Longfin fairy wrasse color problem! Help!

[missmandy]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time using a forum so please be patient! I've been in the hobby for a couple years now. Usually I can do my own trouble shooting... But this time my problem had to do with my favorite fish! I've had this wrasse for quite a while and am attached to him.

Anyway he's been sluggish lately and is turning white in color! He hides most of the day and no longer makes his mucus cocoon at night. I am not sure if he is missing a mate??

I had my water parameters checked less than a week app at the LFS, all is good there. Any help would greatly appreciated.

 

[HumbleFish]

Need more info... when was the last fish added to this tank? Do you QT? If so, please describe your QT process.

 

[snorvich]

Need more info... when was the last fish added to this tank? Do you QT? If so, please describe your QT process.

Exactly.

 

[saltyair]

I think the biggest question what other fish do you have?
I had one for 2 years till an orchid dottydack decided to kill him ; (
they need to be placed in a very peaceful tank imo

 

[missmandy]

No I do not quarantine. But I acquired this tank from a family member about a year/year and a half ago, with the same 3 fish. There's also a small royal gramma and a Mandarin in there. Everyone minds there own business!

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Have you added anything to the tank? Fish, coral, inverts? If so, how long ago and did you quarantine?

 

[missmandy]

I did a water change about 2 Weeks ago. I moved the liverock around to siphon underneath. Then my corals started dying off after 24 hours. I did testing obviously, and found a crazy amount of phosphate & nitrate. The only reason I can think of for these being so high after a water change is the gases within the substrate being allowed to escape into the water.
I thought I had found the problem n corrected it! Ugh! So i'm guessing this is some sort of bacteria taking advantage of my poor stressed fish?
Should I get the melafix ready lol??

I did add an sps coral about a week before that water change... Other than that, the inverts, etc have been in there for a good few months.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

The new SPS could have brought in something. Is the fish breathing hard? How is its' eating? When you moved the live rock did you smell a "rotten egg" odor? How high are the nitrates? I would does Melafix until you know what you are trying to treat. Needlessly dosing medications can be very stressful on a fish.

 

[Deinonych]

I would does Melafix until you know what you are trying to treat. Needlessly dosing medications can be very stressful on a fish.

I think you meant to say, "I would NOT dose Melafix."

Melafix is completely worthless, IME.

 

[snorvich]

From your other identical thread, neither fish should be in a 15 gallon tank.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I think you meant to say, "I would NOT dose Melafix."

Melafix is completely worthless, IME.

Lol...sorry..that is what I meant. Hadn't had enough coffee that time of the morning

 

[Deinonych]

Lol...sorry..that is what I meant. Hadn't had enough coffee that time of the morning

I figured as much.