Wrasse and Chloroquine

Apl1

New member
Hi, I've currently got a Orange-Back Fairy Wrasse(Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis) together with a one spot fox face and royal gramma in a QT. They've been in there for 13 days day, 7 day settling in and then I added CP. All fish had been eating fine until shortly after the CP addition and whilst the gramma and fox face are still eating ok I can't seem to get the wrasse to eat. I've read some posts where people have had problems with wrasse and CP and others that haven't. Just wondering if anyone's had issues with this species wirh CP and any recommendations. Wondering if I should either set up another QT and place it in there or use some polyfilter to remove the CP from the current QT? It doesn't appear to have eaten now for 5 days and just hope it's not past the point of no return.
 
I personally have had mortalities with Paracheilinus sp. (flasher) wrasses when using CP. There are anecdotes of others having difficulties with Cirrhilabrus and Pseudocheilinus sp. wrasses as well. IME, the wrasse will stop eating, then slowly decline over a period of 3-5 days and perish.

I've stopped using CP as a proactive medication. I keep it on hand in case velvet ever shows up with new acquisitions. But, for Cryptocaryon, I use TTM as it's far more effective IME. I'd recommend either moving the wrasse to its own dedicated QT, or removing the CP (via PolyFilter or carbon) from the QT and performing TTM on all three fish. 5 days shouldn't be too long to go without eating, but it's best to act now so the wrasse can start recovering.
 
What Chris says: I wouldn't use CP with wrasses, pipefish or finicky eaters like Pygoplites or Chelmon.

I have used it though prophylactic on a couple of blennies I got via mail-order from Blue Zoo. But in general I would limit its use to fighting diseases where other means fail.
 
Thanks for advice. So would you recommend removing all 3 fish to another tank and starting tank transfer as a precaution for ws? Problem with only moving wrasse is that I haven't got 3 lots of equipment to keep current QT running and 2 others. I've also never done tank transfer before so do you have to acclimatise them each time or just get temps and ph around the same and put straight in?
 
Well it's now in its own qt tank and seems more active already so fingers crossed. Thought it'd give it some time to settle in before offering food.
 
Immediately went for the food so will keep offering regularly and fingers crossed. Will give it time to recuperate before attempting anything else.
 
Thanks for advice. So would you recommend removing all 3 fish to another tank and starting tank transfer as a precaution for ws? Problem with only moving wrasse is that I haven't got 3 lots of equipment to keep current QT running and 2 others. I've also never done tank transfer before so do you have to acclimatise them each time or just get temps and ph around the same and put straight in?

For TTM, you just need to match temp and salinity and move the fish(es) directly. No acclimation is needed. There's a lengthy thread over in Fish Diseases and Treatment that is well worth the read: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525
 
Thanks for the previous advice. The wrasse didn't make it but I've now got another which has ben settling in a qt for 10 days so tomorrow I'm going to try TTM on it. Fingers crossed this work better than the CP!
 
Just curious, were you using pure chloroquine phosphate or does it include fillers? If it includes fillers then that may be the problem.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :beer:
 
Unless you buy it at a street corner on the bad side of town, I don't think there are any fillers that may do harm.
 
Not so sure... Pure chloroquine phosphate is fine if you can get it.

One I used that was meant for people, had an oligosaccaride and the treatment water looked like a sewer overnight. In particular there was a rapid pH drop and the water quality wasn't conducive to good HT conditions. Some fish might have tolerated it, more sensitive ones won't. JME.
 
I would use NLS Ick-Shield Powder as that one is for sure pure and has the right dosage for sea water.

Though I would not ever use any form of CP on wrasses or any member of the Syngnathidae family. To be on the safe side I would include all Syngnathiformes into this group.
 
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