UPDATE: Vrolik wrasse not eating

[Bigfish of La.]

after months of waiting, I was able to buy a Vrolik from LA, only to arrive DOA. I reordered as it was still in stock, should have arrived Friday morning, but did not get loaded on the plane. I was able to pick up the fish at UPS Saturday morning, fearing the worse. To my amazement he was still alive. I floated and acclimated and put in QT Saturday morning and I have not seen him eat anything. I’ve tried LRS, Rods, mysis, brine, pellets, flakes and even fish eggs. I do have a container with sand in QT. I have not started meds, as I’m just observing for now.

What can I do to get him to eat?

 

[Bigfish of La.]

Paging 4FordFamily, evolved.

 

[OrionN]

Paging 4FordFamily, evolved.

@evolved
@4FordFamily

 

[Carolinablur3]

My vrolik didn’t eat for 2 days in QT so I wouldn’t worry just yet.

I always try to get them eating well before I start any meds unless I notice something wrong. This might not be common practice but it works for me.

Ive never had a healthy wrasse refuse live black worms if you can find some at your LFS. I usually have to order them.

 

[Pbh-reef]

Foods that seem to help stimulate feeding include live black worms (see if an LFS has them), live baby brine shrimp (easy to hatch at home), and fresh clams (freeze them first to kill any parasites)

 

[saltyhog]

Agree with Pbh-reef. If you can't find live black worms, frozen blood worms will often work just as well.

 

[4FordFamily]

Foods that seem to help stimulate feeding include live black worms (see if an LFS has them), live baby brine shrimp (easy to hatch at home), and fresh clams (freeze them first to kill any parasites)

This is my suggestion as well. Fish find them irresistible

 

[eatbreakfast]

Give it a day or two. Feed frozen mysis in an area of high flow, this often elicits a 'chase' response.

 

[evolved]

I don't have much more to offer than what's already been said. Do give it some time and don't fret too much yet - the fish did have a extended and therefore extra stressful journey. It's reasonable to expect it to be slower to settle in. Taking a week to start eating isn't cause for too much concern.

Live black worms are a good suggestion if you can find them locally.

 

[67chevellemalibu2]

after months of waiting, I was able to buy a Vrolik from LA, only to arrive DOA. I reordered as it was still in stock, should have arrived Friday morning, but did not get loaded on the plane. I was able to pick up the fish at UPS Saturday morning, fearing the worse. To my amazement he was still alive. I floated and acclimated and put in QT Saturday morning and I have not seen him eat anything. I’ve tried LRS, Rods, mysis, brine, pellets, flakes and even fish eggs. I do have a container with sand in QT. I have not started meds, as I’m just observing for now.

What can I do to get him to eat?

I like that one too. Was looking for one too. Nice wrasse!

 

[Bigfish of La.]

UPDATE:
I drove 1 hour to New Orleans to pick up some live black worms and he refused to eat them as well as frozen clams, table shrimp, pellets and flakes and all other feeds that have been suggested. Well today he is still alive, as he could be picking up food when no one is looking. I observed him for a few days and noticed poop on bottom of QT tank, so he must be eating. He did hide in sand container for 2 days, but once he was on a sleep/wake up schedule I treated with prazipro an general cure as per instructions. I know I rushed it a little but I addded him to the DT yesterday for fear he was going to die. I have a yellow wrasse and Christmas wrasse in DT and they are picking at rocks and in sand looking for pods, so I have 2 bottles coming tomorrow from reef nutrition, just to restock. He came out of sand this morning at 11:30 as I was sitting by the tank and noticed he made a big poop.
He acts just like my melanarus in my frag tank as he swims near top of water and actually spits at you, only difference is the melanarus eats everything.

How do I add update to title of thread?

 

[Aheinz]

Glad to hear it, and I had to look up what the Wrasse looks like never had a wrasse before, beautiful fish

 

[Bigfish of La.]

He stayed in the sand all day today.

Added a bottle of pods to sump

 

[Bigfish of La.]

He made a brief appearance yesterday morning and buried up in sand before I had a chance to feed the tank.

I was cleaning the glass yesterday afternoon near the bottom of the sand bed and disturbed him, he swam around a bit and buried up again.

Still not sign of him today.