How to get a wrasse to find the sand....

ahiggins · Mar 10, 2017

I just got a haliocheres wrasse tonight and I run bare bottom. I put a container of sand in there for him but it's lights off and he is in the corner. How to I lead a wrasse to the sandbox?
And what happens if he doesn't find it?

Higher Thinking · Mar 10, 2017

ahiggins said:
I just got a haliocheres wrasse tonight and I run bare bottom. I put a container of sand in there for him but it's lights off and he is in the corner. How to I lead a wrasse to the sandbox?
And what happens if he doesn't find it?

The fish is definitely more than capable of finding that. What size tank? I'd imagine even several hundred gallons couldn't hide it. Give it a couple days and if it starts eating you can always drop food in that location.

Although you know what they say, you can lead a wrasse to sand, but you can't make them borrow...or something like that. [emoji6]

wkscott · Mar 10, 2017

I'm guessing that the new wrasse is in a bb QT? He'll most likely find it, eventually. However when night falls and a burying wrass can't find sand to sleep in, his stress levels will greatly increase. Lack of sleep or proper rest, like in humans, can negatively affect his immune system.
If he's in a corner why not move his bowl to the corner? Are you using a square or rectangular bowl or a round one? I have found that a clear glass Pyrex dish works well in QT.

ahiggins · Mar 10, 2017

Higher Thinking said:
The fish is definitely more than capable of finding that. What size tank? I'd imagine even several hundred gallons couldn't hide it. Give it a couple days and if it starts eating you can always drop food in that location.

Although you know what they say, you can lead a wrasse to sand, but you can't make them borrow...or something like that. [emoji6]

I thought of that analogy while writing lol
I'm just worried and I don't want him to stress. He's in the rock work at the moment and I'm not able to move it around.
It's a 40 breeder and a Midas claimed one rock, an anthia has underneath another rock. I put the container of sand between the two (luckily each of those are opposite sides) but the wrasse was in BB when I got him. I just want to know how long before I need to worry.
Ps. I totally get the immune/stress factor which is why I'm asking

Pss. @eatbreakfast what do you think? @evolved too

eatbreakfast · Mar 11, 2017

He'll find the sand. They always do.

Side note, even though they 'go to bed' they don't actually sleep or rest. They are basically hiding at night because that is when a greater amount of predators come out. Though not being in their preferred hiding spot is stressful.

ahiggins · Mar 11, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
He'll find the sand. They always do.

Side note, even though they 'go to bed' they don't actually sleep or rest. They are basically hiding at night because that is when a greater amount of predators come out. Though not being in their preferred hiding spot is stressful.

thanks!!
I didnt see him in the rocks this morning....so we shall see when I get home from work lol I know he wont go hungry, theres a bajillion pods in there.

ahiggins · Mar 11, 2017

Ok....new question: do I just assume he's in the sand at lights out? lol he's there. Sands there.

salty150 · Mar 11, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
He'll find the sand. They always do.

Side note, even though they 'go to bed' they don't actually sleep or rest. They are basically hiding at night because that is when a greater amount of predators come out. Though not being in their preferred hiding spot is stressful.

Are you saying that wrasses' don't sleep or rest...?

eatbreakfast · Mar 12, 2017

salty150 said:
Are you saying that wrasses' don't sleep or rest...?

Yep. Some bury, others form a mucus cocoon, and others wedge into the rocks. "We" as observers describe it as going to sleep or going to bed, but that's because it is an easy way to describe what we are seseei. Their activity slows down, but they are pretty much always in an "on" mode to be ready to escape predators at a moments notice. There have actually been quite a few studies on it.

ahiggins said:
Ok....new question: do I just assume he's in the sand at lights out? lol he's there. Sands there.

Yes, assume it is buried, but never, ever go digging for a buried wrasse.

40B Knasty · Mar 12, 2017

When they do borrow in the sand. They kick it up pretty high. You will most likely have to keep filling up the container holding the sand and sand will start to cover the bottom around the container. Since you have the wrasse and plan on keeping it. I would just grab a PVC pipe and add sand. Problem solved, no headache, the fish is happy, and it gets to choose "the spot" to hide in and sleeps in. They need 2 spots.