Help to diagnose new wrasse

itgoeson

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Just cycled a new 180g and added a Lubbock’s wrasse 8 days ago (probably poor judgment… I have heard wrasses don’t tolerate quarantine well, so I tried adding it to the DT thinking I could run the tank fallow if something shows up). The wrasse completely disappeared into the rock work for the last 8 days. Today he appeared - unfortunately not doing well. I thought spinal injury at first, but he has a white bump at the base of his right pelvic fin. I don’t have high hopes for this fish but am hoping it’s an injury and not a disease that would impact future fish - any ideas?

C961D812-0545-41F0-BB72-FDE29A5E7C36.jpeg


 

vetteguy53081

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They handle medication but depends what you medicate with
This fish looks moribund which is accelerated weakness and never a good sign
You may wonder does it have a chance- if breathing normal and eating- good sign
If not and not responding to movement swimming away, head diving to bottom and lethargic- bad signs
 

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itgoeson

itgoeson

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Just cycled. Can you give me the cliff notes on your cycling? And parameters too.
Cycled by seeding with ~30 pounds of live Australian ocean rock split between the sump and DT and ghost feeding.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite not measured
Nitrate 7.2ppm (Hanna HR)
Temp 78
Salinity 1.024
Ca/Mg/etc not measured yet as tank has no coral so should match what was mixed (Fritz RPM/blue box)

Fish survived the night and looks about the same as yesterday. He ate some Rod’s this morning … he struggled to feed but did manage to get a few pieces. The white bump on his pelvic fin is gone.

Does sound exactly like UNWD… with the exception of that white bump, any ideas on what that could have been? I don’t see any other spots/damage/anything - he looks good and healthy other than the swimming pattern, clamped tail, and curved spine.
 
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itgoeson

itgoeson

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Hi, This looks like a classic case of this https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/unknown-neurological-wrasse-disease-unwd.901856/

1. Curled up in a “S” or "C" shape while swimming.

2. Rotating and flipping oddly, as if unable to keep belly down.

3. Tail fin closely gathered.

4. Still feeding.

Does your wrasse still have feeding response? If so, almost certainly UNWD.
Yes he has all of this, though rarely rotates/flips and nearly constantly swims tail down.

If he didn’t have that white bump on the pelvic fin (which disappeared overnight), I would be certain it’s UNWD. Any ideas on that?

If (sounds unfortunately like when) he passes, should I send him somewhere? I don’t want to spend $600 myself unfortunately but would be very happy to ship him to someone who does or a research place that could use him as a donation.
 

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