White thing on Wrasse

[darkcirca]

So we aren't too sure whats up with our Six Line Wrasse.
Here's what we've noticed

Red spot in the middle of him

White spot on the top of the fin in the middle

White blotchy thing on back fin.

Now the top fin seems like it's swaying, thought originally it was just something stuck to him (as that is what is really looks like). Suggestions, what to do etc would be wonderful, I really like this guy.
Now also, he is very active, swims about like nothing is wrong. He is always out, unlike normal sick fish that I've seen, which are shy. He also doesn't get picked on by anyone else, they all seem to get along..

 

[Hattie B]

HI,

The top fin with the white patch looks to be the start of lymphocystis virus. Good water quality and a good diet should help. Its a virus so more then likly it should clear on its own.

As for the red spot, I can barly make it out but it could be the start of a bacterial infection. Some fish show spots of red or streaks or leasions.

You could pick up an antibotic like Maracyn-2 or nitrofurazone and start with that to see if it gets better.

Also, he looks a little bloated. Some fish are fat but for some reason he does not look like a fat fish to me but more bloated.

Have you noticed any diffent kind of poop coming from him? Stringy or anything like that? He could have a worm infestation. Did you deworm him when you got him?

 

[darkcirca]

He's a new fish actually, got him out today though and is in his own home now.
Here's pictures from today and how he looked when we got him out. Notice the tail is almost gone.

 

[Hattie B]

Ya, he has fin rot really bad, and he is going down hill fast. =(

He still looks bloated, see how his belly is round then it goes up right behind the anus. Is there something coming from the anus/

he very well could have a number of maladies, you should start with an antibotic like Maracyn-2, tetracycline, a gram negative one.

I would probably de worm him too.

Stress, poor water quality, transfer from the store to your home, all sorts of things could trigger his illness, but start with an antibotic asap. He looks like he is swimming abnormaly too?

 

[rsw686]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9699679#post9699679 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hattie B
HI,

The top fin with the white patch looks to be the start of lymphocystis virus. Good water quality and a good diet should help. Its a virus so more then likly it should clear on its own.

As for the red spot, I can barly make it out but it could be the start of a bacterial infection. Some fish show spots of red or streaks or leasions.

You could pick up an antibotic like Maracyn-2 or nitrofurazone and start with that to see if it gets better.

Also, he looks a little bloated. Some fish are fat but for some reason he does not look like a fat fish to me but more bloated.

Have you noticed any diffent kind of poop coming from him? Stringy or anything like that? He could have a worm infestation. Did you deworm him when you got him?

darkcirca is my g/f.

Like she said we got the fish monday. He had a 3 hour ride home as we bought him out of state along with a green mandarin. We did a fresh water dip, slowly acclimated, and added them to our main tank. We don't have a quarantine tank setup.

Not being able to get him out we treated the whole tank with pimafix earlier today. When we returned home we couldn't find the fish. Found him hiding in a rock and got him into a 10 gal tank filled with water from the main tank.

The pics above are how he is now. The white spot on top looks to be gone, however his tail fin is halfway missing.

I would agree he looks bloated. How do you deworm a fish? Should I treat with melfix to for the bacterial infection. I'm not sure if the local store has those other medications you listed.

This is our first saltwater tank, the tank is close to 3 months old. We have a small yellow tang, two false pecula clownfish, diamond goby in there as well. Theres also mushrooms, zoos, snails and hermits.

Levels are all good, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10 ppm and decreasing as I now have a refuge setup. Phosphate is 0.1ppm and calcium is 500ppm.

What do you recommend we do now? Since he is out of the main tank now the other fish should be unaffected by whatever he had?? Or do I need to treat that tank as well. Thanks!!

 

[Hattie B]

melfix is not going to help the little guy. He needs something more. An antibotic like, Maracyn-2 or Nitrofurazone would be a good place to start.

What concerns me more, is his bloating and in the last pic it looks like there is something stuck near/in his anus? Is that correct?

If there is he might not be able to go to the bathroom which is causing some problems. looks like the tank is bare which is good can you see if he defecated?

Becuse in reality, if he can not go and that is cauing him to be 'stopped up' then that is going to cause a lot of problems.

i would be less concerned about the white spot and more concerned about the bloating and the fin rot.

 

[rsw686]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9701289#post9701289 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hattie B
melfix is not going to help the little guy. He needs something more. An antibotic like, Maracyn-2 or Nitrofurazone would be a good place to start.

What concerns me more, is his bloating and in the last pic it looks like there is something stuck near/in his anus? Is that correct?

If there is he might not be able to go to the bathroom which is causing some problems. looks like the tank is bare which is good can you see if he defecated?

Becuse in reality, if he can not go and that is cauing him to be 'stopped up' then that is going to cause a lot of problems.

i would be less concerned about the white spot and more concerned about the bloating and the fin rot.

When I get back home in an hour or two I'll check the bottom of the tank to see if he defecated. I can't tell but it looks like there is something stuck in his anus.

I'll stop by the store and see what antibiotics they carry and try to get one of the above. If he is 'stopped up' will those help with that?

The fin rot started out as a small white patch which grew and then that part of the fin fell off.

Is this contagious? I have him out of the main tank but am worried about my other fish which were exposed to him. My thought is if they are all healthy they have a slim chance of catching it?

 

[Hattie B]

Well the antibotic will probably not help with him being stopped up.
But if there is something there, it could be related to internal worms, a blockage of something?. I'll be honest, if he cant go to the bathroom and there is something stuck there then he wont make it. You know, stuff goes in and has to come out. It needs to come out.
Check to see if the LFS carries anything for internal worms; Droncit, prazipro something like that.

The antibotic will help with the fin rot and the 'red' area, which could be an indication of a bacterial infection, but like before, more importantly, make sure that nothing is blocking the area so he can deficate.

A possibility is he could have something like internal parasite, or an injury that is somehow causing him not to be able to go to the bathroom or to be boated and the fin rot and the red spot are secondary infections to the more serious problem of the bloating/aybe not defecating.

Honestly, I think QT is the way to go with new fish, but this fish seems to have stuff that is visible from the pic that will affect him. There is a chance an external parasite was introduced but then again anything new that is 'wet' (rocks, snails esc..) has the ability to do that.

Your other fish are not going to catch worms or the fin rot. Kepp an eye on them just to make sure you see nothing else.

best,
let me know, how it turns out, or if hes changed when you get home.

 

[rsw686]

I'm partially worried that it is Lymphocystis which has no cure and is contagious. If that is the case even if he does get better I don't think I want the fish back in my main tank. He might be staying in another tank permanently.

I will defiantly be quarantining new fish from now on. What do you do as far as cycling the qt tank? I know you don't want live rock or substrate in the tank. I guess just a filter sponge for biological filtration.

 

[jgoodrich71]

Lymph is really nothing to worry about. I describe it as "fish warts". It in no way will harm a fish to the point that it's health suffers. It is most common in angels and butterflies, but as you can see, other families get it too. A fish with a healthy immune system in a healthy established tank really has nothing to worry about. It is when fish gets stresses from collection, transport, or poor water quality is when it is most likely to develop.

As far and a quarantine tank, I use a 10 gallon, a hang on the back filter, heater, and pieces of PVC pipe for shelter. I break it down when not in use. Just do water changes to eliminate ammonia.

Just one thing that has worked for me before when a fish was stopped up, is a freshwater dip. You said you did one when you first got it, maybe try it again. Worth a shot?

 

[darkcirca]

well the fish is now in a cup as it keeps going belly up, then it flips over and just spins round and round. It's just about dead. Took out the Mandarin as well as it didn't move around too much. I was able to scoop it out with a net so easily, which isn't right. He's in the QT tank now as well. At least my 5 day guarantee isn't up, I want my money back for this Wrasse..that's $20 I don't have...oh and all the snails dying too from them

 

[TerryB]

For future reference, a Qtank is essential. If you don't have one in your situation your options are very limited. I would have given the fish a 4 hour bath with furanase (nifurpirinol) at 6-8 mg/gal and added an airstone to the dip.

Terry B

 

[darkcirca]

Well the wrasse has been sick since we got him, so he's gone very far down hill. The wrasse just scoots when we touch him. I'd like to put him in the refuge so he could get some copepods, but I don't think that's a good idea!

 

[TerryB]

I would stop touching the fish. Are you going to try an antibiotic?

Terry B

 

[darkcirca]

We used a net to see if it would move, as a normal fish would react to that, which he didn't. We tried metafix/pimafix as that is the only thing we can really get ahold of. The wrasse is gone, I took him out as to not infect the mandarin. I don't know what is wrong with it, as it's only symptoms are not reacting. He doesn't come out much, but I've heard they are shy, he does like to come out in the evening and explore. I turned off the lights and then look at him with a red light and he started swimming about a bit, just doesn't do anything during the day.

 

[TerryB]

Mandarins quickly starve to death in a new tank. They should only be kept in well established reef tanks (1 year is good) with lots of live rock. Yes, they peck around trying to find food, but that doesn't mean they are getting anything. If you look underneath the mandarin and the stomach is concave then it is starving. Even worse if you can see the bones sticking out on the sides. Not good fish if you are new to the hobby.

Terry B

 

[darkcirca]

We have copepods, but I believe he didn't get much to eat before we got him so who knows. I'm not sure what to do with him, I just want to put him in the fuge to help him out. He doesn't look sick, just skinny because he's hungry. Think it's okay to either put him in the fuge or main tank to let him eat as he'd get a lot more food in there than a qt tank.