Carpenter’s Flasher Wrasse sustained physical injury

[reefiniteasy]

So my wife went to feed the fish, while grabbing the food we heard a loud splash. When we got to the tank we found our Flasher wrasse with a white head, mouth breathing very fast. He also has a good sized white blotch on his back. (Usually those white blotches show up when he accidentally touches an anemone tentacle. I’ve seen it happen.) He swam in circles for a bit like he was disoriented and then went straight to the back corner of the tank. Slowly sinking to the bottom and then rising up. The mouth breathing stopped after about 4 minutes at which time he began flexing his jaw, like he was stretching it out. The Royal Gramma keeps swimming over and pestering him. I believe he senses weakness because they never bother one another. I believe when I put the tank in feed mode, Skittles the wrasse got excited and either jumped in the screen top, scraping his head or ended up head first in the Black Widow. Maybe a combo of both, jump and fell in the anemone. I would normally pull and quarantine but I am on one leg after just having ankle surgery and there is no way my wife will manage all that. Here are some photos.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

If it is mechanical damage, there isn't anything you can really do except keep it calm (perhaps in a small acclimation tank) and keep the lights down.

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

Honestly - without arrows, etc - I see nothing worrisome in the pictures. This is going to sound harsh - but - enjoy your tank - as compared to looking for every possible problem. As others have said - perhaps you're right - he brushed against the anemone. Maybe the 2 aren't compatible - Perhaps pick one - and remove it somewhere else and see what happens.

 

[reefiniteasy]

If it is mechanical damage, there isn't anything you can really do except keep it calm (perhaps in a small acclimation tank) and keep the lights down.

Jay

Hey Jay, thanks for the response. Color has returned. He has some flesh peeling. The fact that the color returned so quick is definitely a sign that the anemone got him, color usually returns shortly thereafter. He does have some flesh hanging, peeing. He’ll have to tough it out for now. If it gets worse, I’ll see if my wife is up to catching him.

I don’t know how to ask this correctly, what kind of trauma does an anemone cause to fish that are not immune? Are there long term effects?

 

[MnFish1]

Hey Jay, thanks for the response. Color has returned. He has some flesh peeling. The fact that the color returned so quick is definitely a sign that the anemone got him, color usually returns shortly thereafter. He does have some flesh hanging, peeing. He’ll have to tough it out for now. If it gets worse, I’ll see if my wife is up to catching him.

I am going to say what I wanted to say again - try not to overanalyze. It results in multiple questions/treatments/etc. I saw nothing wrong with your fish in the initial pictures - and hope he does well

 

[reefiniteasy]

Honestly - without arrows, etc - I see nothing worrisome in the pictures. This is going to sound harsh - but - enjoy your tank - as compared to looking for every possible problem. As others have said - perhaps you're right - he brushed against the anemone. Maybe the 2 aren't compatible - Perhaps pick one - and remove it somewhere else and see what happens.

I am going to say what I wanted to say again - try not to overanalyze. It results in multiple questions/treatments/etc. I saw nothing wrong with your fish in the initial pictures - and hope he does well

I am not overanalyzing and looking for every possible problem. The fish suffered a physical trauma and I asked because I knew Jay would respond and I wanted guidance. Thank you for the well wishes.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Well Skittles is back to normal. Color, peeling skin and mechanical symptoms are gone. Hopefully that is the worst sting we’ll ever experience. My girls will be heartbroken if we ever lose him.

 

[Crabby48]

Healthy fish I haven’t seen anything bad from touching BTA’s mine will bump them. If the white is from a sting he will be ok

 

[Vested]

Well Skittles is back to normal. Color, peeling skin and mechanical symptoms are gone. Hopefully that is the worst sting we’ll ever experience. My girls will be heartbroken if we ever lose him.

My carpenters seems to be pretty good at banging himself up at night sometimes, I think its fairly common for these wrasse but my bias opinion. Always heals up asap and never anything too crazy.