Yellow wrasse -- Flashing

[sqrle]

I picked up a nice little yellow wrasse form the pet store the other day. I took it home and acclimated it, placed in tank. today i notcied it flashing a bit on the bottom sand. Could this be some sort of parasite on the gills or something. I can't see anything on it, and it sort of seems to be breathing a bit heavy. Should I try to get this guy out and quarantine him (what a job that will be), should I ride it out for a couple more days and see if I notice anything on it, or is this normal behaviour??

 

[catmel]

DO you have any other fish in the tank? If so I would definatly recommend getting this guy out into your QT. ( I recommend QTing all fish before putting them in the main). Keep a close eye on him in the QT and keep an eye out for any white spots, dust looking spots or any other problems. A lot of times things like ich and velvet start in the gills, where you are unable to see them at first. If you notice these things you'll have to start treatment in the QT depending on your findings.

 

[melosu58]

As Catmel said keep a close eye out but yrs ago I had a wrasse and it seemed like he scratched all the time. I never saw anything for yrs. I dont know if it`s a wrasse thing or not.

 

[sqrle]

I think that I did read somewhere that males do some flashing just because that is therir nature (I could be wrong). I am not going to take any chances though so he is in QT right now. I am going to keep a close eye on it for the next couple of days and see if i notice anything on it as I have not seen any signs of ick, except the flashing. I will have to figure out what the next logical step is going to have to be, since I have never dealt with a potentialy sick fish before. If you have any ideas or experience in this matter, please share with me.

 

[sqrle]

How long should ikepp it in QT for. How long would external signs of ich, or something else, take to show up. if it is a parasite on the gills that only go on the gills (if they exist) what should I do?

 

[austinsdad]

Velvet shows up in the gills first. That's why it kills faster. Flashing makes me think something external if anything. Is he eating? What else is in your tank and could you set up a 20g QT tank? What are the realistic options here?

Read up on articles at this site. There's one on QT tanks. There's one on ick treatment too.

 

[sqrle]

It is already in a 10g QT. It eats lots. I have a couple of clowns, a yellow tang, goldhead goby, pygmy angel, handful of hermits, a green emerald crab, some random snails that hitchhiked on my mlive rock.