Flasher Wrasses
I recently ordered 3 filament flasher wrasses mail order.  When they arrived, none of them looked to be in good shape.  One did not make it through the night but the other two seemed to have come around.<sorry to hear about that>  They have been in QT for 10 days now.  Physically, they look fine but their behavior is very odd.<doesn't sound good>  They often seem to make a vertical twitching/shaking movement.  I am worried about this and was wondering if this behavior was normal.<not really, they do act strange but not switching and such> They are feeding and look fine.<well if they are eating then that is an excellent sign>  I also wondered the recommended QT period on these fish as I read on your site and in the book that a short QT for wrasses is best.<well if they are doing well in the next couple weeks...eating/acting normal etc I would add them to the main aquarium>  Exactly how long is short.<Qt process for the wrasses all depends on how well they do...I like to keep my fish in quarantine for at least 3 weeks>  I normally quarantine for 3-4 weeks. <I do too>  Also, will it be fine to add 2-3 more wrasses later (same species).<These wrasses do get along in groups, but I would still be cautious on introducing "new specimens" to the aquarium. You could try it but would definitely remove the new additions if they are getting attacked by the other 2, it is always best to introduce fish of the same species at the same time> Thanks for your input.  Abby <your welcome, IanB>

Flasher Wrasse Problem - 11/25/06
Your help in the past has been so beneficial for my reef inhabitants, I thought I would give you guys <<and gals>> a try on this problem that has everyone (myself, my friends, ReefCentral, the LFS, etc.) without a clue.
<<Really?  Hmm, I shall try...>>
7 weeks ago I purchased a male McCosker's Flasher wrasse from a LFS.
<Gorgeous fish>>
He was active and happy in the store and had been there for two weeks when I purchased him.  For the first 6 weeks in my tank he was incredibly active and a voracious eater.  10 days ago, when I went to feed the tank, I noticed that he was sitting on the rockwork (he had never sat around during the day before).  I fed the tank.  He ate a bite or two and then "freaked out" swimming incredibly rapidly and jumping (two things I had never seen before).
<<Not all that unusual, this genus (Paracheilinus) as a whole is quite "high-strung" at times, in my opinion/experience.  I used to have a small group that any time the lights went suddenly off as with a power outage/interruption, you could hear the wrasses "pinging around" in the light fixture like little pinballs>>
He then proceeded to hide in the rocks.  Since then, I have seen him display this same behavior on three occasions.  When I feed the tank, he will come out of hiding and eat a bit, but will not eat as he use to or swim around the tank at all.  Any idea what is going on here?
<<You say you've asked around so I have to think this has been brought up before but...sounds to me like you may have an aggression issue.  Aside from interspecific confrontations, these fish are very peaceable and easily fall prey to more aggressive species (I have witnessed six-line wrasses terrorize/kill flasher and fairy wrasses).  Even if "you" have not witnessed it...doesn't mean it's not happening>>
Here is some tank information:
25 gallon display with 25 pounds of Marshall Island live rock.  Parameters all very stable with 0 ammon., nitrite, nitrate. Temp 80. Ph 8.25. Alkalinity 4.5 Meq/L.  Other inhabitants include snails, hermits, LPS, mushrooms, Zoanthids, Monti-cap.  All in the entire time the fish has been here.
<<Other fishes?>>
There is a grounding probe in the tank.
<<Mmm...more of a hunch than anything else, but try removing this for a time and see if the fish responds>>
The only thought that we tested was that three days before his first freak out, a small Yashia goby and pistol shrimp were added.  There was some concern that the pistol shrimp's popping was scaring him so the pistol was removed 5 days ago, but the behavior has not changed.
<<Doubt this is the problem>>
The goby is still in the tank, but there is no aggression between the two of them and, in fact, the spot where the wrasse hides all day long is right next to the goby's hiding spot.  I appreciate any help on the issue.
<<I don't feel like I've been much help thus far.  Aside from aggression or stray voltage, there may be environmental issues at play here, to include excessive allelopathy in this relatively small/confined space.  If you have not done so already, please read here and among the associated links at the top of the page for more info re husbandry/maintenance of these fishes (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/paracheilinus.htm)>>
Oh, and by the way, the Scorpionfish you helped me with a few months ago is doing great ... thanks for your help!
<<Good to know>>
Adam
<<Regards, EricR>>

Need some sanity for my wrasses   1/4/07
Hi-
<Hello Nathan, JustinN with you today.>
I have a 50gal reef tank.
<Ok>
Besides a day-night pH fluctuation that bothers me, I have no issues. I have a blue carpet that minds it's business, more than several SPS's, some polyps, 4 shrimp, a host of hermits, a starfish that I forget the name of the Ophiothrix type, 400 Watt 15k augmented with 64 actinic, moon, skimmer, chiller, on and on and on :) I have zero issues in my tank. EXCEPT! Flasher wrasses will not stay alive in my tank. For fish I have a Fridmani Pseudochromis, one Ocellaris clown, an exquisite wrasse and a unknown wrasse of the same genus.
<You are very close to, if not already, full on bio-load here.>
The Exquisite is a male. I have read that Cirrhilabrus and Paracheilinus can coexist easily.
<Certainly, in a large enough setting>
These 2 wrasses are such characters and will even let me pet their noses (I know it isn't a nose!) when I feed them. The are very playful and well established. I have tried to put in my tank 2 smaller Paracheilinus wrasses (cyanus and carpenteri) and both died the same way: they looked happy and established, were eating, then the next day they are curled up with labored breathing in the corner only to die no matter what I do (I put them in isolation and it is too late). Honestly, I see them looking ok, eating one minute, then near death 1 hours later.
<I would think that both wrasse and the Pseudochromis are all culprits here.>
My only guess is that the combination of Paracheilinus being a bit tender and wimpy combined with the territoriality of my Pseudochromis  (it will not allow the flashers near the rock pile during the light hours) are driving these beautiful wrasses out of their mind and they die. But what is odd is that the Pseudochromis never bothers the Cirrhilabrus.
<You may just not notice it, or it may be that they're already established. However, I agree that the Pseudochromis is likely the lead culprit, though I would not exonerate the wrasse yet!>
I just need someone to tell me my supposition is plausible, or what I might do to remedy it, because I will not let another fish die until I fix the problem (and fixing it maybe giving up on owning a  Paracheilinus). While Paracheilinus are beautiful so it my solid purple Pseudochromis. Could this all be due to the Pseudochromis? If you think so, I might consider trapping him and trading him to another tank.
<I would consider your tank pretty close to full as it is, and if its been successful until now, I would continue with your current stocking list. If you cannot upgrade to a larger settings, I would pass on another wrasse. I would only feel comfortable adding some sort of small fish, such as a small goby or Ecsenius sp. blenny into your current arrangement, in fear of tipping the bio-load too far.>
Thank you,
Nathan Tableman
<No problem, Nathan. Hope this helps you! -JustinN>