Banana Wrasse Breathing Heavy

[rinconmike]

23 days ago I received a Niger Trigger and Banana Wrasse from Live Aquaria.

I have both in an established bare bottom 55 gallon QT.

Up until a day or two ago, both fish were fine. A day or two ago, I notice the banana wrasse breathing heavy and yesterday he did not eat much (I think he ate 2 days ago - I have been feeding every other day for the last week, was doing almost every day for the first two weeks).

When first received, the Niger had slightly cloudy eyes and per the recommendation of LA, I treated with Maracyn Plus (started around day 3 or 4 and did the 5 day treatment).

After a couple of weeks, both fish seem fine. No signs of sickness. However, I wanted to make sure there is nothing there that I cannot see so I planned on treating with Quinine Sulfate and then Prazi Pro.

I did the first treatment of QS at day 14. 6 days later, I did a 25% water change and did a second treatment (that was on 11/17, this past Thursday).

Then yesterday it was obvious the wrasse was breathing hard. I am not sure if it was due to the meds, the fish being stressed from the Trigger (or me), or something else.

So last night (11/19, day 22), I decided to run some carbon and today I did a 25% water change.

My Ammonia and Nitrite are zero.

I have an air stone in the tank with two Aquaclear 70 HOB filters on back.

Salinity is around 1.024 to 1.0245.

PH is around 8.2.

I have not seen the Niger go after the wrasse, but the wrasse is hiding and the Niger swims all over.

This afternoon I also decided to turn the lights out and will keep out for a few more days.

I am wondering if anyone has any ideas? I am going to hold off on treating with Prazi until the fish stabilizes (hopefully).

Thanks,

Mike

 

[MrTuskfish]

Is the wrasse scratching at all? An spots, discoloration on him? Is he extremely lethargic, still not eating? Did the breathing problem come on all of sudden, or gradually? I'm sure its not related, but why the light feeding? A QT is a great place to get a fish eating in captivity and they need a lot more than one feeding every two days. I feed new fish 3-4 X a day in QT.

 

[rinconmike]

No spots and no scratching. Colors seem fine. The breathing did come on all of a sudden. If I go to move some pvc by where he is, he darts all over.

I feed the main display every other day and since the fisher were fine, I decided to get them on that schedule. I can go back to every day for now though. I skipped last night and will feed tonight.

thanks,

Mike

 

[Chris27]

No spots and no scratching. Colors seem fine. The breathing did come on all of a sudden. If I go to move some pvc by where he is, he darts all over.

I feed the main display every other day and since the fisher were fine, I decided to get them on that schedule. I can go back to every day for now though. I skipped last night and will feed tonight.

thanks,

Mike

Feeding in a QT vs. feeding in a display is an entirely different animal. A thriving reef tank has plethora of live food available, and while it's not enough to sustain most fish, it's a great supplement in between feedings by the caretaker.

As for the QT, when you get a new fish in, feed the hell out of it, multiple times a day, if there is an established bio-filter like you have, water chemistry is not an issue. Nitrates may rise, but in the case of a QT, it's not an issue.

 

[rinconmike]

ok. thanks. I will get back feeding daily. Hopefully that will get the Wrasse back or maybe calm down the trigger. I have not seen the trigger go after the wrasse, but I probably only observe an hour a day so I am wondering if the Trigger is harassing the wrasse causing the heavy breathing and hiding.

Mike

 

[Chris27]

dbl post

 

[rinconmike]

My other thought is to put some egg crate up to separate the trigger and wrasse. Not sure if that will help or hurt.

Before I left this morning, lights were still out, but I looked under the bottom of the tank (lights in room were on) and could see the wrasse under some pvc, still look like breathing a little heavy.

Need to see what I find when I get home tonight.

 

[rinconmike]

I set up a web cam and when I am not around, the wrasse swims all over. For feed the last two nights, the wrasse did not seem to eat. A little after I left, I did see the wrasse on the cam swimming but cannot tell if he ate.

The first two weeks, the wrasse was not as shy.

 

[hollister]

Heavy breathing could be from low oxygen levels. Oxygen is brought in from the water surface from good steady water flow and removing any lid you may have helps alot.

 

[enjetek]

Are the eyes still cloudy? Flukes can also affect fish to make them not eat. You should try treating with prazi eventually to see if it helps.

 

[rinconmike]

Thanks all. The eyes on the trigger cleared up after the first week.

The wrasse never had cloudy eyes.

I do have an air stone and two HOB filters. The lid is loose too; however, I do have one side open with egg crate on top just in case. So I think the oxygen is fine.

My guess at this point is the wrasse is spooked when I am at the tank but I am not really sure. I have fed more in the last couple of days (yesterday twice) and the Wrasse is out more even when I am close by, but he still goes and hides and looks like he is breathing heavy.

I will probably wait a few more days with the carbon running, and then turn it off and do a treatment with prazi pro to rule out any flukes too.