Fairy wrasse swimming strange and stringy poop

[swensos]

My fairy wrasse has been in quarantine for almost three weeks. This weekend I noticed clear stringy poop and that he was swimming like he can't move the back half of his body. He has been through two weeks of prazi treatment and been eating well until this weekend.

This weekend, I started feeding metro soaked food. He hasn't eaten much, but he spits it out and/or isn't good at chasing the food. He's still pretty active and alert even though he's swimming with his tail like a lead weight. Today, I did a half dose of metro into the tank, since he didn't each much yesterday. I'll try to feed him some non-medicated LRS or PE Mysis to see if it's the medication that made him not want to eat.

Could these symptoms be related or just bad luck? I'm pretty sure my wife turned the lights on in the QT room about ten minutes after lights out on Friday, which might have made him swim into the glass/rocks.

Sorry for the dirty glass pictures.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I would add the remaining metro dose into the water, to make it a full dose. After, continue to dose every 48 hours for 10 days. And, continue trying to feed the medicated food (bound with focus) it's ok to do both, and it will work better with at least some making it directly to his gut.

The worms could be binding him up as well, feeding a peeled, boiled pea might help move things along.

Good luck!

 

[swensos]

I would add the remaining metro dose into the water, to make it a full dose. After, continue to dose every 48 hours for 10 days. And, continue trying to feed the medicated food (bound with focus) it's ok to do both, and it will work better with at least some making it directly to his gut.

The worms could be binding him up as well, feeding a peeled, boiled pea might help move things along.

Good luck!

Thanks. So it could be the parasites making him swim funny?

 

[ngoodermuth]

Thanks. So it could be the parasites making him swim funny?

It's possible, but the stringy poop is definitely indicative of parasites so I would start there and see if it helps both issues

 

[melypr1985]

typically when a wrasse swims without using his tail, or like it's hanging, that usually indicates a spinal injury. This most usually happens when they try to jump and hit a hard lid. They either heal from this or dont.... there isn't usually anything you can do for it.

 

[swensos]

typically when a wrasse swims without using his tail, or like it's hanging, that usually indicates a spinal injury. This most usually happens when they try to jump and hit a hard lid. They either heal from this or dont.... there isn't usually anything you can do for it.

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. I have a screentop lid, so he must have swam into the side, if that's it.

 

[melypr1985]

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. I have a screentop lid, so he must have swam into the side, if that's it.

We can call for some expert back-up on this. @evolved @eatbreakfast

 

[swensos]

We can call for some expert back-up on this. @evolved @eatbreakfast

Yay experts!

 

[evolved]

I'm afraid I don't have much more to add than what's already been stated.

 

[swensos]

I tried feeding the medicated food. He came out and swam after some, but I didn't see him eat anything. He kind of turned his nose up at it. The other two wrasses in the tank spit it out a couple times before they swallow it.

He has another long stringy poop or it's the one from this morning and has quadrupled in length. I hope that means the metro is working. I'll add the other half of the dose right now and keep feeding medicated food once a day.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I would at least try feeding it twice a day if you can. Even if it's just a little bit each time. Hopefully he starts perking up soon...

 

[swensos]

He's not doing too great. He's still active, but I think swimming with only half his body and having the parasites is wearing him out. He also has a hard time catching food. He'll try to grab some, but because of his limited motion I haven't actually seen him get any. I'll continue to do small feedings, dose the water and make water changes hoping he gets enough food to heal and bounce back.

 

[swensos]

He also can't point his nose down, so he only gets one chance to catch the food.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I'm sorry, it definitely sounds like a spinal injury. He might not make it :/ I'm not usually one to give up on a fish but if he isn't able to eat it will only be a matter of time.

I feel bad even mentioning it, but perhaps euthanasia might be kinder than slowly starving...

Wait for any advice from others though.

 

[evolved]

I'm sorry, it definitely sounds like a spinal injury.

Agree. And in that instance, all you can do it provide good nutrition and hope for recovery. But sometimes recovery doesn't happen.

 

[swensos]

He's still swimming around all day, so we'll see if he pulls through. He also is still pooping stringy stuff, so maybe that's a sign he is eating a little?

 

[4FordFamily]

typically when a wrasse swims without using his tail, or like it's hanging, that usually indicates a spinal injury. This most usually happens when they try to jump and hit a hard lid. They either heal from this or dont.... there isn't usually anything you can do for it.

X2 this is a spinal injury. That's your most pressing issue. If you can get the fish to eat metroplex soaked food (with focus to bind it) then that will help with the intestinal parasites but this fish has probably a 50/50 chance with the spinal injury alone, perhaps less.

They get this injury from abrupt movements banging in to things, the most common is a hard "lid".

 

[ngoodermuth]

I'm hoping he does pull through. The fact that he's having trouble catching food has me worried. I mean, definitely give it some time for things to turn-around...just be prepared that they might not :/

 

[swensos]

Thanks, everyone. I've had bad luck with fairy wrasses so far, so, sadly, I'm kind of used to them dying on me for one reason or another. I've got good at fighting the common diseases, so of course he breaks his back.I have a screentop lid, but I think a light was flipped on suddenly last week a few minutes after lights out. He probably swam face first into the glass wall.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks, everyone. I've had bad luck with fairy wrasses so far, so, sadly, I'm kind of used to them dying on me for one reason or another. I've got good at fighting the common diseases, so of course he breaks his back.I have a screentop lid, but I think a light was flipped on suddenly last week a few minutes after lights out. He probably swam face first into the glass wall.

Many fairy wrasse spook easily, unfortunately.