What is wrong with my Wrasse? Is he dying?

[BlackTip]

I had this Carpenter Flasher Wrasse for 18 months approx. I got him when he was 2". Now he is 3"+. He ruled all other Wrasses, until I introduced a Yellow Head Solone 8 months ago. They don't fight nor they chase each other. He panics often and often darts and hit himself in the glass top. His buddy doesn't look smooth as once was. No signs of cuts, sores, missing scales, nor disease.

He got himself into the overflow box a week or so ago. Since I got him out, he has been swimming constantly just below the surface of the water against strong current. He eats during feeding time. I don't know why he is acting this way. No threats and no fights. The current is so strong at times, and I know he will be pushed into the overflow box again.

Any idea what could be wrong with him?

How long do they usually live?

Thanks,

 

[Kremis]

my solon wrasse did that for the first few days I had him, just swam directly under the surface. Now, he still hangs out generally within 6 inches of the surface of the tank for some reason, but otherwise he is fine. Still ate during the time he was directly under the surface too. I think it was a result of my pintail wrasse giving him a hard time, but not sure.

 

[Silly clownfish]

I had a McCoskers (looks nearly identical to Carpenters) who displayed similar behavior. He would frequently hit my glass canopy (with a loud bang). He sometimes was kind of dazed after that. I remember reading anecdotal stories of fish dying or being partly paralyzed by such an impact. My fish was just a determined jumper. He jumped out more than once when I opened the canopy for feeding and had to be put back in. Any time I did maintenanceI had to constantly watch for him jumping. He jumped in to overflow and had to be removed with a fish trap several times.

I installed a rubber barrier around the top of my overflow to eliminate the small gap between it and the canopy and used foam to block the canopy cutouts around the return pipe and electric cords.

This fish still found a way out of the tank after about 9 months. I think that after maintencance when I put the canopy back in place the foam around the return pipe got a little squished and left a tiny gap, but I am not sure. The only other route I could think was he got into the overflow, down the pipe to the sump and out the back of the uncovered sump. I missed him a lot because he added so much color and movement to the tank, but I wanted the color and movement to stay IN the tank.

After that I had a solon wrasse that jumped out the tube I used for my automatic feeder while I was on vacation. We decided after that no more wrasses.

For your fish, My guess is he is recovering (or not) from hitting the canopy. I don't think there is much you can do other than a good cover (make sure to closse off gaps around that canopy). Can you reduce the flow from the oump where he is hanging out for a day or 2 to help him conserve energy while he recuperates?

Kim

 

[BlackTip]

^^^ Thanks Kim

My experience is very similar to yours. He jumped couple of times during feeding. I have a glass cover, so he can't jump out. My overflow box, on the other hand, is the only hazard. The way it is designed makes very difficult to prevent fish from going over. I've been thinking for a design for over a year, and I am unable to come up with a good solution.

He is alive for now and eating. He does look scrappy though.

 

[Silly clownfish]

I am not sure what your overflow looks like, but what I did was get a piece of clear flexible tubing and cut a slit the length of it. I then fit it over the top edge of the overflow to form kind of a bumper around the top.