New Red Tail Tamarin Wrasse IS EATING!!!

[scumonkey]

Brought home from NY Aquatics- into the sand.
Out the very next day- promising, but not eating.Still early in the game!
Day 3
Eating live brine shrimp,live black worms,FROZEN MYSIS,nori,& Formula 1....
and all this in my crappy QT tank:thrash:
My new favorite fish...I've wanted one forever!!!

 

[ireefny]

awsome! good luck. cover the tank

 

[reefman]

nice wraase. how big is he?

 

[nanchil]

nice looking one. good luck.

 

[scumonkey]

nice wraase. how big is he?

a little bigger than 3 inches!

 

[prattreef]

Good news, BUT I've been down this road before--- their MO ( if you can get one to eat) is often to thrive for 4-6 months and then crap out suddenly for no apparent reason. Keep the food varied, ( I'd give arctic pods a shot though my yellow tail doesn't really go for them. ) and feeding frequent. Good luck and keep us posted. Randy

 

[reefman]

thats seems to b the norm. any idea weather this is due to drugs,diet or just not suited for cap living?

 

[prattreef]

Not really sure, but I have always suspected diet. I think they are used to picking at the rocks all day, and of the fish we tend to keep with these habits, they are on the larger side, so perhaps it is more difficult for them to support themselves in our systems. This is compounded by the fact that they have pretty small mouths for their body size and thus something more substantial like krill are not appropriate either. Mysis and plankton fed frequently have worked best for me ( i got a red tail to 8-9 months once, and my yellowtail is approaching 5mos.)

 

[reefman]

if diet is the culprit, i would think the fish would get skinny n u can see a gradual malnutrient look be4 perishing, no?

 

[prattreef]

Good point. Perhaps it is not a body mass issue, but some other kind of nutritional deficiency???? I believe they are from Hawaii so they are not juiced.

 

[prattreef]

Scumonkey, I think the fact that it is eating formula 1 and Nori is a very good sign. Mine never touched anything that didn't look like a small shrimp.

 

[lunner]

Very Sweet man! Wrasses big or small we love them all!

 

[scumonkey]

thats seems to b the norm. any idea weather this is due to drugs,diet or just not suited for cap living?

We're gonna find out!:wink1:
I'm hoping that this is one of those fish that has a bad rep due to old
collection and feeding practices,(which are slowly changing)?
I believe this fish came from Hawaiian waters. Collection practices there
have been tightened up and are being monitor with some success,(The Philippines is another story).
Cyanide and Dynamite is not used to catch fish as it once was.
A lot of people under estimate the damage that occures to their fish from the collection/holding/and shipping process.
They buy a perfectly fine looking fish only to have it slowly waste away for no apparent reason.....

Now as for Diet/food...many advances have been made recently in the fish diets available to the average aquarist,
as well as our understanding of what different fish eat. If my fish can survive the 4 week QT
and subsequent move to my display, she has a good chance of having no problems.
According to all recent info (that i've seen) on what this fish eats, my tank produces at least 3 of its favorite natural foods in abundance!
Hopefully with this fact and that the fish is eating prepared foods,(loaded with vitamins and garlic), the Diet part can be dispelled,(fingers crossed)?
Now with all this going for it,plus a large tank with deep sand bed, plenty of hiding places, + peaceful tank mates...
there should be no reason for this fish not to live a good long time,(fingers crossed again).

If after all my efforts the fish still does not make it. I would also have to say leave them in the sea for another ten years or so,
or at least untill even more advances have been made.
But every now and then someone should give it another try....understanding is the first step in helping preserve (at least IMHO).

 

[prattreef]

As you know, I agree completely with pretty much everything you said.

 

[scumonkey]

I think the fact that it is eating formula 1 and Nori is a very good sign

I trick my fish into eating things they wouldn't!:shhh:
I feed them out of a turkey baster. After a minute or two they figure out it's full of food.
Then they start nipping at the tip to make the food fall out.
After a day or two of just mysis, I mix in other things.
When the fish see the tip of the baster enter the tank they start nipping and the mixed food falls out.
Try as they might to be selective, the feeding frenzy makes them end up eating other bits,
and eventually they get used to eating it all the time!
This fish just seems plain 'ole fat healthy and "Piggish" without the tricks!
(I know this means nothing but I can hope).

Recent Pics of your yellow tail?!

 

[michael stern]

Eric,

FYI, I decided to take the 2nd for myself. Figured, it'd be better off in my 420 with lots of LR, pods, algae, etc. Seems to be great. Out swimming, picking at rock, food, etc, all the time. Didn't even disappear in the sand.

 

[scumonkey]

I decided to take the 2nd for myself.

:lol2:

Didn't even disappear in the sand.

After mine came out she didn't want to go back in,so I slowly turned out the lights! Really late that night,
I could hear a tapping on the glass. When I looked I saw the wrasse trying to dive into the sand,
But on the side of the tank that is BB (I only have sand in half of the QT tank - it's there just for this fish).
I had to "herd" her back over the sand which allowed for a successful dive!
The next day I watched the little PB Tang "Herd" the Wrasse back over the sand- Where she dived again.
I can't wait for QT to be over and put her in my display!
Shes such a curious fish- all over everything like a misguided missal.
Eating like a greedy pig today- got a gut to boot!!:tongue1:

 

[bergerd]

This is a great story on management of a new wrasse in a new tank. I think ALL MR reefers, and I mean ALL, even self-proclaimed experts on wrasse, should have to read this thread. Even the experts may learn how to do it right!!!!!!! Thanks for the information. I certainly learned from this thread.

 

[NRA223]

I picked up a Leopard Wrasse a few days ago, beautiful fish!

He was eating frozen Mysis on the first day, not a lot, but some. However, the past couple of days, he will take the Mysis in his mouth, then spit it out in pieces. Then, I tried Krill and even flakes, all the same thing, spits it out.

Getting a little concerned here. If he does not eat soon, I'll be giving him up to a more experienced reefer. I don't want the little bugger to perish.

 

[DEEPWATER]

I picked up a Leopard Wrasse a few days ago, beautiful fish!

He was eating frozen Mysis on the first day, not a lot, but some. However, the past couple of days, he will take the Mysis in his mouth, then spit it out in pieces. Then, I tried Krill and even flakes, all the same thing, spits it out.

Getting a little concerned here. If he does not eat soon, I'll be giving him up to a more experienced reefer. I don't want the little bugger to perish.

Eric ,sweet wrasse ,good luck i know you can get that wrasse to live in your tank for longer then 4 months


Trev ,,you should try some live brine shrimp .Leopard wrasses are one of the hardest to keep .dont feel bad ,most dont make it

srry for the sight hijack eric