Hooded fairy wrasse hiding

[Melinda01]

Today I noticed that my hooded fairy wrasse wasn’t swimming around in the tank. When I found him, he was wedged deep between a couple rocks and I thought he was dead. Then when I tried to get him out he darted under the rocks into the sand and buried himself! This wrasse is always swimming around the tank through the day. I’ve never seen it act this way before. I don’t see any signs of illness and the parameters are all the same as they have been for a month. The Kole tang does chase both of the wrasses around occasionally. Any idea of what could be wrong or if this is how they act when they are sick?
I also fed the tank to see if he would come out but he is still hiding under the rock.

 

[HotRocks]

Today I noticed that my hooded fairy wrasse wasn’t swimming around in the tank. When I found him, he was wedged deep between a couple rocks and I thought he was dead. Then when I tried to get him out he darted under the rocks into the sand and buried himself! This wrasse is always swimming around the tank through the day. I’ve never seen it act this way before. I don’t see any signs of illness and the parameters are all the same as they have been for a month. The Kole tang does chase both of the wrasses around occasionally. Any idea of what could be wrong or if this is how they act when they are sick?
I also fed the tank to see if he would come out but he is still hiding under the rock.

If all of your other fish seem fine and there is known aggression, the fish is likely just hiding in order to not be harassed. I would keep an eye on it. Is the Wrasse still eating?

 

[Melinda01]

If all of your other fish seem fine and there is known aggression, the fish is likely just hiding in order to not be harassed. I would keep an eye on it. Is the Wrasse still eating?

I hope that is the case. He didn’t eat today. I was hoping that when I fed the tank he would come out but he didn’t.

 

[Melinda01]

If all of your other fish seem fine and there is known aggression, the fish is likely just hiding in order to not be harassed. I would keep an eye on it. Is the Wrasse still eating?

He died. It’s odd because it was so sudden and he seemed fine yesterday. I QT’d for 6 weeks, 2 of the weeks was with prazipro. He’s been in the DT for a few months. I’ve added some new fish but they were QT’d the same way, for the same length of time and seem to be okay. He was eating and swimming fine just yesterday.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

Sorry for your lost. I hate when I lose a fish makes it worst when it’s a wrasse.

How mature was he ? Could it have been old age and did you see him eat days before this happened ?

 

[Melinda01]

Sorry for your lost. I hate when I lose a fish makes it worst when it’s a wrasse.

How mature was he ? Could it have been old age and did you see him eat days before this happened ?

He ate yesterday evening when I got home from work. Looked and acted okay as far as I could tell. He was a grown wrasse. I’m not sure how old though. I bought him from divers den in March.

 

[HotRocks]

Did you only treat with prazi in QT? No other meds?

 

[Melinda01]

Did you only treat with prazi in QT? No other meds?

Yeah it was only the prazi. But they went through 2 weeks of prazi treatment and a total of 6 in qt. The wrasse has been in the DT for over 3 months. The rest seem healthy as of now. Scary thing is that I thought the wrasse was healthy yesterday too. I’m wondering if it had something to do with the tang stressing it. The tang was always chasing it around the tank. They were introduced at the same time but you couldn’t tell by the way the tang acts.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yeah it was only the prazi. But they went through 2 weeks of prazi treatment and a total of 6 in qt. The wrasse has been in the DT for over 3 months. The rest seem healthy as of now. Scary thing is that I thought the wrasse was healthy yesterday too. I’m wondering if it had something to do with the tang stressing it. The tang was always chasing it around the tank. They were introduced at the same time but you couldn’t tell by the way the tang acts.

Only prazi isn’t going to work, you’re lucky you didn’t bring in velvet, ich, or brook. Wrasse are amazingly resilient to these things and are the most common “Typhoid Marys” of people’s display tanks for this reason if not prophylactically treated for these ailments. Sorry for your loss.

Wrasse can have a myriad of internal parasites, sometimes some that feeding metro or GC cannot cure. This is a more common reason for eventual demise within the first few months when all was going seemingly well.

The other possibility is any of the aforementioned parasites affecting the gills but not their thick slime coats where you could ID the issue before the fish’s demise. Discoloration and labored breathing may be all you see, IME.

 

[Melinda01]

Only prazi isn’t going to work, you’re lucky you didn’t bring in velvet, ich, or brook. Wrasse are amazingly resilient to these things and are the most common “Typhoid Marys” of people’s display tanks for this reason if not prophylactically treated for these ailments. Sorry for your loss.

Wrasse can have a myriad of internal parasites, sometimes some that feeding metro or GC cannot cure. This is a more common reason for eventual demise within the first few months when all was going seemingly well.

The other possibility is any of the aforementioned parasites affecting the gills but not their thick slime coats where you could ID the issue before the fish’s demise. Discoloration and labored breathing may be all you see, IME.

I didn’t realize that wrasses were resilient to those ailments. I had two wrasses and the tang in qt together. Wouldn’t the tang have showed signs of illness? That’s why I had them in qt for 6 weeks. From what I understand (which appaernely isn’t much) within 6 weeks velvet, brook, and most strains of ich would’ve showed symptoms or killed the fish. I used the prazi thinking that it would kill worms if they had them and waited the 6 weeks to observe for other symptoms. They were all eating well and appeared healthy so I added them to the DT.

 

[4FordFamily]

I didn’t realize that wrasses were resilient to those ailments. I had two wrasses and the tang in qt together. Wouldn’t the tang have showed signs of illness? That’s why I had them in qt for 6 weeks. From what I understand (which appaernely isn’t much) within 6 weeks velvet, brook, and most strains of ich would’ve showed symptoms or killed the fish. I used the prazi thinking that it would kill worms if they had them and waited the 6 weeks to observe for other symptoms. They were all eating well and appeared healthy so I added them to the DT.

Theoretically, yes. Kole can be pretty resilient, with only one major host, it’s possible parasites could remain hidden for some time if that specimen had developed any resistance to it.

 

[Melinda01]

Theoretically, yes. Kole can be pretty resilient, with only one major host, it’s possible parasites could remain hidden for some time if that specimen has developed any resistance to it.

Thanks for your response. I’ll keep a close eye on the tank and pray that everything else stays healthy. I really thought that I was playing it safe and they were well ;Nailbiting

 

[HotRocks]

Thanks for your response. I’ll keep a close eye on the tank and pray that everything else stays healthy. I really thought that I was playing it safe and they were well ;Nailbiting

Sorry to hear about your loss. I don't really have anything to add to @4FordFamily's explanation above.

 

[Melinda01]

Sorry to hear about your loss. I don't really have anything to add to @4FordFamily's explanation above.

Thank you. I do appreciate the help.