Deep/Dirty Sand bed safe for burying wrasse?

[One Reefing Boi]

I have a deep sand bed (ignorance when I set it up) in an old tank that has more detritus build up than I would like to admit. I’m slowly going WC and cleaning it up.

However I have had terrible luck over the years. I have gone through probably about 5 yellow Cori’s wrasse and a Melanarus in my tank. I thought it might be that Neurological issue that wrasse sometimes get. I get all of my fish from a reputable QT vendor who does full treatment etc.. never had issues with their fish.

Never an aggression issue, but would a deep sand bed be causing some sort of toxicity in the burying wrasses? I don’t have any other burying animals except my nass snails and a lesser extent my fighting conch.

I absolutely love them but I feel bad and it’s adding up $$ wise. I also pick the wrasse up in person so no shipping stress either.

Any thoughts?

 

[Idech]

Definitely if your sand is not disturbed regularly, and a wrasse does it, then bacteria will die when released and cause an ammonia peak. Not sure how much damage it would do though. But since yo are losing your wrasses, it’s probably not helping.

You could syphon the sand in small batches over a certain period. Using a python or similar would make it safer. And disturb areas you can’t reach with it, but don’t do it all at once.