Med assistance

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

my ornate wrasse that I have for over four years showing signs of some sort of desease. His mouth is open and seems he have something either stuck or some parasite in his gills. He tries to eat but he can't swollow. The weirdest thing I've ever seen. This started out of no were. Any thoughts?

kschweer · Jun 5, 2016

I don't have a good guess. Maybe @Humblefish @melypr1985 or [HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG] can help out. Best of luck!

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

Thank you brother, yes I wait for them to chime in.

eatbreakfast · Jun 5, 2016

TUSI said:
my ornate wrasse that I have for over four years showing signs of some sort of desease. His mouth is open and seems he have something either stuck or some parasite in his gills. He tries to eat but he can't swollow. The weirdest thing I've ever seen. This started out of no were. Any thoughts?

Does his mouth close at all? Are both gill covers open the same or is one more pronounced? Is his swimming and behavior otherwise normal?

Diesel · Jun 5, 2016

My guess with out a pic it could be a bristle worm, happened once to one of my wrasses.
You can let it go and it would maybe heal its self.
How's his breathing?

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
Does his mouth close at all? Are both gill covers open the same or is one more pronounced? Is his swimming and behavior otherwise normal?

Thank you for chiming in, his gills are open the same, he closes his mouth only when he try to shake his head, he swims fine but always hanging under corals like out of the light.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

Diesel said:
My guess with out a pic it could be a bristle worm, happened once to one of my wrasses.
You can let it go and it would maybe heal its self.
How's his breathing?

He is breathing a little faster and his gills look like they are open more than normal.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

Here is a pic but it don't show much

Humblefish · Jun 5, 2016

Any new additions to the tank recently? Anything wet (even corals/inverts)? Its possible he tangled with a bristleworm, got any of those in your tank? Can you see any cauliflower-like growth inside his mouth or gills? Lympho can grow internally.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

Have not added anything at all for a while, very hard to see if their is anything in his mouth, he keeps shacking his head like something is stuck, his gills are opening more pronounce on breathing. I thought something possibly with food might have got stuck.

Humblefish · Jun 5, 2016

Head twitching is a symptom of gill flukes, and to a lesser degree external parasites. However, I'm not convinced either are in play here. He might simply have something (like a bristleworm) stuck inside his mouth.

Sabellafella · Jun 5, 2016

To be honest, i deffinitly agree with big d, my six line and my bottom dwellers always get themself into trouble with bristle worms. Theyre mouth will stay open and look sortof sore for a few days + theyre sketched out when they feed.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

This is a little video of him

eatbreakfast · Jun 5, 2016

TUSI said:
This is a little video of him

Breathing doesn't seem labored or fast, but he certainly seems out of sorts. I would agree with something being caught in it's throat.

melypr1985 · Jun 5, 2016

My first thought was flukes as well hearing the head shaking and mouth being open... but since I've never seen the after-effects of a fish eating a bristle worm or having food stuck in it's throat, then I'm going to defer to these guys.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

melypr1985 said:
My first thought was flukes as well hearing the head shaking and mouth being open... but since I've never seen the after-effects of a fish eating a bristle worm or having food stuck in it's throat, then I'm going to defer to these guys.

eatbreakfast said:
Does his mouth close at all? Are both gill covers open the same or is one more pronounced? Is his swimming and behavior otherwise normal?

Diesel said:
My guess with out a pic it could be a bristle worm, happened once to one of my wrasses.
You can let it go and it would maybe heal its self.
How's his breathing?

Humblefish said:
Head twitching is a symptom of gill flukes, and to a lesser degree external parasites. However, I'm not convinced either are in play here. He might simply have something (like a bristleworm) stuck inside his mouth.

Sabellafella said:
To be honest, i deffinitly agree with big d, my six line and my bottom dwellers always get themself into trouble with bristle worms. Theyre mouth will stay open and look sortof sore for a few days + theyre sketched out when they feed.

eatbreakfast said:
Breathing doesn't seem labored or fast, but he certainly seems out of sorts. I would agree with something being caught in it's throat.

melypr1985 said:
My first thought was flukes as well hearing the head shaking and mouth being open... but since I've never seen the after-effects of a fish eating a bristle worm or having food stuck in it's throat, then I'm going to defer to these guys.

Thank you all for helping out, let's see what tomorrow brings hope he pulls through. One question though can a fish get flukes being in a tank for four yrs and have not introduced anything for a month or so. Or can he get a parasite from food possibly?

melypr1985 · Jun 5, 2016

TUSI said:
Thank you all for helping out, let's see what tomorrow brings hope he pulls through. One question though can a fish get flukes being in a tank for four yrs and have not introduced anything for a month or so. Or can he get a parasite from food possibly?

He could have had flukes for a month without being overly obvious. Having a healthy immune system keeps them going for a while and being that he still eats like a champ he can last much longer. Normally you would notice something before now, but really flukes can stay in the gills out of sight just like ick can. A freshwater dip would confirm/rule out flukes easily enough of course and then we could move on to other possibilities or treatments.

TUSI · Jun 5, 2016

melypr1985 said:
He could have had flukes for a month without being overly obvious. Having a healthy immune system keeps them going for a while and being that he still eats like a champ he can last much longer. Normally you would notice something before now, but really flukes can stay in the gills out of sight just like ick can. A freshwater dip would confirm/rule out flukes easily enough of course and then we could move on to other possibilities or treatments.

i wish I can catch him but in my tank it's impossible