I have a 75G Mixed reef with a 20L sump. I got a McCosker's wrasse a couple months ago, healthy and colorful. He eats like a pig and is very active. The last few weeks he has gotten thinner and thinner, he still eats and is still active but bone thin. I was feeding my tank yesterday and noticed him come out from behind some rock and he looked like a ghost! Im not kidding almost completely white. This morning and so far today, his color looks normal. I tried to catch him a few days ago and couldn't, he's too fast. It brought me to the question, even if I put him in QT, what can I do different, I don't know whats wrong with him. Side note: All other fish are completely healthy and color looks normal. Also I feed brine, mysis, homemade mixture of things, and nori. I soak the brine and mysis in Kent Garlic Extreme, and the homemade food already has garlic. Please help, this guy is a beautiful specimen and I don't want to lose him.
Strange Sickness
- Thread starter dustybake
- Start date
dustybake,
The problem is that this symptom can have multiple causes. Internal parasites come immediately to mind, but so does malnutrition or even a tumor. In parrotfish and puffers, the problem is often caused by overgrown teeth. Once a fish has lost substantial muscle mass (evidenced by thiness behind the head) it is often not possible to bring them back to good health, the liver is usually destroyed by that time (sorry).
Type: Hemdal anorexia into Google for a copy of an article that I wrote for Advanced Aquarit's Online Magazine in 2007 on dietary problems in fishes. Your fish's case isn't covered specifically, but there should be enough background information to give you some ideas.
Jay
The problem is that this symptom can have multiple causes. Internal parasites come immediately to mind, but so does malnutrition or even a tumor. In parrotfish and puffers, the problem is often caused by overgrown teeth. Once a fish has lost substantial muscle mass (evidenced by thiness behind the head) it is often not possible to bring them back to good health, the liver is usually destroyed by that time (sorry).
Type: Hemdal anorexia into Google for a copy of an article that I wrote for Advanced Aquarit's Online Magazine in 2007 on dietary problems in fishes. Your fish's case isn't covered specifically, but there should be enough background information to give you some ideas.
Jay
Just an update, I tried to catch the fish a couple weeks ago with no success. I left him in the DT and have been feeding a little more heavily than I like too, but he seems to be doing ok. His stomach is fat, but body still looks thin. I guess at this point i'll continue to wait it out and see what happens. No other fish have any similar symptoms so that is a plus. Here's an FTS for ya, and before the Tang police bust me the Sailfin is a temporary resident of my tank, holding for a friend.
