harbor their fair share of internal parasites. Also, swimming in and facing the current is indicative of gill (respiration) problems, more than likely one of the smaller parasites (velvet, maybe brook but unlikely). Being the only fish in the tank, you could have a low level of parasites and not enough hosts for it to really take off.

Try this, (Horge I'm really surprised at you!). Mix fresh pressed garlic in his food for a while. While the jury is still out on the external parasite thing <shrug>, it does do wonders for internal parasites. A lot of times, eliminating the internal ones will boost their immune systems enough for them to fight off anything else.
Go to Horge's web site, he has the best garlic review/instructions you'll ever find.
HTH
Jerel

dark horge · 07-13-2001, 09:20 AM

'horge' was thinking more along the lines of ammonia or cyanide burn in the gills (or poisoning, if you will), leading to respiratory difficulty. Just a pessimistic gut hunch, probably.

Jerel's right of course, that it could be parasites at fault --at least THOSE are treatable.

Hope it all works out.

[ 07-13-2001: Message edited by: dark horge ]

cath · 07-13-2001, 10:27 AM

Dagnabbit! I can't load your web site, Horge! Not here at work, anyway. I swear, I'm on break.

Wrasse Man · 07-13-2001, 11:36 AM

All of the above is true and good advice.
*bows before horge and jerel*

From the description, it sounds like a Creole Wrasse (can't remember sci name off the top of my head). I have noticed that even healthy specimins tend to ship badly. If you add in parsites and/or cyanide you have a problem, but not one that is incurable. Try the above suggestions, but I would advise also covering at least the sides of the tank. Wrasses will often 'bonk' themselves on the sides of tanks, like horge said, it seems they are trying to dive at the reflection of the sand. I have noticed that covering the sides with something dark for a while will help. Also, as Mr. Spot gets older, try to keep the TV away from the tank. I noticed one of my wrasses constantly bonking the corner of the tank when the TV was on. I moved the TV, and he stopeed hitting the glass. Apparently he was defending his territory.
Creole Wrasses especially can be skittish until they feel comfortable. Try not to make sudden moves near the tank, or when you are doing maint until it feels comfortable with you.

Once it is happy and healthy, a creole wrasse is a great speciman.

Hope that helps!

[ 07-13-2001: Message edited by: Wrasse Man ]

Spanky · 07-13-2001, 11:46 AM

Yow!

Scott, hit it!
Cath, is this a Creole?? If so the husbandry is completely different than other wrasse. They are plankton feeders and need to be fed several times a day. Do not sleep/dive in the sand and swim with a herky jerky movement. Notorious for swimming in the current all day. Don't ship well because by the time you get them they are starving. Especially the young ones.
Jerel

Spanky · 07-13-2001, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wrasse Man:
I noticed one of my wrasses constantly bonking the corner of the tank when the TV was on.

Maybe he just didn't like "So You Want to Marry a Millionare".

Wrasse Man · 07-13-2001, 11:50 AM

Forgot to mention that! *doh*
They are akin to hyper-active Manderines.

Alice · 07-13-2001, 11:52 AM

Cath received this fish as a gift and we've been struggling with ID, if I remember correctly though, I believe this guy buries himself at night.

Spanky · 07-13-2001, 11:58 AM

This is the only thing I could find. Does it look like the females in this pic?

PS I owe you a email, so far I have everyone fooled. As long as they don't look at the screen, they all think I'm working.

[ 07-13-2001: Message edited by: landescaper ]

[ 07-13-2001: Message edited by: landescaper ]

Wrasse Man · 07-13-2001, 12:11 PM

Taken from fishbase.org (I love this site!)

Clepticus parrae (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Family: Labridae (Wrasses) Order: Perciformes
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FB name: Creole wrasse
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA), and Bahamas to northern South America.

Diagnosis: Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal softrays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft-rays: 12-13. Moderately elongate, compressed fish with equally curved upper and lower profiles (Ref. 26938). Color primarily violet or purple; large individuals with a wash of yellow on lower two-thirds of body; prolonged portions of dorsal and anal fins and tips of pelvic fins blackish (Ref. 13442).

Biology: Inhabits seaward reef slopes; occasionally on shallow patch reefs (Ref. 9710). Found in large midwater aggregations feeding on plankton (Ref. 9710), small jellyfishes, pteropods, pelagic tunicates and various invertebrate larvae (Ref. 13442). Also caught with beach nets (Ref. 5217).

Max. size: 30.0 cm TL; max.weight: 320.0 g

Environment: reef-associated; marine ; depth range 1 - 40 m

Climate: tropical; 32°N

Importance: fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Threatened: Not in IUCN Red List () , (Ref. 36508)

Dangerous: harmless

Alice · 07-13-2001, 12:19 PM

Quote:

As long as they don't look at the screen, they all think I'm working.

LOL Jerel; don't you own the company? Tell 'em you're doing important research into the hobby trade

Spanky · 07-13-2001, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cath:
From the photo you sent, the Creole Wrasse looks blue.

In the less than 5" size, they are pink!

Quote:

Tell 'em you're doing important research into the hobby trade

They don't fall for that any more.

cath · 07-13-2001, 05:48 PM

OK, reef chefs out there!

I need to how much garlic to add to the fish mush to make the fishcicle. Should my kitchen have the aroma of Mama Lioni's? Course, any amount will embue my house with such an air

...and to think I'm a veggie

[ 07-13-2001: Message edited by: cath ]