Trying hard to save a wrasse

[triggreef]

I have a radiant wrasse in qt that has some sort of swim bladder problem. It swims vertically head up tail down & drags its tail on the bottom. Some how it's still alive & eating. I expect to see him dead every morning but he keeps eating & I'm trying very hard to save him. I've been treating it with erythromycin for nearly 2 weeks with no improvement. I also treated him with a dewormer called paracide-d because it had white stringy poop as well. That seems to have worked for the tape worm.

As far as the erythromycin I've been treating every day with a 25 percent water change followed by a full dose. I tried maracyn plus prior to this since I didn't have it on hand.

I also tried feeding the inside of a pea, which he ate when I first noticed the condition. I also dropped temperature to 76.

Please if you can advise me on anything further to try for him I would appreciate it. I also have sulfa TMP on hand which I was going to try next. Of course at this point I don't know if his liver can't take much more.

As for water parameters, I use very good SPS reef water for water changes so you can take my word for it parameters are in good range & stable. I also adjust specific gravity up on my fish arrival to match their bag water.

 

[HumbleFish]

I would keep feeding him the inside of a pea. May not help, but I don't see how it can hurt either. If this truly is swim bladder disorder, not much else you can do IME. Sorry

 

[triggreef]

I'm thinking I'll try double dosing the last couple days here and see if theres any improvement. It very sad really to watch him swim but I can't give up on him while he still eats.

I was more or less wondering as well how long it should take before seeing any improvements if the medication were working. Hate to keep dosing something that has no chance of working.

 

[triggreef]

Wow liveaquaria is unbelievable. They just gave me credit for this fish (which arrived close to 4 weeks ago) and I never even asked for it. I only emailed them for any other treatment advice and explained the situation to them. Thats quality C/S right there!

 

[Rea17]

Wow liveaquaria is unbelievable. They just gave me credit for this fish (which arrived close to 4 weeks ago) and I never even asked for it. I only emailed them for any other treatment advice and explained the situation to them. Thats quality C/S right there!

Absolutely, LA is amazing. I've received full credits for expensive fish (credits I didn't ask for) because of some defect I wanted them to be aware of. Really hope the radiant turns around for you. +1 to what humblefish said, I'd keep trying the pea to see if the condition improves, the largest size he'll eat.

 

[triggreef]

I didn't get to try the pea again yet but I will, just need to buy some. I did double the dose of erythroycin last night & he seemed a little better today. He generally only sits at the bottom until he sees me, then comes begging for food. Today he was swimming around before seeing me almost like he was hunting again. Yes, I sneak up on my fish in qt to see how they act when no one is there. He also ate a little more aggressively.

I'll keep this updated.

 

[Electus unus]

Sorry about your wrasse..

Ps. Don't use travel bag water.

 

[triggreef]

Sorry about your wrasse..

Ps. Don't use travel bag water.

Huh? I toss bag water like everyone else. maybe I confused you about testing it? I meant I test the parameters of the water they arrive in, and match my QT water to the exact specific gravity in order to reduce stress on the new arrivals.

 

[triggreef]

I've uploaded a quick video to show this fishes swimming. Please excuse the way the tank looks it is an established QT I don't take much care of but the water is very clean and stable with the frequent water changes from my display as i stated.

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/S9ml5Bwe6Ww" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[HumbleFish]

Yeah, that does kinda look like swim bladder disorder. Most I've seen with it aren't that active, but you said he only acts like that when he sees you..

 

[triggreef]

yeah generally he spurts up from the bottom when I walk into his sight. The last couple days he is swimming faster but you can tell he is not using the rear half of his body almost like he's paralyzed.

I was scolded by nationalfishpharm.com for doubling the Erythromycin dosage (1/2 tspn per 20g) the last couple few days. Their recommendation at this point is to remove any meds and do another 14 days of Ery at their suggested dosage (1/4 tspn per 20g). I'm going to compromise and go with 1/3 tspn per 20g. I just don't feel like their dosage is enough, and at this point the bacteria I'm trying to fight (if thats the case) would have built some immunity to this drug.

I really feel bad for this guy, he has such a great personality for a wrasse. Despite my catching him everyday to do a maracyn plus bath for a week prior to starting the Erythromycin, he still comes right up to me when I come near the tank.

He is beginning to noticeably fatten up the last few days.

 

[HumbleFish]

I was scolded by nationalfishpharm.com for doubling the Erythromycin dosage (1/2 tspn per 20g) the last couple few days.

Next time you talk to those :jester:, ask them if the CP they are peddling is 99% pure pharmaceutical grade... or something else. :hmm2:

 

[triggreef]

Just an update this guy is still alive. I have continued to double the erythromycin dosage but am only doing it every other day with a 25% water change too. He sometimes seems to have improved but then he turns head up tail down and upside down. So who knows.

I'm going to give it a few more doses and then do a big water change and start with TMP sulfa.

If anyone has successfully turned around a fish with swim bladder I'd really like to know how long they treated for, and how long it took the fish to swim normal again.

Or is it possible that maybe I killed the infection but the swim bladder is too damaged to repair itself? Meaning he will swim like this for the rest of his days?

 

[triggreef]

Well I've given up on erythromycin as of 4/28. I have began tmp sulfa. I am noticing he swims more, & faster. He still goes head up tail down. I'm 4 treatments in with the tmp. I'll keep going to 14 days (4 more than recommended) & report back. I've also been feeding kanaplex reef caviar which he loves.

 

[Nina51]

hope he turns around for you. he's really a cute little guy!

 

[triggreef]

Just for the sake of updating this...

I'm giving up trying to treat this guy. Non responsive to all of the above listed items. I carried out the TMP Sulfa as well to 14 days. After really paying close attention to the way he swims, I believe he might actually be paralyzed. There is no movement at all from the rear half of his body. If he tries to do a quick spurt, it is the front of his body that vibrates so to speak.

I'm going to put him through a tank transfer method with some others that I have in QT, and then he will live out his days in my frag tank.