FAQs on Wrasse Environmental Disease Related Articles: Wrasses, Wrasses of the Cooks,  FAQs on Wrasse Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Nutritional, Social, Infectious, Parasitic (See also: Wrasses & Crypt), Trauma, Treatments, Related FAQs: Wrasse Disease 1, Wrasse Disease 2, Wrasses, Wrasses 2,  Wrasse Identification, Wrasse Selection, Wrasse Behavior, Wrasse Compatibility, Wrasse Systems, Wrasse Feeding, Wrasse Reproduction,

Disease identification, Labrid losses     7/25/12
Dear Bob and Crew
<Tom>
I was hoping I could get some help or at least pointed in the right direction with an issue I have been dealing with relating the loss of wrasses.  Just to give you some particulars, I have four individual tanks that I use for receiving, acclimating and QTing various species of fish that either will eventually wind up in my main reef tank or placed in one of my two 75-gallon fowrl tanks.  I use two twenty gallon and two 40-gallon breeder tanks, each tank is set up with its own Emperor 280 HOB filter as well as an internal power head driven sponge filter.   One twenty gallon is bare bottom the other has enteric coated silica based fine black sand (for Leopards and other burying wrasse)  The 40-gallon tanks, one has the same fine sand and the other has a medium sized enteric, coated gravel.  I use the coated; silica based gravel and sand just in the event I have to treat any of the tanks with meds to eliminate the possibility of absorption.
<Yes>
Under normal circumstances, each tank will get a 20% water change weekly unless I am medicating and depending on what I am using, would dictate the water change schedule.
Over the last several weeks, I have had various species of wrasse, purchased from 3 separate vendors; all arrive within two days of one another and depending on the type, went into one of the twenty gallon tanks.
Immediately upon arrival, I give them an extended SW Formalin bath with aeration for approximately 30 - 45 minutes
<Mmm, this is too long... I would use pH adjusted freshwater and limit the dips (short baths) to a couple minutes>
 using 1ML of 37% formalin per gallon (my standard OP) and then placement into one of the two tanks.  I keep the salinity at 1.019
<Mmm, I would match the shipping water spg... Have you read my SOProtocol
here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/acclimat.htm
the second/business one>
 and let them get accustom to the tank for a week before starting any type of meds which usually begins with a quinine based med, either QS or CP as a preventative and then PraziPro.
Two weeks ago, my Australian Scotts started to become lethargic after being extremely active and eating, his breathing became labored and it started to lie on its side in one particular spot and refused to eat (no meds were being used) Ammonia and Nitrate were 0 and PH was 8.2 also in the same tank was an exquisite wrasse and two small female square patch Anthias and a small Australian Copperband.  The next day, its color started to fade and it started to show the stress related mottled appearance and was keeping its fins ridged. When it did try to swim, it would swim in upside down circles
<Scary>
then eventually resettle back into its original spot.  I found it dead the next day.  A few days later in the other twenty gallon tank, a Red Sea 8-line wrasse started showing the same lethargic early signs as the Scotts.
In this 2nd tank I had the RS 8-line flasher wrasse, a small potters wrasse, a blue star leopard wrasse, a medium sized Male square patch Anthias and an Orange diamond goby.  At this point, just as in the first tank, no other fish exhibited signs of parasite or disease.  The 8-line stopped eating, started breathing heavy, laying on its side and eventually started the same erratic swimming behavior as the Scotts and died two days later.
Next was the exquisite wrasse in tank #1 which started two days later, this time I tried a ph adjusted freshwater/formalin dip for 5 minutes
<With aeration I hope/trust>
 and placed him in one of the empty 40-gallons to keep it separated and hopefully prevent any further possible spread I then started a Chloroquine Phosphate treatment but three days later, the erratic swimming started and it died a day later.  Last week, in tank #2, both the potters and blue star leopards became lethargic and actually stopped burying themselves; they stayed on top of the sand bed and stopped eating.  Their swimming wasn't as erratic as the fairy wrasses, they just appeared to crawl along the sand instead of swimming and they too started the labored breathing. I found the Potters wrasse dead the following morning and the blue star dead that evening when I came home from work.  I now have no more wrasses in any of the QT tanks but the interesting thing is that all three Anthias, the Copperband as well as the goby are all doing well, eating like pigs and show absolutely no signs of any ailments, their colors are bright, their eyes are clear and they are very active and alert.
<A good clue>
 The water in both tanks still read 0 for ammonia on both the alert badge and an actual test kit, nitrate was also 0 and PH is 8.2.  With all the deaths going on I had increased my water changes to keep the water quality as pristine as possible and had poly pads in the filter boxes except in the 40 gallon that I tried to medicated with CP. 
I'm at a loss, what could possibly wipe out wrasses only while all fish of different species remain unaffected,
<Their need for higher DO>
 I don't feel this was Brook as the death rate was too far apart nor did they have the heavy mucus or dusted appearance of velvet and there were no visible white spots to indicate Ich.
The only thing I could think of that would cause these symptoms would possibly be gill flukes but I can't explain how flukes would cause the erratic swimming behavior.  So I turn to you and the WWM crew to possibly help shed some light on what you think or know that might have caused this wrasse only mortality issue
Tom
<My best guess is that the Labrids had higher stress, lower hematocrits... from shipping, handling... and that the too-prolonged exposure to formalin resulted in their being poisoned. I'd read, cut back on the duration and maybe eschew the use/exposure to CP as prophylaxis. Bob Fenner>

Klunzinger's Wrasse Acting Strange/Proper Preparation of Natural Seawater - 08/13/06 Hi Mr. Fenner, <<EricR here this morning>> Hope everything is fine there… <<Yes, thank you>> Here is a problem which I don't know yet whether it's a big problem or a small problem. <<Hmm, let's see then...>> It's about the behavior of my Klunzinger's Wrasse (Thalassoma klunzingeri). <<A very neat/attractive fish>> He has been acting totally weird lately.  He was the type to cruise around the tank searching for food (ate very well) and even when I clean the tank he never hides. <<Typical, yes>> But 2-days ago he never came up to the surface from his hiding place inside the sand bed.  So I thought he was tired or something but the next day also he never showed up so I was obviously scared as I thought he was dead. <<Not necessarily...have observed this behavior in other/similar species>> Then I put my hands inside and tried to search for him inside the sand then suddenly he just came out moved around like lightning and vanished under the sand again. <<Yikes!...I wouldn't do this, quite stressful to the wrasse>> I repeated my actions again once but got the same results & since then he is hiding. <<Best to leave the wrasse be>> My water quality: Ammonia 0.02 & Nitrite 0.05. <<Mmm, should be "zero"...and may be what is affecting/mal-affecting the wrasse>> I use normal seawater for monthly 20% water changes which I collect from the shallow sea so I don't think I can maintain my Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate at '0' levels. <<This is distressing to read.  Unless you are properly "processing" this water (please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seawater.htm) you are likely introducing pollutants and pathogens to your system>> Am I right??? <<Indeed my friend...this is "false economy"...and may likely mean the ultimate demise of your fish/system>> I didn't check for Nitrate as my test kit is over. Salinity: 1.020. <<Salinity should be 1.025/.026>> My tank is 80G and has only another Blue tang and a Bannerfish which are normal at this moment. <<Mmm, must mention...this tank is too small for the tang in the long-term...and marginal for the Bannerfish...in my opinion>> My green algae growth is fine <<I'll bet...>> & I have a lot of live rock.  What do you think about this situation? <<I have seen these "burrowing" wrasse hide before for as long as seven days when pestered.  In this case I think the problem is environmental (water chemistry issues/pathogens)>> What's up with him? <<Something in your system/water is bothering the wrasse>> Will he be normal again or should I expect the worst? <<Properly quarantine/treat/buffer the NSW, or better yet, convert to synthetic, and you will likely see an improvement>> Thanks, best regards, Rachel   <<Cheers my friend.  EricR>>

Hypersalinity and Wrasse Death - 12/21/2005 We had our first fish loss and was wondering why. <Ok> On Saturday, we picked up a Cirrhilabrus solorensis for our 40 gallon aquarium. The LFS has salinity of 1.021 and we are at 1.024 to 1.025. (I'm trying to bring it down slightly with water changes). The wrasse was at the LFS for 2 weeks. We acclimated for 65 minutes, <Not long enough. Should have been adjusted over a couple of days at least.> then a put in a drop of a blue solution that the LFS gave me in the past fish purchases (a mix of 3 solutions, no copper) for a minute. The wrasse was not bothered. <Even though, it would be better to learn the name of this "solution" for a better understanding of its use/ applications.> In the tank he went. (Yes, no QT). <A little QT time would have been a perfect place for a slow acclimation.> He then ate a meal of flake food and a meal of mysis shrimp that day. The wrasse was a half inch bigger than any other fish, but seemed to be a bit of a wimp. The Gramma loreto chased it out of the Gramma's favorite cave; no contact, but the typical big opening of the Gramma's mouth. The "alpha" Chromis viridis took a couple of runs at the wrasse. The Amphiprion ocellaris, the other Chromis viridis, and the 2 cleaner shrimp ignored it. The wrasse found a cave that nobody ever liked, so I figured it was fine. I didn't see it for a day, and tonight during my water change I noticed it dead in the thick group of macro algae. There were no signs of disease or wounds. On Sunday night, my readings were: nitrate / nitrate/ ammonia 0, phosphate 0.08, calcium 500, alkalinity 13.4 (it had been low in the past and I brought it up in the past week), <A bit too much huh?> temp is always 77-78.      Was my acclimation too fast for the specific gravity difference? <Yes.> Was the intimidation by other fish a factor? <Not likely, it takes much longer for that. Many signs (degrading health, not eating, Etc.> Could it have gotten tangled in the macro algae? <Not the cause for sure, perhaps the result of corps meets current.> Was this a delayed shipping effect? <Possibly. Maybe the fish was already weak.> Any hunches would be appreciated. <I do believe it was the sudden increase in salinity, perhaps pH (I don't see that one). Be careful with you calcium and salinity levels. Your in the "storm conditions" zone. May have carbonate precipitation soon. - Josh>

Sick bird wrasse Your web site is so helpful and for people like me who need answers it's the best place to go.<Thanks, Maybe I can help you.> My problem is with my green bird wrasse (male). For the past six weeks now he's buried under my rocks and has shown no interest in eating at all. I have been able to squirt some brine shrimp by him with a turkey baster and it appears he is getting a little to eat.  He used to be a very active swimmer and would be the first one out  anytime the lid to my 75 gallon tank opened for feeding time. I'm amazed with how little he's eaten that he's still alive. He shows no external signs of parasites or gapping gills, no marks or scratches or any discoloration. His eyes are fine and his fins are fine, he doesn't look any different, it just looks like he went shy on me.  I've tested my water almost every other day and everything appears to be fine except for a steady nitrate reading of 80 in my fish-only tank. It appears my water quality is good. I'm afraid to put him in my quarantine tank, or what I call my "death tank".  I'm know you don't have much to go on, but I just wanted to run it by you for some possible causes of his behavior and what I can do to help him. I've been offering frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood works, Formula II, other flakes with krill and shrimp in them and Spirulina pellets. If this is a nutritional deficiency what else can I provide for him, or use to entice him into eating? Thanks for your help, it's always very appreciative. <I think it might be a PH issue.  What is your PH at.  It should be at 8.2 to 8.3.  If it is off it will burn the wrasse. (They don't have scales.)  Otherwise, Do some water changes and get the nitrate down to less than 40 PPM.  That should make a difference.  Good Luck. MikeB.>
Sick bird wrasse Your web site is so helpful and for people like me who need answers it's the best place to go. << Glad to help. >> My problem is with my green bird wrasse (male). For the past six weeks now he's buried under my rocks and has shown no interest in eating at all. I have been able to squirt some brine shrimp by him with a turkey baster and it appears he is getting a little to eat. He used to be a very active swimmer and would be the first one out anytime the lid to my 75 gallon tank opened for feeding time. I'm amazed with how little he's eaten that he's still alive. He shows no external signs of parasites or gapping gills, no marks or scratches or any discoloration. His eyes are fine and his fins are fine, he doesn't look any different, it just looks like he went shy on me. I've tested my water almost every other day and everything appears to be fine except for a steady nitrate reading of 80 in my fish-only tank. << That is high. >> It appears my water quality is good. I'm afraid to put him in my quarantine tank, or what I call my "death tank". I'm know you don't have much to go on, but I just wanted to run it by you for some possible causes of his behavior and what I can do to help him. I've been offering frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood works, Formula II, other flakes with krill and shrimp in them and Spirulina pellets. If this is a nutritional deficiency what else can I provide for him, or use to entice him into eating? << Well I love wrasse, and study them often.  But this is tough.  Thanks for addressing the nutritional area, as that was my very first concern.  Sounds like you have a healthy balanced diet for him.  So if not that, then maybe a lack of small live foods.  Most wrasses thrive on pods.  They usually do great in a tank, devour all the pods, then slowly waste away.  That is still a concern.  If not that, well I'm still taking shots in the dark.  I don't think I would remove him for fear of increasing stress, but may just wait it out and hope it has a happy ending. >> Thanks for your help, it's always very appreciative. <<  Blundell  >>

Sight Impairment on a Wrasse I have a blind Paddlefin Wrasse. <Sorry to hear that...Ryan with you today> He was in the QT tank when we had a  couple fish pop up with ICH spots, so he was in there and we added copper, which  I was assured would be fine.  We only left him in there with the other fish  and copper a couple weeks and moved him to the main tank, right after being put   in the main tank he got pop-eye on one side. <Likely from poor water quality in QT, sorry to say.> I put him in a different QT   tank I'd borrowed from a friend and gave him Erythromycin (sp) and it cleared   up the pop-eye within a week. <Good.> But after we put him in the main tank this  time it was apparent that he couldn't see.  He gets really excited about  food being placed in the tank, gets really agitated and swims all over, but he  can never seem to find it, he pecks at the sand and then spits it out. <How sad!>  We've tried a variety of foods and a feeding stick but he wants nothing to do  with that.  So it's like he can smell the food but can't make it to the  table, poor guy.  Any advice on how to feed a blind fish? <Possibly a clip of sorts...In a place that he can find everyday.  A feeding tube (oral syringe with 1/4 inch airline tubing) could shoot food right in front of his mouth.>  I have  tried to enter "feeding blind fish" in your search but I get a whole page of  questions and never can find the right one?  Sorry to hassle you! <No worries!> I  am getting concerned for the little guy.  I think he's happy but he doesn't  swim constantly like he did, he swims a lot then lays against the glass as if  resting then takes off.  <Doesn't sound good...Give him time, try and feed him as much as possible.>      While I have you here I'd like to pester you with  another question.  A year ago while snorkeling off Kauai we saw a gorgeous  wrasse, the Thalassoma trilobatum, it was orange with blue, green, and yellow  ladder lines down the side.  I have been searching for a year for one. I  have called all over Hawaii even.  Marine Center got my hopes up with a  Christmas Wrasse they had, but they say that they are green and purple, that  they just look orange in the ocean.  From their description they gave me  sounded like a Klunzinger's Wrasse I had, they told me they were the same  colors.  Can you tell me what the name of the fish we saw down in Hawaii  was and if you've ever seen them in the aquarium trade?  <You may have seen a supermale variant of the Klunzinger's Wrasse.  Supermale colors are astounding- But harder to keep vibrant in captivity.  The marine center would likely be your best bet for finding one, at least this time of year.  See ya! Ryan>       Thanks again so very much for all your  help!

Wrasse looking bad. Dear WetWeb crew, << Blundell here. >> Was hoping you could help me with a bit of a mystery.  Many months back, I ordered a large Coris gaimard from Jeff's Exotic Fish (great e-supplier, btw).  Well, it arrived and it was beautiful.  A little over 6" female! << Seen lots of those fish recently, they are great. >> Did very, very well for several months.  Then in June, I had to go away for a few days and left my fish in the care of a very concerned and capable neighbor. << But is still worried you didn't it?  Don't worry it is a concern to all of us. >> When I returned, my Coris was on the bottom of the tank, curled up into a C shape.  When she did swim at all, it was in tight, looping spirals, usually upside down. << Bad nutrition or bad water quality. >> Seemed to me to be an internal infection of some sort, so I removed her to my hospital tank and treated her with Maracyn (and Melafix, just for the scraping). << Can't hurt, sounds like a good idea. >> For almost two weeks she continued this behavior, and each morning I would check on her expecting her to be dead.  Then, after being away for a day or so, I returned to find her upright and healthy, though very thin and sluggish.  She greedily took food, and after several days of recoup time I returned her to the display (which is 150 gallons--the hospital tank she was in was only a 20 gallon).  She is still alive and doing reasonably well, but rather than fattening up the way I would expect, she simply grows thinner. << Not sure what you are using for food, but I would recommend some variety and possibly live foods. >> I know there is competition for food in the tank, but I feed both ends of the tank several times a day, and I watch her eat what I would think to be an adequate amount of food.  I feed enriched brine, Mysis, bloodworms, diced tiger shrimp << Really??? >>, angel formula (mainly for my angels!), leafy greens, and two good quality flakes--one vegetable and one meaty. << Well that is great. >> Specs: 150 gallon with good water quality: 0 Ammonia and Nitrites, Nitrates run high (70-90) because of the large, sloppy eaters.  I keep them in hyposalinity (1.011) to cut down on crypts, which have always plagued my angels. Occupants: Large Volitans Lion (8") Large Maculosus Angel (7", was 1" when I got it!) Med Queen Angel (5") Small Chain Link Moray (10") Large Foxface (7") Med Sailfin Tang (3") Med Arothron manilensis (4") Med Canthigaster janthinoptera (2") Those nine fish have been the stable population of the tank for months (most for many years). Any suggestions?  Is the Coris simply overwhelmed by his tankmates? << I don't think so. >> Possible internal parasite?  Is the low salinity an issue? << Well that is way low.  I would look into that. >> Any help fattening up this beautiful fish would be appreciated. << Yeah the salinity seems super low.  Also, I wonder if having those aggressive fish is causing short term, quick to happen, ammonia spikes. >> Thanks again for all your great work. Jim Jensen <<  Blundell  >>