Melanurus Wrasse still not eating after a week in QT

[Tnops]

I got this melanurus wrasse last week. When I first got it, it was gulping air at the surface. Now it seems to be swimming around the tank without too much distress, it doesn't seem skinny and has good coloration. I tried feeding and spot feeding thawed mysis and brine shrimp with selcon but it wasn't even remotely interested. I have some fairy shrimp eggs laying around which I'll hatch to feed it. I did a freshwater dip a few days back but nothing came off. What is the best thing for me to do?

 

[Spare time]

Is there any sand in the qt? Maybe try some other seafoods?

 

[Tnops]

Is there any sand in the qt? Maybe try some other seafoods?

yea there is a container of sand in the qt. What other type of seafoods?

 

[Spare time]

yea there is a container of sand in the qt. What other type of seafoods?

I wonder if it would be better to cover the bottom in sand. I assume there are places to hide too? What size is the qt? To me it just sounds a bit stressed.

As for other foods, you can try to feed shrimp, scallop, tilapia, cod, or similar (just avoid preservatives if possible). My fish absolutely love a blend of these. I don't melanarus wrasses to be picky and I think the fish is more or less stressed out by something, but I find a blend of these make a lot of fish go crazy for it lol

 

[threebuoys]

I got this melanurus wrasse last week. When I first got it, it was gulping air at the surface. Now it seems to be swimming around the tank without too much distress, it doesn't seem skinny and has good coloration. I tried feeding and spot feeding thawed mysis and brine shrimp with selcon but it wasn't even remotely interested. I have some fairy shrimp eggs laying around which I'll hatch to feed it. I did a freshwater dip a few days back but nothing came off. What is the best thing for me to do?

Getting new fish to eat can be a major challenge. Try everything you can think of. Perhaps get some clams or shrimp and finely chop. My melanurus (and all my fish) primary food is New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Pellets. I also feed nori strips regularly. Occasionally frozen brine shrimp or mysis. I prefer the pellet and nori over frozen brine and mysis because they have a much higher protein content. Frozen mysis and brine shrimp are primarily water. While the fish attack it, gram for gram the nutrional value is much lower than other foods,

 

[Tbg299]

Are you treating your QT with copper sulfate (cupramine) by chance? Wrasses tend to be very sensitive to it. My Melenarus enjoys meaty foods like chopped clams, scallops, and silversides. Try to see if he will eat something like that.

 

[Tnops]

I wonder if it would be better to cover the bottom in sand. I assume there are places to hide too? What size is the qt? To me it just sounds a bit stressed.

As for other foods, you can try to feed shrimp, scallop, tilapia, cod, or similar (just avoid preservatives if possible). My fish absolutely love a blend of these. I don't melanarus wrasses to be picky and I think the fish is more or less stressed out by something, but I find a blend of these make a lot of fish go crazy for it lol

The QT is 16 gallons with multiple PVC pipes, I'll try covering the entire bottom with sand for now

 

[Tnops]

Are you treating your QT with copper sulfate (cupramine) by chance? Wrasses tend to be very sensitive to it. My Melenarus enjoys meaty foods like chopped clams, scallops, and silversides. Try to see if he will eat something like that.

I'm currently not treating the tank with anything

 

[Tnops]

Apparently it is pecking the tank glass’s biofilm but is completely ignoring thawed food. Any suggestions?

 

[Tnops]

Update: I left a little piece of carnivore sinking pellet on his sand bed and he ate it!

sorry for the dirty glass

this is so weird how it completely ignored moving thawed food but only went for stationary items. Perhaps behavior from the wild

 

[Spare time]

Apparently it is pecking the tank glass’s biofilm but is completely ignoring thawed food. Any suggestions?

Masstick might be something to look into