Picky Tamarin wrasse in QT

[UnnamedReef]

Hey everyone. Got a flame angel and tamarin wrasse over the weekend from my LFS. They're very reputable, I've bought from them before. They treat with copper, UV, and hypo (1.018).

I always QT, and have done HTTM successfully several times with peroxide baths and Prazipro. I have two identical 10 gal tanks with PVC, HOB filters, heater, and a cup for larger fish (like my CBB I just finished QT'ing). I added a tupperware container of sand from my display for the wrasse. Salinity matched and first tank run for 24 hours before buying the fish. Ammonia badge reads 0.

It seems to me that the wrasse is struggling. Hiding most of the day, glass surfing when he isn't hiding, and eating little to no mysis or brine shrimp. He's a juvenile with a small mouth so ive been dicing the frozen food up very fine. He swims around when fed, but I can't tell for sure if he's eating. He does sleep in the sand sometimes. He's been in QT since Sunday, and the flame angel is doing great. No outward signs of infections, parasites, etc. I have not administered any meds or baths to reduce stress as much as possible.

I've reduced ambient light and covered the glass with a towel, that seemed to help a little. LFS was out of pods but I'm considering buying some to help get him eating.

Anything else you folks can recommend I do? I've read wrasses can be tough, this would be my first in my 120.

 

[Largeangels]

For wrasses that dig in the sand some don't do well with just a container of sand and may need a sand bed in the whole tank to make them feel more comfortable. Make sure there is good flow and keep the water quality high.

Hikari mysis is what I have found to be good for tamarin wrasses. I personally wouldn't do tank transfer method on this fish, but maybe others can chime in who have done it.

 

[UnnamedReef]

Thank you. Unfortunately I'm locked into HTTM for this fish, but I will buy more sand and expand the sanded area. I'll grab some Hakari mysis. I've been feeding PE and brine shrimp up to this point

 

[Largeangels]

Make sure it is the smaller Hikari mysis. There are two sizes. The bigger is the same or bigger than PE.

 

[mfinn]

The wrasses I've run through my own quarantine did fine with a bowl of sand. Not a small bowl, maybe 10" x 10" in a 20 gallon tank.
With new fish I always pick up 2-3 bottles of live tigger pods ( keep them in the fridge) to get the interested in eating. If you can find live adult brine that would work too. Not sure if newly hatched brine would work, but if it's all you can get, it's worth a try.
Once I wean them off live foods I use frozen mysis or brine with the tigger pods. I add a little frozen to the stream of a power head to mimic live swimming food.

 

[UnnamedReef]

They didn't have small hilakari mysis, but they did have tigger pods. Picked up a bottle of those and frozen rotifers for smaller foods.

The wrasse is sleeping in the sand, but I'm going to give it a larger bowl in next tank transfer. Going to see if I can get it interested in pods and try the rotifers. Worst case they're coral food later on. Appreciate the advice, once I find something it likes I'll start adding other frozen foods to get it used to main tank cuisine

 

[mfinn]

All 4 were sleeping in one dish.

 

[UnnamedReef]

They're beautiful, what size tank do you have to want 4 leopard wrasses??

 

[mfinn]

They're beautiful, what size tank do you have to want 4 leopard wrasses??

These four were part of a group of 5 total in my 240.

 

[UnnamedReef]

Very cool. Thank you for the advice, I tried the tigger pods mixed with chopped frozen brine this morning and it was eating so that's a big step. Looks like it's time for a larger bowl of sand in the next QT tank and more pods + frozen to keep it eating