Nasty Six-Line Wrasse - 5/2/2006
Hello to all the Wet Web Media Gurus-
<<HA! Happy helpers, :).>>
I have developed a problem with my two favorite fish- both wrasses.  After recently re-entering the hobby, I have been operating a 30 gallon reef tank for about a year.  Parameters of the tank are:
76 degrees F
PH 8.1
SPG 1.024
All my tests show that ammonia, nitrite/trate, calcium, alkalinity, etc. are good and consistent.
<<Numbers are always helpful.>>
I do a 5 gallon water change every week.
<<Good to hear.>>
The tank has live sand and rock, a substandard protein skimmer (upgraded SeaClone 100),
<<Ouch>>
a power head for circulation, some air stones for aeration, and a three stage trickle filter with a sponge, carbon, and bio-balls (which I just heard are bad???).
<<Not BAD, just not a favorite of many.>>
The tank is crowded- residents listed are in the order added:
1 blue/green Chromis
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
2 small snails
1 fairy wrasse
<<Many species possible.>>
mushrooms
1 small clown fish (1 1/2")
lawnmower blenny
<<Tank is much too small for this guy.>>
2 turbo snails
1 hammer coral
2" bubble tip anemone
1 six-line wrasse
3 feather duster worms
Also, looks like there are some zoos, small brittles, a hermit crab, and unfortunately a tree or colt coral that all came in as hitchhikers.  Now before you yell at me - I realize the errors of my ways and I am currently in the process of setting up a 72 gallon tank to house these guys.
<<You read my mind!  Are you running proper light/feeding the anemone?>>
Here's my problem:  The six-line has been bullying the fairy wrasse.
<<Not uncommon.>>
She has marks on her body and a small piece of her fin is nipped.
<<Poor girl.>>
I've pulled her out of the display and put her into a 10 gallon quarantine tank.  I've tried giving the six-line a "time-out" in the quarantine, rearranging the tank, etc.  Should I even attempt to put my poor beat up fairy into the 72 gallon with the six-line?  I suspect that the current crowded tank is exacerbating the bullying problem.
<<I agree.>>
I'd like to keep both of them if possible but I really don't want to keep the fairy in quarantine for the rest of her life.
Please advise.
<<Get the larger tank set up ASAP.  Introduce both fish at the same time, and watch them.  You may need to choose one over the other, but my guess is larger quarters will go a long way here.>>
Thanks,
Stephanie D.
<<Glad to help.  Lisa.>>

Mystery Wrasse and Masudes Hog... Incomp. of Pseudocheilinus and Bodianus spp.    4/8/06
I am getting a Mystery Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus ocellatus) tomorrow and want to know if I can add him to a 90 gallon reef tank.
<This is a very gentle species, genus...>
I have a 4" Bodianus masudai in a 90 gallon along with a few other fish.
<In the same tank?... Might be a problem>
The masudai has only been aggressive to one other fish (a Halichoeres chrysus that is no longer in the 90 gallon.) Otherwise he seems to leave everything else alone.
I also have a 58 gallon reef tank that is only 2 months old and has two Tangerine Skunk Clowns (Amphiprion sandaracinos) and a Candy Hog (Bodianus
bimaculatus).
<The genus Bodianus, Hogfishes can be quite territorial...>
I would really rather put the Mystery Wrasse in my 90, it is much more established, and in a more prominent area of the house, but I hate to take a chance with a $200 fish.
What is your advice?
Thanks,
Bill Edgel
<... To place this fish in yet another system... not with a Bodianus/alpha fish present... too similar in appearance, users of similar niche... Likely to be trouble in either tank here. Research before you buy... Bob Fenner>

Cocoon Swallowing Wrasse   3/28/06  
       I have a problem with my Six-Line Wrasse.  For the two weeks that I have had him he has being doing fine in my 50 gallon tank with his Engineer and Clown Goby pals.  This morning I got up and was surprised to see that my wrasse was still hanging out in his sleeping cocoon.
<Late sleeper?>
  After breakfast I saw him spit out and then suck back in a small wad of his cocoon material.
<Not uncommon... some consume this...>
  He kept on doing this and it looked like he was choking on it because his breathing seemed a little labored.  That was a few hours ago and I can no longer see the wad of cocoon that was in his mouth.  He keeps his mouth partially open and swims kind of funny.  He will not eat now when just yesterday he had a huge appetite for the Mysis that I feed him.
<Perhaps it just over-ate?>
sometimes he shakes and twitches and I think the wad of cocoon is still in his throat or something.  Is there anything that I can do to help him?
<Mmm, just good care, maintenance>
       It is now the next day and he has disappeared.  All day yesterday he was acting as I described above.  In the evening he returned to the hole where he likes to sleep and just sat there breathing heavily.  At this point I could see more cocoon material hanging out of his mouth.  I would have guessed that he spits out mucus to create the cocoon but I seems to cause him so much trouble.   Around ten thirty I could not find him anywhere and have not seen him since.  I just don't know what to do.  He didn't look very happy at all when I saw him last.
     Sorry that my original query was not written well.  I didn't realize that was a requirement.
<Ah, yes... all is posted... I wouldn't worry here. If your other livestock and water quality are fine... Bob Fenner>

Peppermint shrimp to rid Aiptasia ? Or feed a wrasse?  - 2/4/2006
Hello to the crew !
                          I have a relatively simple 50 gallon reef, which has slowly been over run with Aiptasia. I went to my LFS and was told peppermint shrimp should do the trick, so I purchased three of them. The following day I looked for them and they are no where to be found ?
<Maybe>
I'm wondering what could have happened to them. I only have two fish, one being a yellow tang and the other a six-line wrasse.
<The last could have consumed them>
Do either of these fish have shrimp on the menu ?
<Yep>
I also lost a cleaner shrimp about two months ago, which I had for approximately one year. One day he was there, the next gone. Any clues ? What about the possibility of a bristle worm ? If one of these guys is the culprit, what is the best way to deal with my quickly spreading Aiptasia problem ?
<See WWM re... Bob Fenner>
                                                                                                                    Thanks for the input.
                                                                                                                                                   Trever from Santa Barbara, Ca.

The Legend of the Predatory Six-Line  - 2/4/2006
Hello gang,
<Hi Fred.>
your site and books ;-) have been invaluable to me and I thank you again (and ahead of time).
<Quite welcome.>
My issue at hand is my skunk cleaner shrimp. He is wonderful and cool but he is constantly stepping on my zoos, mushrooms, yellow polyps and candy cane coral.
<Sounds like normal Lysmata behavior to me.>
This causes them to never be fully open for very long. In addition he steals whatever food they collect.
<Ditto on the above comment.>
I cannot use the inverted soda bottle method because my corals are far to spread out, it would be easier to place him in a soda bottle (which of course isn't happening). I've thought about giving him away and replacing him with a six line wrasse.
<For what? These wrasses are not “cleaners”, they will not remove parasites nor dead tissue from your other animals. A neon goby would be a much better choice for this.>
I've read that the six line would eat my only hermit crab and eventually eat my snails.
<No they stay relatively small for wrasses, your hermits and herbivorous snails are safe generally speaking. The six-line wrasse is much more of a threat to your micro-fauna and ‘pod population than it is your “clean-up” crew.>
So to those who keep six lines, what do you do about algae?
<See above, and remember live animals are not the only way to keep algae at bay, look into refugiums and nutrient control in general.>
I'm afraid that without my team of snails my tank will be over run with algae. Will the six line really eat 2" turbo snails?
<No.>
Or is he more of a danger to tiny snails?
<Very tiny snails, such as those “pyramid” snails that afflict Tridacnids…many clam keepers love six-lines for this reason.>
I have a 55 with zoos, mushrooms, yellow polyps, candy cane and a short tentacle plate. Current inhabitants are a Coral Beauty, 2 Scissortail
gobies, red legged hermit crab, few assorted snails. I'd like to add two ocellaris clowns a six line and a fridmani Pseudochromis sans the skunk
cleaner shrimp of course. Any thoughts?
<I would skip the fridmani, I’d say your full up after the addition of the clowns and the wrasse.>
You guys ROCK!!!!!
<Thank you.>
Fred
<Adam J.>

My 6 line wrasse needs help   2/1/06
I am trying to save a 6 line wrasse I bought about 4 weeks ago.  It had a large abdomen at the time but seemed otherwise healthy.  Over the last
few weeks its abdomen has swelled greatly.  Its now has severe buoyancy problems, it tries to wedge its self to stay upright and flips upside
down if not moving. Its vent is inflamed, and at times a thick ivory colored mass seems to protrude then retract.  I am treating with MelaFix
<Worse than worthless>
in a hospital tank, and suspecting an intestinal worm or other parasite.
<Maybe>
The fish is still eating well.   Is there any thing I can do to help this fish or is euthanasia the best option?
Thank you for your help,
Kim    
<Only if in your opinion the animal is "overly" suffering. I would add a level teaspoon of Epsom Salt per ten gallons of system water here... and see if "this too passes". Bob Fenner>

Re: my 6 line wrasse needs help   2/2/06
Hi Bob, Thanks for the response! I will try your suggestion, I hadn't considered Epsom salt.  
<A very useful, inexpensive, readily available, safe cathartic>
I did use Prazipro last night, which is fish Droncit and ordered Discomed on line last night when no one in town had it.  I gave a brief, 2-3 minute dip, which it didn't seem to enjoy much as it thrashed about, I removed it when its breathing became labored.   But right away worms began being expelled.
<Interesting>
  They were almost ½ inch long, very thin on one end with the thicker part the last to come out.
<Likely either nematodes or acanthocephalans>
One was still alive but died right away. I looked at it under a microscope and didn't see any obvious segments.
<Cutting a coronal section near the distal (head) end and looking end-on may reveal a roundworm definitive triradiate esophagus>
The fish abdomen was much smaller this morning and it seems a bit better able to maintain its balance. Two more questions if I may:
If it survives, I am wondering how I will know when it is "cured" and safe to go into a tank?  
<A few weeks...>
This is my first experience with this problem, so I am also wondering how infectious this type of problem can be?    
<Mmm, as in spreading to other fish species? Not very in general... and all fishes (and humans for that matter) have gut and parasite fauna>
I had hoped the MelaFix would help with the vent inflammation, I take it your not a fan. I will stop using it today.  
<I would (stop)>
Looking forward to seeing you again at the WMC, Morgan tells me he may be coming as well.   It should be a great time.
Thanks again for your help.
Kim
<Will indeed... and twill be a hoot. See you then/there. Bob Fenner>