McCoskers Flasher Wrasse sudden death

I got McCosker's wrasse yesterday. I acclimated him very slowly. After I put him in the tank, he hid for half a day but came out and ate during feeding before the lights were off. This morning, I watched him swimming all over the tank and looked healthy. Other fish checked him out but none picked on him (he was bigger than all other fish except sailfin). It was feeding time. I watched him while I'm waiting the frozen food to thaw. He was again actively swimming and normal.

Suddenly, he dived into the sand and buried his head while the rest of the body stood upside down vertically. It was the strangest behavior I've ever seen. When I moved him, he was barely breathing. After 15 minutes, he was gone.

I have no clue what happened. All I know is my new fish died in 15 minutes without showing any sign of stress or disease. Don't even have a chance to treat him. Any idea?

My tank is 2 yrs old 65 reef with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate, a very healthy system overall.

 

Oh man, I have no idea. That is weird. I am so sorry!!

 

sorry for your loss Reef Wizard

stray voltage is possible - are you using a ground probe?

Im no expert, but been doing some research and it seems that stray voltage gives a signal to the fish which is similar to the one they would get if a predator is in the area
hence the rapid dive into the sand, which as the fish is not yet accustomed to the depth
it may have misjudged and collided with the base of the tank (angle of entry to steep)

as I said, Im not an expert, but the above does sound feasible to me and would explain why an otherwise healthy fish came to this abrupt end

 

No, I do not have a ground probe.

The sand is over 1" deep and his head was in for less than 1/2". And flasher wrasses are not sand burrowing fish like some other wrasses, AFAIK.

 

Well strange enough... when I put my keopard wrasse in my tank he was just laying on my sand bed with no movement. Though he was dead and I was pissed inside cause I just bought this $70 fish... Then he disappeared in the sandbed. a couple of weeks went by and here he is out of the sandbed swimming around. I was so happy bout this. He ti this day is very active and eats anything and everything.

My point to the story is.... maybe he wasnt a goner. From what Ive read its very common for certain species of wrasses to bury themselves. Especially when introdueced to a new captive environment.

Did you remove him from the tank already? If so I would have left em in there until you say him floating. stuck to a powerhead, or your cuc eating him.

 

I still have him in the tank - in the net because I don't want rotten fish where I can't reach. Looks very pale and no movement.

 

I have heard wrasses are very good at playing dead - when my red velvet arrived I was sure he was dead....but after like an hour he came back to life.

But if he's pale...I dunno. Just keep him in the net like you have him for awhile.

 

Yeah, I plan to leave him in the net overnight and see what happen tomorrow.

 

Well good luck! Fingers crossed he's just playin' with ya!

 

He mght be best in the tank with out being in the net.... Just a thought.