Longfin Fairy Wrasse

moongoddesss007 · 04/01/2008, 07:07 AM

We just purchased a longfin fairy wrasse and introduced him into our tank on Monday evening. We floated the bag for about a half hour and he seemed comfortable at first and went to hide under a rock in the sand. I've been reading they can be somewhat reclusive at first and then become more social? When he was first under the initial rock he seemed like he was starting to consider coming out (just peeking from time to time) but he has since moved somewhere and we cannot find him anymore. Our other occupants are two false percs, flamehawk, purpleback pseudochromis and a foxface.

Should we be concerned or does anyone have suggestions??

Mitch529 · 04/01/2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by moongoddesss007
We just purchased a longfin fairy wrasse and introduced him into our tank on Monday evening. We floated the bag for about a half hour and he seemed comfortable at first and went to hide under a rock in the sand. I've been reading they can be somewhat reclusive at first and then become more social? When he was first under the initial rock he seemed like he was starting to consider coming out (just peeking from time to time) but he has since moved somewhere and we cannot find him anymore. Our other occupants are two false percs, flamehawk, purpleback pseudochromis and a foxface.

Should we be concerned or does anyone have suggestions??

I always drip acclimate my new fish for at least an hour, though he is probably fine from the floating. Your initial observations sounds like normal behavior, I observed similar behavior from my two fairy wrasses. Wrasses sleep in the rockwork "They are diurnally active and sleep at night pinned within rockwork, protected by a mucus cocoon which they secrete around themselves." (reefkeeping.com) if you have a fish that is bullying the wrasse then it will continue to hide in the rock work. Try feeding and see if he will come out, they are very good at hiding.

If he is being bullied and you can catch him I would keep him in a specimen container for a week. This will allow the other fish can get used to him and he can settle down in the new tank stress free.

moongoddesss007 · 04/01/2008, 04:12 PM

thanks Mitch-- i'll try feeding again and see what happens. I neglected to note that it was a week ago this past Monday so it has been some time since we have seen him out. I don't know that anyone is bothering him-- the only one who is curious is the flamehawk but he just likes to kick up some sand and flash a little.

sailfin3 · 04/01/2008, 06:09 PM

drip acclimation is always a good measure to get the fish not just acclimated to the temp but to your water parameters so it is not a shock. I drip acclimate from 2 - 3 hours depending on the fish. Something you might want to think about doing from this point out. My 2 cents

triggerfish1976 · 04/01/2008, 06:22 PM

Check around the tank just to make sure it didn't jump out. Fairy Wrasses are famous for jumping out especially during the first few days of acclimation.

moongoddesss007 · 04/02/2008, 07:28 AM

well this morning he was wedged between the rock and the glass and we were afriad he was dead because he wasn't moving. we reached in with the net and he swam off so he's in there and must apparently be coming at out some point because he was in the open and not under the rock he had been hiding under?
Thanks for the tip on the drip acclimation, we'll definately do that in the future with new additions, fortunately we've always been lucky with our fish floating them for some time.
We tried feeding this morning after he swam off but he didn't come out. Could be that it was just too early to coax him.
I hope he becomes more comfortable, i hate the idea of having a fish i'll never see?!

Mitch529 · 04/02/2008, 07:46 AM

Glad to hear that he is still alive. Good point triggerfish, if your tank isn't already make sure it is jump proof! I have seen mine bang off of the cover more than once when spooked. It is strange that he is still hiding, I did a quick search on the longfin and could find nothing about them being reclusive only social.

I am still going to stick with the idea he is being bullied, it doesn't even have to be that he's being attacked... If he is even chased by another fish, being new to the tank he would most likely stay in a dark corner or hide in the rocks.

Try watching the rockwork really well before the main lights come on and see if you can find him peeking out somewhere. Mine are usually out and about a little bit before the main lights come on waiting to be fed! Feed the tank a few mins after the lights come on and see if you can see him come out and if any other fish are chasing him.

If you can find the rock he is in and you can remove it from the tank try taking it out and quickly putting it in a bucket of tank water (make sure he doesn't jump out), keep it aerated and consistent temperature until he comes out. That would be the easiest way to catch him, so you can isolate him.

Good Luck!

04/01/2008, 07:07 AM	#1
moongoddesss007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sunny St. Petersburg Posts: 831	Longfin Fairy Wrasse We just purchased a longfin fairy wrasse and introduced him into our tank on Monday evening. We floated the bag for about a half hour and he seemed comfortable at first and went to hide under a rock in the sand. I've been reading they can be somewhat reclusive at first and then become more social? When he was first under the initial rock he seemed like he was starting to consider coming out (just peeking from time to time) but he has since moved somewhere and we cannot find him anymore. Our other occupants are two false percs, flamehawk, purpleback pseudochromis and a foxface. Should we be concerned or does anyone have suggestions??

04/02/2008, 07:46 AM	#7
Mitch529 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: St. Pete, FL Posts: 923	Glad to hear that he is still alive. Good point triggerfish, if your tank isn't already make sure it is jump proof! I have seen mine bang off of the cover more than once when spooked. It is strange that he is still hiding, I did a quick search on the longfin and could find nothing about them being reclusive only social. I am still going to stick with the idea he is being bullied, it doesn't even have to be that he's being attacked... If he is even chased by another fish, being new to the tank he would most likely stay in a dark corner or hide in the rocks. Try watching the rockwork really well before the main lights come on and see if you can find him peeking out somewhere. Mine are usually out and about a little bit before the main lights come on waiting to be fed! Feed the tank a few mins after the lights come on and see if you can see him come out and if any other fish are chasing him. If you can find the rock he is in and you can remove it from the tank try taking it out and quickly putting it in a bucket of tank water (make sure he doesn't jump out), keep it aerated and consistent temperature until he comes out. That would be the easiest way to catch him, so you can isolate him. Good Luck! __________________ Mitch & Rachel Current Tank Info: 34gal Mixed Reef & Dwarf Morays \| 34gal Anemone & Clowns

04/01/2008, 04:12 PM	#3
moongoddesss007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sunny St. Petersburg Posts: 831	thanks Mitch-- i'll try feeding again and see what happens. I neglected to note that it was a week ago this past Monday so it has been some time since we have seen him out. I don't know that anyone is bothering him-- the only one who is curious is the flamehawk but he just likes to kick up some sand and flash a little.

04/01/2008, 06:09 PM	#4
sailfin3 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 345	drip acclimation is always a good measure to get the fish not just acclimated to the temp but to your water parameters so it is not a shock. I drip acclimate from 2 - 3 hours depending on the fish. Something you might want to think about doing from this point out. My 2 cents

04/01/2008, 06:22 PM	#5
triggerfish1976 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Land of Smiles Posts: 2,980	Check around the tank just to make sure it didn't jump out. Fairy Wrasses are famous for jumping out especially during the first few days of acclimation.

04/02/2008, 07:28 AM	#6
moongoddesss007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sunny St. Petersburg Posts: 831	well this morning he was wedged between the rock and the glass and we were afriad he was dead because he wasn't moving. we reached in with the net and he swam off so he's in there and must apparently be coming at out some point because he was in the open and not under the rock he had been hiding under? Thanks for the tip on the drip acclimation, we'll definately do that in the future with new additions, fortunately we've always been lucky with our fish floating them for some time. We tried feeding this morning after he swam off but he didn't come out. Could be that it was just too early to coax him. I hope he becomes more comfortable, i hate the idea of having a fish i'll never see?!