Sick Wrasse, what to do?

[Fokkerdmr]

I have a sixline wrasse that did not get quarantined after arrival (my bad).

Within 2 days of arrival, she developed cloudy eye. She started hiding and did some scratching on rock, I assumed ich and hoped that she would get over it and heal, as she was eating well and swimming strong during the day.

She started hiding more and more, and finally would not come out during the day at all.

I moved her to a hospital tank and have been treating with erithromycin (sp?) for a week. She eats 10-12 brine shrimp per day, but is always laying on her side and can barely swim. The cloudy eye has cleared up. She is ever so slowly getting better, but I have no idea what might be up with her and whether she'll ever recover. I am going to continue to treat for another week, but will be changing to Kanamycin today.

Has anyone had this same/similar problem, and if so, suggestions on care going forward?

TIA,

Dave

 

[NaH2O]

Dave, have you tried making the water hyposaline? Here is a thread where Terry Bartelme gives some info on it: Hyposalinity for transport and quarantine.

Let us know how the fish does with your new treatment plan. Oh...a couple more thoughts......have you tried feeding other things? I don't know how much nutritive value the fish would get from only brine shrimp....unless you're soaking it in a supplement like Selcon?

 

[Fokkerdmr]

The hospital tank also has a coral beauty angel in it that is being treated for ich. So, yes, the wrasse is in a hyposaline tank now. I maintain it at 14-16 ppt.

The wrasse doesn't seem to eat flake food. Other than Tetramin flake food, brine shrimp and regular shrimp, I don't have any other diet available. Suggestions?

 

[Scooterman]

Keep treating & wc berore each treatment, I think Terry has some really great information.

 

[Scooterman]

Yes, scrape up any copepods from your sump, mine loves those things.

 

[Fokkerdmr]

You assumed I had a sump...

 

[Scooterman]

ok, sorry, how about a power filter, skimmer anything that will keep them, live critters are good foor for a sixline.

 

[steve-s]

The hospital tank also has a coral beauty angel in it that is being treated for ich. So, yes, the wrasse is in a hyposaline tank now. I maintain it at 14-16 ppt

How was the wrasse acclimated to the QT and was it exhibiting the listless symptoms prior to the transfer?

If you've added the erythromycin for the cloudy eye, I don't think it will be all that effective (AFAIK) depending on dosage. Quite honestly, a few good water changes with well aged/aerated SW and fortified feeding will normally do the trick without the need for meds. Maracyn II or neomycin would be a much better treatment for secondary infection or actual popeye (will not commonly be just one eye though).

Cheers
Steve

 

[Scooterman]

Oh yea, I have new life spectrum pellets that they love, can also try soaking it in garlic juice to help get appetite up.

 

[Fokkerdmr]

How was the wrasse acclimated to the QT and was it exhibiting the listless symptoms prior to the transfer?

If you've added the erythromycin for the cloudy eye, I don't think it will be all that effective (AFAIK) depending on dosage. Quite honestly, a few good water changes with well aged/aerated SW and fortified feeding will normally do the trick without the need for meds. Maracyn II or neomycin would be a much better treatment for secondary infection or actual popeye (will not commonly be just one eye though).

Cheers
Steve

Steve,

Wrasse was put into QT with same temp / pH as display tank, but QT salinity was lower than display tank. She was listless prior to the transfer, and likely had not moved from her location for at least 2 days prior to the move.

I've kept up 20% water changes every 2-3 days and added the erythromycin after 20% of the water was removed to keep up the concentration. At least I can say the cloudy eye is almost completely gone now.

 

[Fokkerdmr]

I have a CPR BakPak on the display tank, but that doesn't seem like it would work well. I also have a Fluval 304 filter that's on the QT right now, but that also doesn't seem like a good alternative.

Sorry for the ignorance (I haven't spent much time reading up on cope's), are they something that typically lives in a display tank? I have approx 1" of CC substrate, but I get the idea that might not be deep enough.

 

[NaH2O]

steve-s - great info on the meds. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about fish disease and treatments, so every bit of info helps.

Dave - I recently tried this sinking pellet - Golden Pearls Sinking Pellet, and the fish seem to really like them. My 6-line goes nuts for it.

 

[spongebob lover]

Hi fokkerdmr, have you tried giving him some formula 1and 2, mine used to love that food as well as flatworms and if you wanna add some more copepods to your tank just go to the nearest pet store i'm sure they will have some otherwise ask anyone in here i'm sure they will have some for ya

 

[NaH2O]

Dave - on the copepods and amphipods, you will find them on the live rock, or in rubble piles. If you have some empty snail shells on the bottom of the tank, you can pull those out and see if you find any hiding in there. I don't know if you would want to add a few rubble pieces to the QT from the display, but it might get some pods in there while you are treating. I would throw them (rubble pieces) out after treatment though....just to be safe.

In the QT, did you provide any hiding spots, like pieces of PVC?

 

[Fokkerdmr]

Yes, I have a "sunken titanic" aquarium decoration and a "stump" decoration. Both are hollowed out, both have hiding places and the fish use them.

However, the wrasse is in a breeding net, not the main tank so I can feed her by hand.

 

[steve-s]

Pods will not usually survive in the QT with hyposalinity. Most likely they'll die as soon as they hit the water. Keeping the wrasse in the HOB breeders not that great an idea either. It will add more stress to it's already ailing condition. Pretty sure you've done this to avoid aggression from the angel but keep a very close eye on the wrasse. It could actually make matters worse.

How are the nitrites in the QT and did you happen to notice any mal odors from the transport bag? LFS or online purchase?

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

steve-s - great info on the meds. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about fish disease and treatments, so every bit of info helps.

Erythromycin can work, it's just a matter of what's more effective. Not all antibiotics work equally/the same for all afflictions. It could have helped but the water changes in most cases are the greatest contributor to clearing up this kind of issue.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Scooterman]

You could hand feed pods but the idea is not to over shock the fish, I agree with steve on this, sometime doing less is better, just provide good quality water, & avoid all added stresses.

 

[Fokkerdmr]

Have only been checking PH, 'trates and ammonia (8.2, 0, 0) but not nitrites... Will test in the a.m. with the next water change.

No noticable odors from the transport bags...

 

[Fokkerdmr]

So, I want to thank you all for your continuous help here. I picked up some Formula 1 & 2 today, and some bloodworms. The wrasse is eating, that's a good sign. I'll put her back into the rest of the tank so she can find some hiding places, and hopefully de-stress a bit more. She's slowly improving, I can tell she'll move around more and with stronger motions than a few days ago. So, I'll keep up the water changes and let you know how it goes. Again, thanks to all who've helped out here. What an awesome resource!

Dave