QT -- Doing it right

[pweissma]

I decided to add a either a McCosker or Carpenters wrasse to my Solana. This time I'm going to QT the fish for a month or two before putting it in. I was wondering if a 10g would be big enough and if just putting a few pvc elbows on the bottom would be appropriate for this fish. I'll cover the tank with a sheet of glass and don't plan on medicating as long as the fish is healthy.
This will be my first time running up a QT tank. I've read a bunch but I'm wondering if there is anything specific that I should do (other than keeping the tank covered) for this fish.

 

[rebelson]

Use a mesh type cover for the tank. Invest in a small HOB filter and a heater. Several pieces of PVC pipe will be fine.

 

[JavyJaverson]

glass would be fine as a cover but just be sure to leave a little slot for air circulation. Also i would let the filter cycle before adding the fish, this will eliminate the need to constantly do water changes to fight off ammonia.

 

[pweissma]

Thanks. I was thinking of glass to cut down on evaporation but I could just as easily use eggcrate. Do I need to be concerned with gas exchange? I have a liberty 150 hob filter ready to go and I have two sponges for the filter sitting in the sump of my Solana. Cycling is done. I'll also use carbon unless I end up medicating with copper or something.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

I would use a finer mesh style cover but any will do. In addition you may want to put in a tuperware filled with sand. These wrasses like a 2-3 inch sand substrate. I have done this and has worked very well.

 

[pweissma]

Thanks. I'll have to get some sand.

 

[prattreef]

Flasher wrasses don't need sand. Many wrasses do, but not the species in question here.

 

[prattreef]

And just in case you haven't seen this:
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/showthread.php?t=82352

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Carpenter wrasse Info ..........http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Wrasses/Carpenters.php

 

[albano]

I would use a finer mesh style cover but any will do...

+1...small wrasses can jump thru eggcrate

 

[pweissma]

Ok. I know that some wrasses sleep in the sand, leopard wrasses for example. Thanks for the conifrm that my wrasse isn't like this.
Is there any problem with covering the qt tank with glass? That is my original plan. For my Solana I made a top with 1/4" mesh in a screen frame. I added a hanging partition to separate the display area from the sump.

 

[prattreef]

Carpenter wrasse Info ..........http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Wrasses/Carpenters.php

Hey Thane,

Yup that is what it says, but that doesn't mean it is correct Parachelinus flasher wrasses and Cirrhilabrus fairy wrasses do not bury in the sand --ever. When stressed or at night they crawl into tight hiding spaces in the rockwork and secrete a mucous-like cocoon for protection. When awake, they have no interest in the sand and are mid-water swimmers. So, I'm not sure how or why, a sand bed would make them more "comfortable". Now back to our OP's regularly scheduled programming.

 

[ClosetFishGeek]

Hey Thane,

Yup that is what it says, but that doesn't mean it is correct Parachelinus flasher wrasses and Cirrhilabrus fairy wrasses do not bury in the sand --ever. When stressed or at night they crawl into tight hiding spaces in the rockwork and secrete a mucous-like cocoon for protection. When awake, they have no interest in the sand and are mid-water swimmers. So, I'm not sure how or why, a sand bed would make them more "comfortable". Now back to our OP's regularly scheduled programming.

Thanks buddy for the correction. I thought this was a decent site. I had a melanurus that I looked up on this site and it said that it liked a sand bed and burrows in it. And when i put it in my Qt tank sure enough it found and burrowed itself in the sand. I looked up the carpenter wrasse on the site and since it said it liked a 2inch sandbed I relayed that info as well. Well today I learned something new......:splitspin Thanks for correcting my incorrect information.

Thane