Bought my first fish....But where the heck is he??

[pammy]

Finally bought my first fish, and I was SO excited!! Bought a pygmy possum wrasse and he's SO cute. Very small little guy. Maybe 1" right now. I floated him in his bag in my tank for 30 minutes, then did a drip acclimation for an hour. Put him in the tank, and he immediately went under the rocks, and when I took a peak, he went further in and I couldn't see him any more. That was 24 hours ago.
I HOPE he's still just hiding, but I've searched every nook and cranny for him with a flashlight, and can't find him anywhere. No other fish in the tank, so nothing to tramatize him. I'm about to put some brine shrimp in the tank with garlic in hopes to lure him out of hiding, but I have a feeling that won't work. How do I know if he died, or if he's REALLY hiding? How long was the longest time you put a new fish in your tank and didn't see him again?

Parameters - Ammonia: 0, Nitrites:0, Nitrates:5 PH: 8.0 Salinity 1.026
Tank has been up and running for a month, and I put my first two corals in last week (Mushroom and Zooanthus). Corals are doing great and look beautiful.

Thanks.
Pam

[Phurst]

I think I didn't see my royal gramma for 2 or 3 days after i put it in. Also small and a good hider.

Besides finding the body, the only way to tell if it has died would be to watch for an ammonia spike.

Good luck, i hope he comes out of hiding soon.

[pammy]

Thanks Phurst. That gives me some hope. I knew that the pygmy possum wrasses can hide a lot, which is why I put him in the tank before any other fish, so it would be calm in there from him. What's he hiding from? Nothing in the tank but him. I tried the brine shrimp with 1 drop of garlic extreme, but that didn't draw him out (I watched him eat brine shrimp at the LFS).
Would a small 1" fish cause much of an ammonia spike? I just tested, and ammonia is still 0....so that's good.

Pam


I think I didn't see my royal gramma for 2 or 3 days after i put it in. Also small and a good hider.

Besides finding the body, the only way to tell if it has died would be to watch for an ammonia spike.

Good luck, i hope he comes out of hiding soon.

[CarmieJo]

I agree with Phurst, he is probably hiding. I think that in a new tank you would at least see a little ammonia spike even from a small fish.

[Amphibious]

Pammy,

I know that excitement of the first fish. I've been doing this for many years and still get excited. Certain fish, especially Blennies, Gobies Wrasses and some others will dash into the rocks for safety. You know there is nothing in the tank for them to be afraid of but, they come from a different living scenario where everything bigger than you is trying to eat you. It will take some time for your little Wrasse to get comfortable and expose himself. Just drop a small amount of food every day where you've last seen him. He'll eventually find it and eventually again, begin coming out. Some day you'll write us and tell us how he eats out of your hand. Patience and diligence is key to many successes in this hobby. Good Luck and keep us informed.

Dick

[Bluemax4]

some times you wont see a fish for days. Also when the tank light is off put a moon light out and you might see him scurry around.:wow:

[Ocelot199]

I didn't see my lawnmower blenny for probably a month after I bought him. The only way I knew he was in there was I could see his little kissy marks on the glass where I hadn't cleaned it. Now he's one of the more noticeable fish, since he's bigger and not afraid of his own shadow anymore.

Just give him time, I'm sure he's just scared. When he gets hungry, he'll figure out whats up and you'll get to check him out.

[pammy]

Thank you all. As much as I've always wanted a saltwater tank, I NEVER would have thought I'd be so concerned over one little fish. It's not the $50 I plucked down for this little guy....I am truly just concerned if he made it or not, since my tank is only a month old. All parameters are good though, and the corals are doing well. I checked yesterday and today for an ammonia spike, but none. I put a little brine shrimp with 1 drop of garlic extreme in yesterday and today. I would think though, that I'd at least be able to spot his tail in one of the holes in the rock. There is a LOT of places where he could hide though....and he is little.

One thing the LFS said to me, is that it might because there's no other fish in the tank, and they're used to a predator in the area if all the fish are hiding.

Bye
Pam

[CarmieJo]

Hey Pam,

I don't know if you have been told yet that, unless it is enriched, brine shrimp has practically no nutritional value. Baby brine shrimp are the only exception. On rare occasions I give my tank a treat of live brine but that is just so the fish can stalk them, not because they are good for the fish.

[pammy]

Hi Carmie. No, I didn't know that at all. I just asked the LFS what I should feed them, and bought what they told me to buy. I'll check to see if it's enriched or not. I bought the formula 2 pellets too, but haven't tried feeding him that yet, because he was eating the brine shrimp at the LFS. Is there any quality flake food that I can use periodically?

Thanks.
Pam


Hey Pam,

I don't know if you have been told yet that, unless it is enriched, brine shrimp has practically no nutritional value. Baby brine shrimp are the only exception. On rare occasions I give my tank a treat of live brine but that is just so the fish can stalk them, not because they are good for the fish.

[BoB_27]

I didn't see my Wrasse for 5 days. Keep checking and you will find him.

Also

Not to scare you, but did you inspect your rocks really good for a Mantis Shrimp?

[pammy]

Thanks Bob. What type of Wrasse did you have that you didn't see for 5 days. Could you not see ANY sign of it hiding somewhere?
I haven't seen any hitchhikers at all on my live rock...I've been looking.

Bye
Pam


I didn't see my Wrasse for 5 days. Keep checking and you will find him.

Also

Not to scare you, but did you inspect your rocks really good for a Mantis Shrimp?

[BoB_27]

I have a Exquisite Fairy Wrasse.

[CarmieJo]

I use Formula 1 flakes. I also feed frozen mysis, Cyclopeeze, home made fish mush, and DT's Phytoplankton. I soak everything in garlic and vitamins.

[pammy]

Hi Carmie. I just checked the package of the brine shrimp I bought, and the package says "bio-encapsulated with multi-vitamins". The maker is "Hikari". Did you mean multi-vitamins when you said enriched? Day 4....no sign of the little possum wrasse...and still ammonia is 0. I've been checking that daily.

Thanks.
Pam


Hey Pam,

I don't know if you have been told yet that, unless it is enriched, brine shrimp has practically no nutritional value. Baby brine shrimp are the only exception. On rare occasions I give my tank a treat of live brine but that is just so the fish can stalk them, not because they are good for the fish.

[pammy]

Thanks Carmie. I keep asking my LFS about a high quality flake so that I can maybe feed them every other day with something frozen, and every other day with a pellet or a flake, but they seem to be pushing me away from using flakes at all. I did buy some formula 2 pellets. Does the formula 1 flakes only come in one variety (veggie...vs something else?). Do you feed your fish every other day, daily, twice a day? Any specific type of phytoplankton that you use?

Thanks for always answering my questions Carmie!!
Pam



I use Formula 1 flakes. I also feed frozen mysis, Cyclopeeze, home made fish mush, and DT's Phytoplankton. I soak everything in garlic and vitamins.

[Bluemax4]

you know you can mix up your own food. like i have dried blood worms, flakes, crabs pellets, and a few bottom feeder pellets. Every one of my fish found the favorate out of all of these. :)

[CarmieJo]

Hi Pam,

I usually feed about 5 out of 7 days. The Formula One flakes Ocean Nutrition (http://www.oceannutrition.com/product_marine.php?file=bb01.html&head=03) are a fish based flake. The Formula Two products are plant based. The phyto brand is DT, it's refrigerated and you buy it at the LFS.

[pammy]

Thanks Carmie!


Hi Pam,

I usually feed about 5 out of 7 days. The Formula One flakes Ocean Nutrition (http://www.oceannutrition.com/product_marine.php?file=bb01.html&head=03) are a fish based flake. The Formula Two products are plant based. The phyto brand is DT, it's refrigerated and you buy it at the LFS.

[pammy]

Well, 8 days later, and still not a single spotting of the possum wrasse. I went to my LFS with a sample of water yesterday and they tested it for everything and confirmed that all parameters are perfect. (at least I know my tests are accurate. Their tests said I had Ammonia:0 Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: 0 ( I was testing at what looked to be either 2.5 or 5) and PH: 8.3 They showed Salinity was 1.023, but I show it at 1.026. I calibrated my Refractometer with Pinpoint Calibration Fluid. Their Refractometer looked like it's not always rinsed...looked coroded...so I'll go by my reading. :)

They were great and replaced the possum wrasse with another and didn't charge me. If the first ever appears again, I'll be honest and bring him back to them. I was very happy that they took care of me, considering I spent a fortune purchasing the Elos System 80 from them, a couple corals, and some misc stuff. I know they didn't have to replace him, since I had no body to produce, and they only have a 48 hour stay alive guarantee (I did call them at 48 hours and told them that he had vanished). They had special ordered the possum wrasse for me, and bought 6 instead of just the one. They all sold except one, so I lucked out and got another. This new possum wrasse is already acting different. The first possum wrasse, disappeard immediately, never to be seen again. This one, hung out in the cave for a while, then swam into a hole and completely disappeared, then came back out and went back and forth into the hole a few times, and then disappeared for the rest of the night. Today, I had the lights out for several hours, and didn't see him at all, but within 30 minutes of the lights coming on, I saw him darting across the tank and then he disappeared again. I just fed some enriched frozen brine shrimp, and the possum wrasse came right out and ate. I can see him in the cave now picking on the rock. I have much more hope for this one!!

I also bought my second fish. Bought a purple firefish. I floated him for 30 minutes then acclimated him for an hour. I had a hard time getting him out of the bucket. He managed to squish himself against the side, so I couldn't get him wth the net. I then started pouring the water out slowly into my net to get him out that way, and he jumped several feet and landed on my rug. I quickly scooped him into my hand and into the tank. He immediately found a tiny hole in the rock that he liked at the bottom of the front of the rock and backed into it like he was backing into a garage, and was going back and forth in that one hole all night. I guess he's claimed his home!! He doesn't hide all the way though, his head and about 1/2" more sticks out. He came out several times to swim around a little.
This morning, he hid in his hole until the lights came on, and within a few minutes of the lights coming on, he has been swimming close to his hole. PHEW...looks like his little carpet surfing didn't cause any damage. Funny how he is staying RIGHT next to his little hole. So many holes in this rock, and he found one just barely big enough to back into . Haven't seen the possum wrasse since he took one quick swim across the tank, but I'm happy to know he made it through the night!!! So YAY....I have some life in my tank!!! Waiting for them to find me a Tail-Spot Blenny next, and after that, I'm not adding any more fish till I get back from vacation in August, and when I get back, I am going to add a pair of True Percula Clownfish. Have a leather coral in there now that's doing well, and that will give it time to grow, and if I'm REALLY lucky, maybe the clowns will host in it.

Bye
Pam

[Phurst]

Well, I'm sorry to hear your other wrase never re-appeared, but congrats on the 2 new fish. It sounds like they're doing well already. I'm looking at a purple firefish as well. Let us know how they're doing :up:

[Bluemax4]

:wow: that is a nice LFS if they didn't need you bring in the dead fish a proof. hope your fish do well.

[pammy]

Thanks Phurst. The new firefish is cool. When I first put him in, he found his home and darted in there every time I got near the tank, but this morning, only 12 hours later, he's out constantly, and comes right up to the glass and stares at me. I think he's begging for food. Boy did he attack the enriched brine shrimp with gusto!!


Well, I'm sorry to hear your other wrase never re-appeared, but congrats on the 2 new fish. It sounds like they're doing well already. I'm looking at a purple firefish as well. Let us know how they're doing :up:

[CarmieJo]

My firefish is fun too, He seems like he can swim all the way across the tank to his bolt hole in a split second!

[pammy]

Hi Carmie. I just noticed the firefish in your signature pic. My firefish has changed his bolt hole already. And you're right, they can move FAST!!! He's funny too...he spits out any food he doesn't like. He loves the enriched brine shrimp and eats like a pig, but spits out the formula 1 flakes and formula 2 pellets. What is yours eating? Does he eat anything that's not frozen or live? I'm going to buy some more frozen food this week (bloodworms, cyclopese and mysis).

Thanks!
Pam


My firefish is fun too, He seems like he can swim all the way across the tank to his bolt hole in a split second!

[pammy]

And here he is! Not the best pics, but the best I could do with the amount of time he was out.

http://www.homebasedbusiness-usa.com/Pygmy Possum Wrasse1.jpg

http://www.homebasedbusiness-usa.com/Pygmy Possum Wrasse2.jpg

[Phurst]

Woo, hoo! Real live fish :thumbs:

:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:

[CarmieJo]

He eats everything but is picky about the size. I break up some of the flakes because he likes smaller pieces.I think I told you before that I soak everything, including dry food, in garlic & vitamins. Besides the fact that this is good for the fish it causes the flakes to sink form the surface. It is not natural for our fish to feed from the surface so this encourages them all to eat.

[pammy]

Hi Carmie. I didn't give my firefish a choice last night and fed formula 1 flakes and a few formula 2 pellets soaked in garlic extreme. The firefish ate the flakes (wouldn't touch them the day before when I also had fed frozen brine shrimp) and he ate a pellet or two, but they sink so fast and he doesn't go for anything on the bottom. I don't think the possum wrasse went for either. I'm trying to get them to eat something other than just frozen, in case I go away and need to use a automatic feeder. Pam


He eats everything but is picky about the size. I break up some of the flakes because he likes smaller pieces.I think I told you before that I soak everything, including dry food, in garlic & vitamins. Besides the fact that this is good for the fish it causes the flakes to sink form the surface. It is not natural for our fish to feed from the surface so this encourages them all to eat.

[CarmieJo]

You really want to avoid food snobs. :) And, I think that dry food is balanced.