Melanurus Wrasse has some raised scales?

Reefadict

New member
I have this Melanurus Wrasse and over the past couple days he has developed an issue where his a small section of scales is is slightly "peeled away" from the fishes body. I do not see any missing scales. I know these guys like to bury themselves in the substrate. My substrate is a pretty fine aragonite. He seems to be behaving normal as far as eating and activity are concerned. All tank parameters are in check.

Any ideas what this is?
Please excuse the poor quality pics, he wont sit still.
 

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Im guessing a bacterial infection. Unfortunately the poor guy was dead this morning, within 3 days of noticing the problem.

He ate and behaved normal. No bloating and the raised patch of scales only occured on one side.

I wonder if I got him into a hospital tank on day one and treated for a bacteria infection if it would have saved him?
 
Red Breasted Wrasse Scales Falling Off

Red Breasted Wrasse Scales Falling Off

I have a red breasted wrasse I moved from a QT tank around 10 days ago to my 150 gallon Fish Only. I noticed something with the scales the other day and today is worse. Looks similar to this issue so I am replying to this thread.

He was in QT for around 6 weeks. Treated with Prazipro and Cupramine.

Behavior seems fine.

Anyone have any ideas?

Here is a picture

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5728038/Wrasse/DSC00697.JPG

Also, I was looking at older pictures and I do not see all those red dots as seen in this picture. Although the older picture was with a phone camera so image quality is poor.
 
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The scales of the wrasse look the same this morning, but i do notice more sand is sticking to the wrasse than usual. I have searched the web and cannot find anything on this.

Any ideas? I am thinking of treating with Seachem Kanaplex by mixing with food (and seachem Focus). My other fish will get some too, but it does not appear it will harm them.

My only other thought is the 28 days of cupramine treatment in the QT did some damage. I did have him in the QT for around another week after taking out the cupramine with carbon.

thanks,

Mike
 
All the research I did came up with nothing. The closest thing I came up with was dropsy but my wrasse only had scales raised in one spot.

I was speaking to a vet at the Shedd Aquarium and she said it sounded like the fish may have gotten injured and a bacterial infection set in
 
My wrasse seems to be doing fine. No more scales that look like they are falling off. I have been adding seachem kanaplex and focus to the every other day feedings this past week. Corresponded with Seachem and they think it might just be from the wrasse rubbing up against stuff in the tank, but treating with kanaplex in case it is bacteria would not hurt.
 
I noticed this same problem today with my wrasse. He looks just like the op's pic. On half of his body the scales are white/damaged/enlarged and looks like it has a small string of mucus coming from the left gill. The right side looks normal and he is swimming funny. I am not sure if he got injured or what but I have 2 other wrasses in the system and tangs and other fish that are unaffected. I am going to try and dose hydrogen peroxide to the tank and see if it helps.
 
It's a bacterial infection, I say weigh how established/fat & healthy the fish is with the induced stress of qt + treatment. If it's a new fish I would treat it in QT with nitrofuracin green powder, if it's an old fish in a well maintained established tank, I would leave it alone.
 
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