Looking for help with my McCoskers wrasse

[Dctrojan88]

I recently got back into the hobby about 3 months ago after about a 10 year break . I’ll post a picture of my tank shortly after I got water in it . About a month ago I added this McCosker wrasse and he has been doing great . From the time I got him he has always been skinny. Today I noticed him out and active most of the day but later in the day he was staying under a rock ledge almost in a stressed demeanor. I can’t tell if his breathing is ok? He cane out to eat this afternoon but didn’t eat just moved around like he was. He still flashed and acted normal too though . But something tells me he has something in his gills. I noticed he opened his mouth almost in a stretching motion once or twice.

I’m thinking he maybe needs a cleaning from a cleaner shrimp. What’s everyone’s opinion .

 

[MnFish1]

So - I assume you didn't treat the fish with any medication? I cant see the fish - a clear picture would be nice. I'm assuming it's not velvet - since it's still alive - but could be flukes - or something internal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recently got back into the hobby about 3 months ago after about a 10 year break . I’ll post a picture of my tank shortly after I got water in it . About a month ago I added this McCosker wrasse and he has been doing great . From the time I got him he has always been skinny. Today I noticed him out and active most of the day but later in the day he was staying under a rock ledge almost in a stressed demeanor. I can’t tell if his breathing is ok? He cane out to eat this afternoon but didn’t eat just moved around like he was. He still flashed and acted normal too though . But something tells me he has something in his gills. I noticed he opened his mouth almost in a stretching motion once or twice.

I’m thinking he maybe needs a cleaning from a cleaner shrimp. What’s everyone’s opinion .

They tend to disappear and vanish in the evening and before lights out.
Video is short and dark with blue lighting. Please repost under Bright white light intensity- no blue and at least 20 seconds

 

[Dctrojan88]

I appreciate all the quick responses. Sorry about the blues. He’s been very active and healthy, his buddy is the tang. Here is a new video . Correct I have not treated him and unfortunately he most likely wasn’t quarantined before being sold. He did eat a pellet /granule of fish food just before this video. Also I’m running carbon in a reactor, purigen, curve 7 protein skimmer, fuge with chaeto , dosing kalk with apex keeping ph at 8.3, I have access to Ca, Alk , MG test kits . Salinity at 34 ppm , nitrates at 8, phosphates at .05

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I appreciate all the quick responses. Sorry about the blues. He’s been very active and healthy, his buddy is the tang. Here is a new video . Correct I have not treated him and unfortunately he most likely wasn’t quarantined before being sold. He did eat a pellet /granule of fish food just before this video. Also I’m running carbon in a reactor, purigen, curve 7 protein skimmer, fuge with chaeto , dosing kalk with apex keeping ph at 8.3, I have access to Ca, Alk , MG test kits . Salinity at 34 ppm , nitrates at 8, phosphates at .05

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

From what I can see, the wrasse is thin and is breathing a bit fast. Can you try different, non pelleted foods to see if you can get it feeding better? Try diced mysids or even live baby brine shrimp.

Do you ever see it scratch or flash? That, combined with the rapid breathing is a sign of gill flukes.

 

[Dctrojan88]

Yes he is thin but he is looking better . Good news is that he is eating and acting normal . I did see him stretch his mouth out again earlier .

Would a cleaner shrimp help if it’s gill flukes ? I doubt he was quarantined or treated . He does seem to breath rapidly and he does flash a lot especially when the fairy starts to posture itself.

What would be a treatment for flukes ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes he is thin but he is looking better . Good news is that he is eating and acting normal . I did see him stretch his mouth out again earlier .

Would a cleaner shrimp help if it’s gill flukes ? I doubt he was quarantined or treated . He does seem to breath rapidly and he does flash a lot especially when the fairy starts to posture itself.

What would be a treatment for flukes ?

Cleaner shrimp won't work to clear gill flukes, especially on small fish.

There is a reef safe treatment for gill flukes. Some people report that wrasses are sensitive to this treatment, but as long as you add aeration, (not just circulation) your wrasse will handle it fine.

Powdered praziquantel is best (Prazicleanse), but don't confuse that with Paracleanse, that is not reef safe. Most people end up using Prazipro.

To treat with prazipro, calculated the volume of water in the tank (L" x W" x H") divided by 231 to get US gallons. If the tank has rocks and sand in it, deduct 15% to offset water displacement (multiply by 0.85). Remove any carbon, turn off any UV, add a good air stone, keep any skimmer running, but disable the collection cup, or let it flow back into the tank. Add the first dose. After 7 days, change 25% of the water and redose. After another 7 days, change 25% of the water a dose a third time.

Just be aware: Praziquantel, and the solvent in Prazipro is rapidly broken down by bacteria. The first dose is assimilated in about 36 hours, the second dose in perhaps 24 hours, then each successive dose gets eaten faster by the bacteria. After about five or six doses, the bacteria eat it faster than it can really even work.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Glad he is doing better. The tank looks great btw I can’t wait to see what you do with it!

 

[Dctrojan88]

He is doing better but I’m noticing a few other fish like the fire fish rubbing himself . I’ve been reading and it seems like it may be flukes since I’ve had most of the fish for more than a month. I’ve read about prazipro being reef safe and the treatment I found looks like this. Opinions ?

Glad he is doing better. The tank looks great btw I can’t wait to see what you do with it!