Sick fish or Strange Wrasse Behavior?

karimwassef

karimwassef

Active member
I love wrasses. I think they're very smart fish and elegant in form and function. I also like triggers for the same reason but I can't keep them in my reef. My favorite little wrasse in a yellow Coris wrasse but now it's acting strangely:

Is she sick?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Ebzamjv5lY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/55DF8E9F-98A9-422A-8D15-B7CEA6EF65BF_zpsnmqbjybj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/55DF8E9F-98A9-422A-8D15-B7CEA6EF65BF_zpsnmqbjybj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 55DF8E9F-98A9-422A-8D15-B7CEA6EF65BF_zpsnmqbjybj.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/39259D85-6E7F-48F5-BC9E-F94FA7BFD6CF_zpsitmxikit.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/39259D85-6E7F-48F5-BC9E-F94FA7BFD6CF_zpsitmxikit.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 39259D85-6E7F-48F5-BC9E-F94FA7BFD6CF_zpsitmxikit.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/A82204F9-375B-4951-894B-9CAD3736914F_zps9vakcust.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/A82204F9-375B-4951-894B-9CAD3736914F_zps9vakcust.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo A82204F9-375B-4951-894B-9CAD3736914F_zps9vakcust.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/6664CADE-B90E-446F-BEF7-2815FB4ED32F_zpsvl3qdsgj.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/6664CADE-B90E-446F-BEF7-2815FB4ED32F_zpsvl3qdsgj.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 6664CADE-B90E-446F-BEF7-2815FB4ED32F_zpsvl3qdsgj.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/738A9F8F-1339-4FDD-B26F-3BBD8C440DA2_zps6ztodyva.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/738A9F8F-1339-4FDD-B26F-3BBD8C440DA2_zps6ztodyva.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 738A9F8F-1339-4FDD-B26F-3BBD8C440DA2_zps6ztodyva.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/FFB50A0B-7A44-47DE-891D-F0977113CAC2_zpsqevvmuwi.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/FFB50A0B-7A44-47DE-891D-F0977113CAC2_zpsqevvmuwi.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo FFB50A0B-7A44-47DE-891D-F0977113CAC2_zpsqevvmuwi.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/14557B2E-37FF-457E-8CA3-EC336365B4BB_zpsba6fxlyb.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/14557B2E-37FF-457E-8CA3-EC336365B4BB_zpsba6fxlyb.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 14557B2E-37FF-457E-8CA3-EC336365B4BB_zpsba6fxlyb.jpg"/></a>

She seems attentive and alert, but her lower back body seems to droop and she's hanging out over the sand a lot... Looking out at me. Almost like she needs help. Her eyes are clear and very active... Just her lower and tail fin seem to be malfunctioning?

I've seen her lying in the corner front of the tank, by the glass, on her side.

The melanarus is much bigger but really doesn't bother her. It looks fine - actively hunting. And the six line is also very active and healthy. Other fish and coral seem fine.

The only change I've seen is that she's gotten much fatter since I first got her. Could she have eaten too much and that caused some kind of illness?
 
Does it start swimming when food is added to the tank and does it actively eat?

I ask, because my Carpenter's wrasse was acting like your yellow for a few days; it had injured its eye and I swore that it was on death's door. However, whenever I fed the tank, it would mix it up with the other fish and ate well. Then, it would go back to its corner and change to its stress colouration. Now, after a couple of weeks has passed, it's back to its normal behaviour.
 
I've had it for about 4 months. She came in with 2 others who were much much smaller and they disappeared.

The melanarus and six line were there first, but neither bothered her.

She's always been an active hunter and eats very well - to the point of having a distended belly sometimes.

Sleeps or hides in the sand.

I haven't fed today yet. I'll report what I find out.
 
I can't tell if it's eating. As soon as I put food in the tank, all the commotion makes her hide. There's plenty of circulation, so the food can go behind the rocks, so I think she's still eating.

Came home today and she's doing the same... almost looks like her tail and backfins are paralyzed? But otherwise, making do? Does that sound like anything?
 
this is a massive reef. It also uses the sand to hide and I think that reduces its stress.

I don't know what I'd do in a hospital tank? I don't know what's wrong with it and adding stress right now might make things even worse.
 
has anyone seen this "paralyzed tail" effect on a wrasse?

its eyes are very active. and it is using it's fins to swim like crazy to control its motion.
 
Help!

Help!

HELP!!! :worried: :worried:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QBOZAxm94hw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Odd, I've read that this can sometimes happen, I'd let her be and hope it will pass. Keep her as stress free if possible. It's conceivable that she's been injured.
 
Help! Need fish disease or toxin experts!!

Help! Need fish disease or toxin experts!!

can anyone help? Any vets?

I found other examples of unexplained paralysis on the tail - http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/partialy-paralyzed-fish.140466/

Here's one for a decade ago
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179793

http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/index.php?threads/upside-down-mccoskers-wrasse.395193/

Could it be a toxin? Did she eat some cyano and been paralyzed?
 
I literally JUST saw a melanurus who had the paralyzed tail today at my lfs! Looked happy and fine lol just can't use his tail.
 
I have no idea but it must be a common health problem in wrasses. I'd just let her be it seems like they do just fine. Make sure to target feed her. The melanurus I saw was in a frag tank and looked thin probably because he can't hunt as well as normal.
 
She could have hurt herself going into the sand. I had a wrasse that was just about ready to dip when the tang jetted by him and his entrance swayed a bit left and he hit the rock. It stunned him for a few hours and eventually he went back to normal. If it hurt it's spine there won't be much you can do other than hand feed it. It sad as I had to do it for another fish. Just watch for when it dips into the sand. If it doesn't make it all the way..ie, tail poking out. Do cover it so that crabs/shrimps/other fish do not pick at it. Good Luck.
 
So I discovered what it's likely to be.. there's two theories out there - swim bladder infection or spinal injury.

Given that she couldn't even flutter her tail like she likes to do, I think it's the latter.

Now the good news!! my yellow wrasse is healing up!!!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7kQkpImJLQI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I put a shrimp soaked in selcon in my feeder close to the sand... she sat there and munched on it. Then she'd hide in the sand right in front of it... a week later - she's swimming again!

A year ago, something similar happened to a small cleaner wrasse but I didn't connect the dots. The cleaner used to hide in a little hole - so the spinal injury made it unable to get out.. :(

I've found that this actually impacts wrasses relatively frequently. My suspicion is that they jump and hit something or have to dart quickly and hit a rock or glass wall. The trick it to give it a safe environment and plenty to eat. The sand is a comfort zone, so I think that's a big part of it too.

I hope this helps someone else who's going through this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

karimwassef
Cocoon sand worms?
Replies
6
Views
1K
karimwassef
karimwassef
karimwassef
Temperature extremes on the reef
2 3
Replies
51
Views
5K
karimwassef
karimwassef
karimwassef
Sailfin deep gouge
2
Replies
23
Views
3K
karimwassef
karimwassef
karimwassef
pink sponges?
Replies
6
Views
1K
lionfish300
lionfish300
karimwassef
Wood base - heavy load 17000 lbs
2 3
Replies
41
Views
5K
karimwassef
karimwassef
Back
Top