My wrasses keep dying in QT

Its not really a QT if you add other fish periodically. I followed Evolved's advice acclimating my last flasher and it worked great. I used an acclimation box in the DT so that he could be safe and I hide but got to know the other fish, zero issues.

 

I didn't check the 2nd ones salinity, forgot but I checked the first one and it was 1.028 and mine is 1.025, so that is fine.

The first one was QT'ed with a Midas Blenny and a Royal Gramma. The 2nd one was just a CB butterfly fish. None of them payed any attention to the wrasse but the wrasse spooked super easy and wouldn't come out.

Next time, I'll drip and QT alone.

I read a post about light acclimating wrasses, something about having it pitchblack in the tank for a day? I leave the lights off but it gets ambient lighting int he room for the first day.

 

I've never dimmed or turned off the lights in the DT when adding a new wrasse. I have covered the drip bucket with a towel to darken it, however. I've never lost a wrasse due to acclimation, fwiw.

 

OK, trying again.

Ordered from BZ this time and drip acclimated. Tank is split with a divider and plenty of hiding spaces. It never wants to come out and just hides though its still alive. Other side of the tank has a small flame angel.

So the wrasse has it's own side, drip acclimated in a cycled tank. Day 3... longest living wrasse I've had...

 

Wish you the best of luck. There are a number of fish who will hide for the first few days or even a week+. My sand sifting goby hid under a rock for a week before I finally saw him. Be patient. Although I still feel he should have be in the QT alone (unless the divider is not see through). Flame Angels are very active obviously and just seeing it out and about could spook it.

 

I also order all my fish from bz. Recently I ordered some flasher wrasses and one died in shipping since FedEx was over a day late and the other survived and is doing fine. It hid for a few days but now it's swimming alongside all the fish. BZ fish seem really hardy and of good quality.

 

It came healthy and on time. I think I might have to go straight to my DT with wrasses next time. My QT is bare bottom, that might be a stress factor.

 

I wouldn't think barebottom would stress it out. What are the details of the tank (size, equipment, parameters, live rock, places to hide, etc)? Or just post a pic with the parameters

 

I've seen a flasher wrasse bury itself in the sand so being bare bottom can stress it out IMO.

 

you need to be sure what your water parameters are, i strongly recommend you buy at least an N02,N03, NH4 drop test kit as well as a refractometer.

are you having any other losses?

personally i would not use a sponge to seed the water as you say. but this is me and my paranoid thoughts that some chemical would leech out of the sponge. i would rather use a syphon or a tube and pump if i really cant get the syphon going