Found my wrasse in the sump after TWO MONTHS

FishyFish

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I bought a longfin fairy wrasse almost three months ago now. He went into QT for four weeks before being moved into my DT. I never saw him again after that. I looked everywhere for this fish, checked the sump 3-4 times and even tore down my rockwork. Nothing. And after two months with no sign of him, I had decided he was a goner.

Well I was looking through my sump tonight and happened to notice a very faint pink reflection beneath my skimmer. So I moved it and guess who comes swimming out!! I can't believe it, he's been in the skimmer section of my sump for 8 weeks with no food. I guess he must have been living off of nothing but copepods.

Unfortunately this brings me to my question. I netted him and moved him to the DT but he hasn't moved much since. He's sitting on the bottom of the tank pretty much in the same place he floated down to after I moved him. He will occasionally shift positions or flutter a little to keep himself upright but that's it. It's late at night here and he would always put himself to sleep in his PVC pipe when he was in QT. Is it possible he's just sleepy or stressed from the move? Or is he a goner?
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I've had a rough couple of months in the hobby and I could really use some good news, but I don't want to get my hopes up just yet. What do you guys think? Is there anything I can do for him other than leaving him alone to settle in? Thanks.
 
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FishyFish

FishyFish

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I'm happy to report that mister wrasse is doing great this morning!! I went to feed him and he attacked the tongs and ate all of the food as soon as he saw it. He's been swimming around and checking out his new home, not shy at all. Thanks everyone for giving me hope last night!
 
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FishyFish

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Great news! You might want to cover your overflow so he doesn't pull another "Free Willy". ;)

I have an Exotic Marine Systemsoverflow that has three long slots rather than the usual vertical slots. Really surprised he even fit through there but I guess they do need to be covered. Any suggestions on what to cover them with that will prevent my little escape artist from getting out without restricting flow to my sump too much?
 

Auquanut

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Any suggestions on what to cover them with that will prevent my little escape artist from getting out without restricting flow to my sump too much?

Well, he's three months older and looks pretty chubby. Any chance he's too big to squeeze through now?
 

Carter's Reef

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This same thing happened to me except instead of the wrasse it was a clown. It jumped into the back filter and lived in there for a full month eating whatter skcraps it could get. Isn’t it amazing haha
 

Scurvy

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I have an Exotic Marine Systemsoverflow that has three long slots rather than the usual vertical slots. Really surprised he even fit through there but I guess they do need to be covered. Any suggestions on what to cover them with that will prevent my little escape artist from getting out without restricting flow to my sump too much?
Guessing he was investigating a dark place to bed down in a new environment and wound up going for the ride. They tend to wedge themselves into crevices for safety to sleep. You could cover with mesh if it becomes a habit but I wouldn't do anything with the overflow just yet.

I once found my yellow coris wrasse in rhe return section on an AIO two months after he disappeared. Like you I had checked there a few times before he finally jumped up at me when i went to pull the return pump for a cleaning. He lived happily afterward until a heater stuck on and nuked that tank.
 

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