Mysterious Wrassee

[SHLUZER]

I really like this fish, and information on the web heated my interest. "Interesting colors, not shy, inquisitive."
I finally found one and put it into my semi-quarantine (separate area with shared water supply).
It started to eat frozen brine shrimp on 1st day, and in several days it ate everything (including flakes and pellet food).
After having it for 4 weeks in the separation, eating good I've tried to put it with other fish (in 120 gal , hypo and yellow tang, six-line wrasse, rabbit fish, couple of salt water mollies).
Initially six line showed some aggression, but then they moved to opposite sides of the tank and did not approach each other.
I saw more attention from mollies to the mystery wrasse, as if they tried to nip on its fins (they try to nip on anything).
Couple hours later I saw mystery wrasse lying on the bottom of the tank heavily breathing. I scooped it with the net and put it back into its enclosure. It came to normal in couple hours.
One week passed. Mystery wrasse eating and behaving normally. So I've tried to release it to 'general population' again.
This time I did not notice any aggression from six-line, and mollies did again their nips, but only for several seconds.
Mystery wrasse ate , moved around .
Then I had to leave the house, and when I came back in about 4 hours it was dead on the bottom of the tank.
I guess it was just so scared. I do not think it was aggression (body and fins were not torn).

Based on web info, I expected this fish to be tougher.
So it is a 'mystery' why it apparently died of fear.

Anyone had similar problems with 'psychological' acclimation of fish?

 

[kschweer]

I have heard similar things before and most tend to be aggression from other fish. A good way to add a fish where aggression has been seen or is a concern is to use an acclimation box. This gives you an opportunity to observe things for a little while. Also in my experience feeding the tank prior to adding a new fish cuts back on aggression at least some. Some people will also introduce new fish with the lights out. Sorry about the loss the mystery wrasse is a very nice fish.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Don't know your tank but does it have sand and is there a lot of rockwork to hide in?

To answer your question about did anyone else have a similar issue. I believe so as my son's tank has two purple fire fishes...both were healthy and eathing but one was scared of it's own shadows. We have not seen it in a while so it was like it hid and never came back out, as it would bury itself in the sand.

 

[ultracorals]

Mystery wrasses are very cool fish. They are also very timid especially at first. The culprit more than likely was the six line. I have seen them be super aggressive to the mystery wrasse. I had put one in a 4x 8 ' tank and the six line chased him for days. the mystery disappeared for almost a week so i figured he was gone. He re surfaced and is now one of my favorite fish. The two wrasses get along great. If they had been in a smaller tank he would probably not have made it.