Pintail Wrasse Words of Encouragement

[bdub22rhp]

So I put a pintail fairy wrasse in my DT yesterday. Went through QT and spent 2 days in an acclimation box as I was worried about my exquisite wrasse bullying him. exquisite could have cared less about him so after 2 days in the acclimation box I let him out cause from what I could see it was causing more stress than good. Well it went in my rocks and I saw it yesterday for a brief minute as my pink watchman didn't like it in his cave. Haven't seen it since. I hate adding fish, but have always wanted a pintail and there has been one at my LFS that all my fish have come from for a few weeks. Fat and healthy before I took him home. No signs of disease and was eating before let him out of box. No big deal right? He's just hiding right? I tested ammonia today After 24 hours of not seeing him and it's at 0 as well as nitrite just for signs of anything dead. I also have egg crate at a lid that has 1/8 inch mesh screen zip tied to it so it didn't jump. Im no wrasse expert, need you all to talk me off the ledge.

 

[KJ]

@eatbreakfast

 

[ChiCity]

They’re skittish for a few days, as long as nobody is bullying him, he’ll be fine.
If he’s hiding tomorrow, I’d start to worry then...
Other than that, just sit patiently and I’m sure he’ll pop out in the morning

 

[Mal11224]

I'm sure it is still alive. It will need to feel comfortable before it starts swimming freely. May have been chased by a fish or two. They are jumpers so beware. Hopefully all is well and it will show itself.

 

[bdub22rhp]

They’re skittish for a few days, as long as nobody is bullying him, he’ll be fine.
If he’s hiding tomorrow, I’d start to worry then...
Other than that, just sit patiently and I’m sure he’ll pop out in the morning

Thanks. This is what I keep telling myself, but the demons creep in in the hobby the longer you worry.

 

[saltyhog]

Agree with above. They are on the shy side among fairy wrasses. I would expect him to show himself in the next 48 hours or so.

 

[bdub22rhp]

I'm sure it is still alive. It will need to feel comfortable before it starts swimming freely. May have been chased by a fish or two. They are jumpers so beware. Hopefully all is well and it will show itself.

Thanks. I lost a diamond goby through eggcrate a while back and zip tied mesh screen that has 1/8 inch holes in it after. There's no way for anything to jump now. Was surprised the diamond made it through the eggcrate but I guess where there is a will there's a way.

 

[bdub22rhp]

Agree with above. They are on the shy side among fairy wrasses. I would expect him to show himself in the next 48 hours or so.

Seems the prettier the wrasse the more skittish or harder to keep. Leopards are beautiful, but everything I've read is a no.

 

[saltyhog]

Seems the prettier the wrasse the more skittish or harder to keep. Leopards are beautiful, but everything I've read is a no.

Leopards can be very hardy. They are just poor shippers and can be hard to get to eat. Once you get past that I think they are as hardy as other wrasses. My Potter's has been with me for 3 years and is just about the most aggressive eater in my tank.

 

[bdub22rhp]

Leopards can be very hardy. They are just poor shippers and can be hard to get to eat. Once you get past that I think they are as hardy as other wrasses. My Potter'shas been with me for 3 years and is just about the most aggressive eater in my tank.

Well maybe when I get over this nervousness I'll think about it again in a few months. Potter's isn't reef safe though right?

 

[saltyhog]

Well maybe when I get over this nervousness I'll think about it again in a few months. Potter's isn't reef safe though right?

Only thing not safe from a Potter's is a pod. If you have a Mandarin I would not advise getting one as he would out compete the Mandarin for pods.

 

[bdub22rhp]

Only thing not safe from a Potter's is a pod. If you have a Mandarin I would not advise getting one as he would out compete the Mandarin for pods.

I do have a mandarin. He was my dream fish and reason I got in saltwater. That and torches. Until I saw all the wrasses at my LFS for the first time. He had a potter's wrasse the other day that was already held and it was a solid 6-7 inches. Prettiest and biggest one I have seen. Said it was questionable reef safe and would smash my CUC. Also had a broom tail, blue side, Christmas, exquisite, and another one that was white with pick outlines can't remember the name. All were 6-8 inches. All mine are 2-3 inches

 

[saltyhog]

I do have a mandarin. He was my dream fish and reason I got in saltwater. That and torches. Until I saw all the wrasses at my LFS for the first time. He had a potter's wrasse the other day that was already held and it was a solid 6-7 inches. Prettiest and biggest one I have seen. Said it was questionable reef safe and would smash my CUC. Also had a broom tail, blue side, Christmas, exquisite, and another one that was white with pick outlines can't remember the name. All were 6-8 inches. All mine are 2-3 inches

Hmmm. Never heard of a Potter's wrasse getting that large? I thought 4.5" or so was as big as they get. They are not a threat to clean up crew, not sure where he got that. Mine is several years old and is no where that size.

Since you have a mandarin I would avoid leopards & Halichoeres wrasses. Fairy wrasse and flasher wrasse are not a problem as they don't eat pods.

 

[bdub22rhp]

Hmmm. Never heard of a Potter's wrasse getting that large? I thought 4.5" or so was as big as they get. They are not a threat to clean up crew, not sure where he got that. Mine is several years old and is no where that size.

Since you have a mandarin I would avoid leopards & Halichoeres wrasses. Fairy wrasse and flasher wrasse are not a problem as they don't eat pods.

Will do. The potter he had looked just like that one but huge. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. Is there a difference between a potters and a potters leopard?

 

[eatbreakfast]

The pintail hiding for a couple of days isn't an issue.

The only wrasse that goes by Potter's is the potters leopard.

 

[ca1ore]

I added a pintail to my tank with a resident ruby head wrasse. Didn't see it at all for three days, then only occasionally for the next two weeks. Now it's out all the time.

 

[oldmonk]

i already have a six line wrasse, now plans are to add solar wrasse and flasher wrasse. will they sustain? btw other fellow mates are clowns, azure damsels, longnose, dotty back, chromis, pajama cardinal.

 

[Jesterrace]

Seems the prettier the wrasse the more skittish or harder to keep. Leopards are beautiful, but everything I've read is a no.

Leopards suffer from the Mandarin problem (naturally pod eaters) and as such they are difficult to sustain in a captive environment. That said if you get one that readily eats frozen mysis, reef frenzy, etc. then chances are you will have a very hearty and durable fish and unlike the Mandarin it won't take 10 steps to lock onto a piece of food that is right in front of it's face.

 

[Jesterrace]

i already have a six line wrasse, now plans are to add solar wrasse and flasher wrasse. will they sustain? btw other fellow mates are clowns, azure damsels, longnose, dotty back, chromis, pajama cardinal.

6 line can be an absolute jerk to other wrasses (and most other fish for that matter), I definitely would not add a flasher wrasse, because if your 6 line turns on it it will die a quick death. It could also bully the Solar Wrasse (although all the Solar Wrasses I have seen were mean buggers, including the one I had)

 

[eatbreakfast]

i already have a six line wrasse, now plans are to add solar wrasse and flasher wrasse. will they sustain? btw other fellow mates are clowns, azure damsels, longnose, dotty back, chromis, pajama cardinal.

I would advise against adding fairy and flasher wrasses to a tank with an established sixline. Sixlines can be relentlessly aggressive to other wrasses.

Leopards suffer from the Mandarin problem (naturally pod eaters) and as such they are difficult to sustain in a captive environment. That said if you get one that readily eats frozen mysis, reef frenzy, etc. then chances are you will have a very hearty and durable fish and unlike the Mandarin it won't take 10 steps to lock onto a piece of food that is right in front of it's face.

I have found shipping rather than diet to be the biggest problem with leopards. Yes, they pick pods, but most leopards quickly take frozen food, so once past about the 2 week mark are quite hardy.