Red Head Clown Fairy Wrasse laying in corner of tank?

TangySushi · 10/29/2014, 06:34 PM

Brought home a Clown Fairy Wrasse from a LFS 25 mins away. I floated him for 15 mins to match temp, then I matched the salinity in the tank with the water he came in. Then also I dumped him over a container with a net ontop of it so none of the lfs water would go into the Qt when adding him to the tank.

Well he has been laying in the back corner for the last few hours and hasn't swam around. He lossed a little color and looks pretty stressed. Is it normal for them to just lay in the corner the first day?

formsix · 10/29/2014, 07:56 PM

It's not "good", but it can be normal. I've definitely had fish that hung out in a bottom corner for a few hours until they acclimated a bit. Heck, my Anthias did that for almost a day before starting to swim about. I'd wait a few hours and then try to feed a little bit of food. Wrasses can also change colors (a lot!) when they're stressed or sleeping.

I think it's only bad if they start laying sideways or if you can't get them to eat after a day or two -- definitely don't worry yet.

Do you have some pieces of PVC in your QT that he can hide in?

pyithar · 10/29/2014, 08:05 PM

new fishes will be stressed for a couple of days. try to feed him tomorrow. just a little bit because you don't want leftover foods. put in some pvc elbows and tees so that he could hide in.

TangySushi · 10/29/2014, 09:50 PM

The guy's not on his side and finally moved from the corner. So atleast he moved to another spot. I'll try feeding tomorrow, didn't think he was going to eat today either and he's got some large and small pvc pipe. First wrasse for me, hopefully he starts swimming laps tomorrow or the next day.

shesacharmer · 10/30/2014, 09:11 AM

How great was the salinity difference between the bag and your tank and how quickly did you acclimate the salinity?

TangySushi · 10/30/2014, 01:43 PM

This time I matched my quarantine water to the salinity the water he came in from the bag. At first he was motionless in the corner of the tank for a few hours, maybe trying to blend in. Today he's hiding on the side of the pvc, eating pellets, and looking way better.

gone fishin · 10/30/2014, 05:41 PM

He should come around. I have had some wrasse's that did as your has done and others that took right off. Some are a little more shy than others.

IdahoCindy · 10/30/2014, 07:49 PM

They like to dive into sand when scared or sleeping.

10/29/2014, 06:34 PM	#1
TangySushi Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 67	Red Head Clown Fairy Wrasse laying in corner of tank? Brought home a Clown Fairy Wrasse from a LFS 25 mins away. I floated him for 15 mins to match temp, then I matched the salinity in the tank with the water he came in. Then also I dumped him over a container with a net ontop of it so none of the lfs water would go into the Qt when adding him to the tank. Well he has been laying in the back corner for the last few hours and hasn't swam around. He lossed a little color and looks pretty stressed. Is it normal for them to just lay in the corner the first day?

10/29/2014, 08:05 PM	#3
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	new fishes will be stressed for a couple of days. try to feed him tomorrow. just a little bit because you don't want leftover foods. put in some pvc elbows and tees so that he could hide in. __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

10/30/2014, 09:11 AM	#5
shesacharmer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Central NH Posts: 1,241	How great was the salinity difference between the bag and your tank and how quickly did you acclimate the salinity? __________________ 75 gal, LR w/refugium, 79 deg, PH 8.0, sg 1.025, amm 0/nit 0/nit 0, Calcium 420, dKH 8.3, mag 1300, Phos 0 Current Tank Info: A work in progress...

10/30/2014, 05:41 PM	#7
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	He should come around. I have had some wrasse's that did as your has done and others that took right off. Some are a little more shy than others. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

10/29/2014, 07:56 PM	#2
formsix Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: St Louis, MO Posts: 341	It's not "good", but it can be normal. I've definitely had fish that hung out in a bottom corner for a few hours until they acclimated a bit. Heck, my Anthias did that for almost a day before starting to swim about. I'd wait a few hours and then try to feed a little bit of food. Wrasses can also change colors (a lot!) when they're stressed or sleeping. I think it's only bad if they start laying sideways or if you can't get them to eat after a day or two -- definitely don't worry yet. Do you have some pieces of PVC in your QT that he can hide in?

10/29/2014, 09:50 PM	#4
TangySushi Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 67	The guy's not on his side and finally moved from the corner. So atleast he moved to another spot. I'll try feeding tomorrow, didn't think he was going to eat today either and he's got some large and small pvc pipe. First wrasse for me, hopefully he starts swimming laps tomorrow or the next day.

10/30/2014, 01:43 PM	#6
TangySushi Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 67	This time I matched my quarantine water to the salinity the water he came in from the bag. At first he was motionless in the corner of the tank for a few hours, maybe trying to blend in. Today he's hiding on the side of the pvc, eating pellets, and looking way better.

10/30/2014, 07:49 PM	#8
IdahoCindy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Sun Valley Idaho Posts: 329	They like to dive into sand when scared or sleeping.