Resolved New Leopard Wrasse problem

Picked up a Leopard Wrasse a day ago and initially it hid a lot but I found it swimming fine this morning. I left the house around 12:30 and got back around 5 and I found it laying on its side and later against a rock breathing heavily.

None of my other fish seem to be having problems. I've seen fish with swim bladder problems sit around a lot but I havent seen him try and swim since then so I cant be sure of it. Anyone know what this could be and if there's anyway it might pull through? Fish was $80 here to :I

 

I just had a similar problem with an unknown Nitrate problem. Everything seemed happy and healthy but i suspect they had just became used to the levels. Put him in next day he was struggling hardcore and after two massive water changes got everything back into control.


What are your tank stats?

 

Phosphates: 0
Nitrate: looks to be about 15ish
Temp: 77
Salinity: 1.023
Carbonate Hardness: 143.2ppm aka 8.5-9
Have to give me till the morning on Ph

I think the nitrates are a little high due to the fact I just switched from a 55 gallon to a 90 and made the 55 my fuge. Maybe the extra water volume is still being cycled? All the added water was pre-mixed RO/DI from the LFS and I heated it all before turning the fuge on.
You said you did some big water changes but a good amount of this water is new water, nitrates could have come from using the aragonite out of my old tank in the sump maybe? Stirring it up could have released some possibly.

Then again I do have some LPS and softies in there 15ppm isnt really an insane number so I wouldnt suspect the fish to start having troubles after acting fine 4-5 hours earlier..

 

a lot of things here... but in most cases with a new fish (especially wrasses) I would say shipping stress.
It was probably stressed out in the move and did not get enough food for too long of a time, then being added into a new tank and not immediately feeling secure led to a slow demise.

He may recover but chances are slim when they are breathing hard and not moving much. Most fish stores offer a 7-14 day return policy if a fish dies

 

That's what I was thinking, typically I haven't seen miraculous recoveries. I frequent this store and they know me. I dont think they should give me any trouble about it. Sadly it is actually my gf's fish she bought for my tank and being a fairly expensive fish I feel bad for her lol. And it just sucks to have nice fish die.

In addition to my other comments though I recently added a larger Blue Tang and small Yellow Tang and they are both doing excellent and feeding often so I wasn't expecting any problems with this fish.

 

Just looked again, it died and the shrimp are having an $80 dollar meal. Gonna talk to the pet store in the morning I guess :I

 

I've never seen a lfs with a return policy on live saltwater fish/inverts. Some around me won't take some back as they are affraid of pests being introduced into their tanks.

 

Yeah, ocean reef is the only one that takes things back but they buy them off you and give you store credit. I dont think they would if he was dead though =[

 

Using old aragonite was a bad idea IMO. Unless it was thoroughly cleaned.(even then I personally wouldn't reuse it)
Not only does the substrate harbor Nitrates but other toxic things as well.When you disturb it i.e. moving it from tank to tank you are releasing it into your water all at once. You may have even caused a mini cycle. Sorry for your loss such a pretty fish. They do not ship well.

 

Hydrogen sulfide builds up when the bed is not turned over properly... This may have been released also. Plus all the anaerobic bacteria were oxidized the second they come into contact with free oxygen- this probably was what created those nitrates