FAQs on Wrasse Parasitic Disease
(See also: Wrasses &
Crypt)
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Wrasses losing balance, dying -
Ichthyophonus? 4/2/12
Hi WWM,
<Pieter>
First of all, thank you for the awesome site you have been running, the
information available on WWM recently helped me a lot in setting up a
QT and treating successfully for Crypt. We (my brother and I)
have been keeping marines for around five years, and we learnt numerous
lessons in those years (most importantly I suppose the use of a
QT). We have a bit of a problem at the moment with new fish we
bought over the weekend. We use the metric system and measure
temperature in Celsius, so apologies upfront for the cm's, liters
and C's I am going to use.
<No worries>
The fish are going into two separate tanks, one a 80cm cube and the
other a 45cm nano (hence the duplication in fish bought). We stay
in Johannesburg, South Africa, and there are only a handful of
reputable fish stores around.
We went to one this weekend and bought the following:
2x Yellow tail Tamarin wrasses (Anampses meleagrides, around
3cm),
<Wow, small>
2x Midas Blennies (Ecsenius Midas, around 6cm) and a Leopard Wrasse
(Macropharyngodon bipartitus bipartitus, around 4cm).
<This too>
We do realize that the wrasses are not the easiest to keep/feed,
but all 3 of them ate frozen food in the shop tanks and have kept
a Leopard wrasse successfully in the past on frozen Mysis until he
decided to jump out of the tank a few months down the line.
We set up a 45 liter (12 Gallon) quarantine tank at home the night
before we went to buy the fish with freshly made up (with Seachem
Reefsalt) seawater with salinity at 1.023 (measured with refractometer)
and temperature at 24C. Once the salt was fully dissolved and
salinity/temperature correct, we added a HOB filter with bioballs and
sponge. This HOB filter has been running continuously for the
last 3 months as is (bar addition/removal of Cuprisorb) in a different
3ft tank that we used (successfully without any losses) as a quarantine
for all my fish from the DT that developed Crypt due to a careless new
addition (it was treated with Cupramine). The decorations are 3 coffee
cups and 2 pieces of 1 inch PVC pipe (all of which was used before in a
different QT). It is also bare bottom. I added a Seio M820
for extra flow. I also added (and I am still adding) Seachem
Stability.
Now that the background has been given, back to the problem. We
acclimatized the fish for an hour on Saturday morning before putting
them into the QT (no water from the LFS was transferred to QT).
We did this by throwing a quarter cup of aquarium water or so into the
bags with the fish every 5 minutes or so until the hour was up (we
moved house a week or two ago, and couldn't find the airline tubing
to drip the fish in). We stay about 20 minutes from the LFS where
we purchased the fish. Saturday early evening I added a small
amount of flakes and a quarter block of frozen Mysis (as the filter has
been cycled and ran with about 12 biggish fish for the last 3 months, I
didn't think it would give any water quality issues).
The Tamarin's both went for the flakes as well as the Mysis, and
the Leopard wrasse ate a few frozen Mysis bits. A good sign I
would think.
<Yes>
Sunday morning I got up to find the one Tamarin (bigger one of the two)
hiding in the PVC pipe, all the other fish seeming fine and swimming
around (Midas blennies' heads poking out of the other PVC pipes,
normal behaviour). The Tamarin eventually came out, but he seemed
to have a problem with his balance, and kept on falling over and
staying on the bottom of the tank. His breathing was also
accelerated. Sunday afternoon I got to the tank at around 17h00,
and the one Tamarin was dead. I fed the fish later that evening, the
other fish all ate at least frozen Mysis (the Midas Blennies at pellets
quite feverishly). This morning I got to the tank at around 7h00,
and found the leopard wrasse also not able to stay upright and also
breathing heavily. The other Tamarin and Midas Blennies still
seemed ok. When I look closely, I can see white/frayed
patches on the pectoral fins of the Leopard Wrasse. Not Crypt
spots, more uneven patches.
Now I have searched on the internet for the problem, and the only thing
I can find that matches the symptoms is Ichthyophonus internal
fungus.
<Mmm>
When I think of it I remember all the wrasses having open mouths
that does not seem to close (another early sign for Ichthyophonus from
what I have read). Apparently no known cure from what I can
read. Any idea how common this disease is in marine fish?
<Not very common...>
Or is there something else that I am missing?
<Likely "just" capture, handling damage/stress w/ these
small, touchy wrasses>
Any cure that I might not have found on the internet? Also,
if it is this disease, and let's say the Midas Blennies show now
<? no?> symptoms after a month in the qt, how can I prevent this
from going into the main tank when I eventually transfer
them?
<I would not be concerned>
The lfs in question apparently treats all their fish with Metronidazole
and a low-ish dose of Cupramine (0.25 ppm). I have a number of
wrasses in the main tank (2 locally caught Indian Ocean bird wrasses,
locally caught Cut Ribbon wrasse and a Cleaner Wrasse (I've had him
for over a year and eats anything before someone asks)), so don't
want the disease spreading to the main tank.
<Again, I would not worry re... the likelihood of transference,
given the stated circumstances, is very low>
Thank you for the help.
Regards,
Pieter
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: Wrasses losing balance, dying - Ichthyophonus?
4/3/12
Hi Bob,
<Pieter>
Thank you very much! Unfortunately the Leopard wrasse didn't
survive the night. The Tamarin and Midas Blennies still seem
healthy and all 3 of them ate this morning.
Thanks for the quick response!
<Certainly welcome. BobF>
Regards,
Pieter
Hawaiian Fourline Wrasse w/ white spots
7/23/06 I have a question about my Hawaiian Fourline Wrasse
(Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia)... He's been in my reef tank for a
little over a year, and over the last few weeks, when the fish wakes up
in the morning, he has small white spots on his body and fins, 30 or 40
spots total. These spots resemble grains of salt, and within 3 or 4
hours of the lights coming on, they are all gone. <Is
Cryptocaryon> I am wondering if these are just pieces of
sand & debris that the fish picks up when he hides or buries
himself at night? <Mmm, no> If so, I don't know why they
would suddenly appear after a year's time? <A latent,
space-infested problem...> If they are a skin parasite or some sort
of infection, then why would they disappear every day? <Improvement
in the diurnal resistance, immune system of the host... the spots are
not the parasite... the parasite not the spots... but the resultant
irritation marks...> The Hawaiian Fourline Wrasse it acting normal,
and has a healthy appetite. He is not being harassed by any
other fish or invertebrates. All of the other occupants of the tank
appear completely healthy. Water parameters: pH - 8.3 Nitrite, Ammonia
- 0 Nitrate - undetectable Calcium - 410ppm dKH - 11 SG - 1.026
Temperature ranges from 81.7F-83.1F daily Thank you in advance for any
advice, Steve in Denver <Could be that you might get by with this
"ping-ponging" situation for years hence... Much more likely
"something/s" will change to shift the balance in the
parasites favor... see WWM re Crypt... what you might do/consider for
actual eradication. Bob Fenner>
Green Wrasse and Ich? Labrid ID, Disease 7/18/06
Hi Crew, <Lynne> I just bought a Green Wrasse <Gomphosus
varius?> from my LFS on yesterday (Sunday). He's a solid size at
about 2 and a half inches long. <... male coloration at this size?
Maybe this is a Halichoeres species...?> I acclimated him to my QT
where he is now. He is eating heartily and is starting to swim around
and explore the tank after an initial 24 hour period hiding behind a
rock. I looked him over very closely at the store and he appeared to be
very healthy and a very active swimmer. I did not see any blemishes or
spots and there were no other dead or unhealthy looking fish in the
tank he came out of. I purchased him because everything I've read
about Wrasses is that they are very hearty and disease resistant.
<Umm, no... the family Labridae has a huge span/range of suitability
for aquarium use. Some species, genera rarely live...> The store
clerk said Wrasses rarely get sick because they have a very heavy slime
coat. <Incorrect> When I was feeding him tonight (Monday) I
noticed what appears to be 2 tiny white spots on his back fin. He has
been hanging out in the sand but the spots do not look like sand stuck
to his fin, although I suppose they could be. I'm really starting
to get concerned as I paid $60 for him and I am sooooo paranoid of Ich,
that is why I quarantine all my new arrivals for a solid 30 days before
moving them to the display tank. Do you think I should be concerned
about Ich with this Wrasse and how long do I wait before treating him?
<... Till it appears that this is really parasitic> I do not want
to treat him unless it is absolutely necessary. Any advice would be
very much appreciated! Thank you very much. <Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/wrasses/index.htm and
the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Sick Lunare
Wrasse 07/01/05 Hi Guys <And the divine goddesses here...> As
you have helped me out in the past thought I might try again. I have a
very sick Lunare wrasse. Have had him for some time now around 8 months
and he has always had a bit of a belly Recently it started getting
larger and he had a few white patches develop around the swelling. He
is in a five foot x2x4 tank all by himself and the water quality is
good. I thought it was possibly a bacterial infection So have treated
him with the relevant LFS treatments, he has not responded and has
become worse. I have been to the vets who also think it is bacterial
and have given me some stronger antibiotics which I am now treating him
with in a separate hospital tank. They have said if this does not work
then they can inject however the mortality rate is high so am trying to
avoid this. As he does not appear to be responding to the antibiotics
is there anything else this could possibly be? <My first and best
guess... as you state the fish has always had a belly... is an internal
parasite... I would try (in succession) an anthelminthic (like
Praziquantel) and Metronidazole (in foods)...> I have also notice a
small hole developing behind his gills however it looks only skin deep
at this stage? As the water is okay wondered if I am not feeding him
the correct diet, have been feeding a mix of cockles and small mussels
(rarely) is there anything better I could be feeding him? <A wider
mix of meaty, marine-originating foods. Fresh or frozen/defrosted,
home-made or store bought> Thanks any advice would be appreciated.
Kind Regards Leigh <Please read re the use of the stated medicines
on WWM. Bob Fenner>