Lost 3 fairy/flasher wrasses?

[csb123]

Hi friends, I’m stumped. Over the course of the last 3 months I’ve lost a Carpenter’s wrasse, a McCoskers wrasse, and a blue throated wrasse. They have been in my care for two years. Each one, in turn, would start having slightly ragged fins and be off color for a couple of weeks, then start hiding more, and then vanish. They never developed spots, or had apparent respiratory difficulties. I have an Ick management tank. And I never saw any aggression from tank mates. What perplexes me is, all the other fish in my reef, including melanarus, Christmas, and Mystery wrasses, are all fat and happy.

Any input is appreciated.

 

[JoshH]

Maybe a list of all other fish and inverts in the tank would be a good place to start... :) @evolved might be able to pinpoint anything wrasse specific that might be an issue..

 

[Scurvy]

Mystery wrasses

As in multiples? It/They would be my primary suspect.

 

[Seanislav]

In addition to unseen aggression, flashers don't typically live as long as others...especially if you got them as fully transitioned males. All three going in rapid succession, though, may not bear out the old age theory completely.

 

[evolved]

There's quite a few layers to this that I see. Possibilities are, in no particular order:

• Old age. Total lifespan of a Paracheilinus is only about 4 years. But this leaves out the blue throat.
• Bullying; the other three wrasses as suspects. The Pseudocheilinus being the highest risk offender.
• Ick can manifest in the gills; possibly succumb to such.
• Flukes are always a possible offender with wrasse aliments.

 

[gotmesalty77]

Hi friends, I’m stumped. Over the course of the last 3 months I’ve lost a Carpenter’s wrasse, a McCoskers wrasse, and a blue throated wrasse. They have been in my care for two years. Each one, in turn, would start having slightly ragged fins and be off color for a couple of weeks, then start hiding more, and then vanish. They never developed spots, or had apparent respiratory difficulties. I have an Ick management tank. And I never saw any aggression from tank mates. What perplexes me is, all the other fish in my reef, including melanarus, Christmas, and Mystery wrasses, are all fat and happy.

Any input is appreciated.

How big is your tank and how hard was it acclimate all those wrasse and multiple mystery? I loved my mystery but I wouldn't keep one in this tank because I like the peaceful balance more.

 

[csb123]

Thanks for the input!

The reef is 300 gallons. Tank mates include:
only 1 mystery wrasse
melanarus wrasse
christmas wrasse
Solar wrasse
cleaner wrasse
radiant wrasse
clown goby
molly miller blenny
copperbanded butterfly
watanabei angel
potters angel
magnificent foxface
tomini tang
purple tang
flame tail blenny
two bangai cardinals
flame hawkfish
diamond goby
two mocha clowns

I think thats all of them. As stated initially, they are all fat and happy.

I feed them twice a day with DIY frozen food that’s similar to BRS’s recipe. Plus a sheet of nori daily.

 

[mattzang]

which christmas wrasse: halichoeres claudia or halichoeres ornatissimus? or one of the others that's commonly called christmas wrasse

 

[csb123]

It’s the H. ornatissimus

 

[evolved]

It’s the H. ornatissimus

That might well be your aggressor, if that scenario is the culprit.

 

[csb123]

I would say Solon wrasse is the most aggressive of the bunch. But it is quite minimal. A six inch chase, and it usually ends there.

My Mystery wrasse is docile. He just does his thing, and ignores ever one else.