Help: Tamarin Wrasse with infection ?

[tenurepro]

Hello. I purchase this yellow tamarin wrasse from a LFS 6 days ago. Went straight into a cycled and running 10 gal QT, with a little sand box, and a ball of chaeto with pods from my fuge on main tank. Fish was spooked for a few days and would only venture out for a few hours, but looked good. Last three days the fish has been out and about for 6 hours, hunting for food across the tank. Active and healthy looking. It is now eating frozen mysis
Three days ago I noticed a bit of damage on the tail fin but can't tell if it was there when I purchased the fish. Also yesterday and the day before, I noticed that the wrasse would charge and dart against heater and little section of pvc pipe. Not all the time, but a few times. Not sure if she is scratching or just doing a display
Today I noticed an obvious pinkish blotch on her back near the dorsal fin. Looks like another fish bit her but there are no other fish. So she either scratched herself on something (one pvc section is a bit rough) or it's an infection. While taking the pics below, also noticed some redness around the jaw.

Parameters are 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites, 25 ppm nitrates. Temp 78, salinity 35 ppt.

What do you guys think this is? And how should I treat it? I was planing on feeding her for 1 more week before two rounds of prazi pro. Should I treat this like a bacterial infection and dose antibiotics?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tenurepro]

Any guesses? I did a large water change and purchased a broad spectrum antibiotic; e.m. Erythromycin. But without a good diagnosis, I worry that I may be making matters worse.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[juanmanuelsanch]

could be a scratch or a burn from the heater... could happen. If the fish is not doing anything out of the ordinary and its eating I wouldn't worry that much.

If things turns for the worse or the fish stops eating I would worry.

Also those nitrates are high. THey are not as toxic as ammonia, but still high IMO.

 

[tenurepro]

Thanks Juan. I did change out 6 gals today so nitrates are probably about 10 ppm now, planing to do a few more water changes tomorrow. Yes she is eating well and seems active. She is in the sand now so will have a look tomorrow morning. If things deteriorate, then I'll start the antibiotic


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neiltus]

I would just watch the tail fin closely for a few days. If it appears worse then consider antibiotic. Same with the other spot-but that might just be physical damage.

Hows the food and poop quality?

 

[tenurepro]

Poop looks normal, gets exited whenever I put frozen mysis, eats them quickly. Nibbles but spits pellets and flakes for the moment


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tenurepro]

So it seems to have been an injury. Red sport is getting less red 2 days later. Fish is active and eating frozen mysis and chewing on pellets and flakes. Started prazi pro today. I estimated 2 ml for the 8 gallons of water in qt. Gave 1 ml now and observing for signs of distress. If fish seems normal, will give the other 1 ml in 6 hours. Added and extra powerhead plus air stone for aeration. Have enough water on hand to do an emergency water change if things go south... fingers crossed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neiltus]

Good to hear things are looking better.

FWIW, I had a pair of wrasses in QT a few weeks back, and we were about 6 weeks into it, and both expired within about 24 hours of each other. I had used prazi in TTM with a water change and 6 day dosing.

Evolved suggested API GC because of the lower dose of prazi, and that it may de-worm slightly better.

I tried it with a rhomboid and melanarus recently and both appeared less stressed and did not skip a beat on eating.

So, just an FYI.

 

[tenurepro]

Yikes... sorry to hear about that. Hopefully things don't go sour with the tamarin. So far she's been acting normal. I have her on watch with the 'wrasse cam' so I can step in at the first signs of stress.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tenurepro]

Things went wonky with prazi, after second half of dose, wrasse was having difficulty keeping upright, pulled her out into a little container of display water, did a 75% water change in qt, and put her back in qt and cut the lights.... yikes...she seems freaked out but doesn't seem to have issues with balance and seems to be breathing normally now . hope she makes it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[neiltus]

how is it this am?

 

[tenurepro]

Not good. Seems like she is on her deathbed. Still breathing but upside down, swimming slow circles on the bottom of the tank
Not sure if I can do anything to save her at this point. Physically, she looks fine but I may seem that she is a bit bloated?
Not sure if this was caused by the prazi pro or something relating to the red bump on her back that showed up a few days ago. I followed the prazi instructions to a t, and added an extra powerhead for aeration. Ammonia didn't spike....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tenurepro]

Wrasse is still alive but in bad shape. Can t keep herself upright. Seems like a swim bladder infection?
Now that I think about it, I may have noticed some signs of this during the past week. The wrasse would swim regularly on the bottom of the tank, then turn parallel to the bottom, then right herself against... I just thought she was checking out her own reflection on the bare bottom qt tank. But maybe it was the start of something that I was too slow to react to. The fish is still breathing so decided to treat with API general cure. No sure if it will help, but i feel the need to do something to try to save her.
I tried to hand feed her but didn't take. She has an bulge on her abdomen ...
Wishing for a miracle

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[juanmanuelsanch]

the fish wont eat because its stressed. I will let it be, and just observe, if the fish is doomed then it will die almost no matter what you do.

The only thing I would do its to have clean water and all parameters in check. And apply a broad spectrum antibiotic only, no mixing with other medicines or treatments and see where that goes.

 

[Khazmodain]

What kind of aeration do you have in the QT? Wrasses are generally on the sensitive side when it comes to medications but I thought usually they are fine with prazi as long as there is adequate O2.

 

[tenurepro]

Help: Tamarin Wrasse with infection ?

I have an hang on filter above water level so it splashes a lot of water and bubbles, then I have an air stone, and I mj 600 powerhead setup as a Venturi, so lots of surface agitation and bubbles. I don't think it was the prazi, but a swim bladder or decompression type infection. It's been a day now and the fish is still clinging to life. I netted her so she is not blowing around in the current, but gently suspended in the mesh in the tank. Thinking of lancing the swim bladder if she doesn't improve by tomorrow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Khazmodain]

Any luck?

 

[tenurepro]

Thanks for asking. Nope. The wrasse perished yesterday. He was unable to swim upright or eat since Saturday. Died soon after the second dose of API general cure. Most likely an infection of some sort. Her abdomen was noticeably plumb.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk