odd wrasse behavior

[reefer_madness69420]

I’ve had a wrasse in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Over the last day I’ve noticed some behavior that seems unusual — it’s swimming and hovering more vertically than it normally does. The fish is still eating well (just fed mysis shrimp and TDO Chroma and it ate without issue), but I’m concerned. I've attached a video of feeding that I just did.

I’m not sure if this is an early sign of a problem or just something I hadn’t noticed before. My water parameters are stable and reasonable:
pH: 8.1–8.3; Alkalinity: ~10 dKH (working down toward 9); Calcium: ~450 ppm; Magnesium: ~1500 ppm; Nitrate: ~13 ppm; Phosphate: ~0.2 ppm (working down toward 0.05–0.1)

Has anyone seen this type of vertical hovering behavior in wrasses before? Should I be worried or just keep observing?

 

[reefer_madness69420]

I’ve had a wrasse in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Over the last day I’ve noticed some behavior that seems unusual — it’s swimming and hovering more vertically than it normally does. The fish is still eating well (just fed mysis shrimp and TDO Chroma and it ate without issue), but I’m concerned. I've attached a video of feeding that I just did.

I’m not sure if this is an early sign of a problem or just something I hadn’t noticed before. My water parameters are stable and reasonable:
pH: 8.1–8.3; Alkalinity: ~10 dKH (working down toward 9); Calcium: ~450 ppm; Magnesium: ~1500 ppm; Nitrate: ~13 ppm; Phosphate: ~0.2 ppm (working down toward 0.05–0.1)

Has anyone seen this type of vertical hovering behavior in wrasses before? Should I be worried or just keep observing?

Here is another video 20 minutes after feeding in case it helps. The other fish in the tank appear to be normal.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’ve had a wrasse in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Over the last day I’ve noticed some behavior that seems unusual — it’s swimming and hovering more vertically than it normally does. The fish is still eating well (just fed mysis shrimp and TDO Chroma and it ate without issue), but I’m concerned. I've attached a video of feeding that I just did.

I’m not sure if this is an early sign of a problem or just something I hadn’t noticed before. My water parameters are stable and reasonable:
pH: 8.1–8.3; Alkalinity: ~10 dKH (working down toward 9); Calcium: ~450 ppm; Magnesium: ~1500 ppm; Nitrate: ~13 ppm; Phosphate: ~0.2 ppm (working down toward 0.05–0.1)

Has anyone seen this type of vertical hovering behavior in wrasses before? Should I be worried or just keep observing?

Sorry to tell you, the wrasse has UNWD. The still eating is the key diagnostic. It isn’t curable and I haven’t seen any first hand cases where the wrasse survived.

Here is a post I made about this:

Unknown Neurological Wrasse Disease (UNWD)

Unknown Neurological Wrasse disease (UNWD) There is a disease that afflicts newly acquired wrasses, usually Cirrhilabrus fairy wrasses or flasher wrasses, Pseudocheilinus, but occasionally other species as well. The gross visual symptoms are always the same; the fish shows a rapid onset of...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[reefer_madness69420]

Sorry to tell you, the wrasse has UNWD. The still eating is the key diagnostic. It isn’t curable and I haven’t seen any first hand cases where the wrasse survived.

Here is a post I made about this:

Unknown Neurological Wrasse Disease (UNWD)

Unknown Neurological Wrasse disease (UNWD) There is a disease that afflicts newly acquired wrasses, usually Cirrhilabrus fairy wrasses or flasher wrasses, Pseudocheilinus, but occasionally other species as well. The gross visual symptoms are always the same; the fish shows a rapid onset of...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks Jay. I'm probably grasping at straws but I failed to note that last night I was doing some work in the tank and this fish was startled and I noticed it smashed into one of the walls of the tank. I didn't think that much of it yesterday. I'm hoping that this could be the cause but it could also be that it smashed into the glass because it was already affected and I didn't notice.

Only other things I can think of to note are that I've been using PhosphateE to help dial down the phosphate levels and a few weeks ago i used Brightwell Razor according to the manufacturer's instructions to help with an algae problem (which was resolved nicely).

I hold out hope that this doesn't end up being terminal but I appreciate your input and assessment.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks Jay. I'm probably grasping at straws but I failed to note that last night I was doing some work in the tank and this fish was startled and I noticed it smashed into one of the walls of the tank. I didn't think that much of it yesterday. I'm hoping that this could be the cause but it could also be that it smashed into the glass because it was already affected and I didn't notice.

Only other things I can think of to note are that I've been using PhosphateE to help dial down the phosphate levels and a few weeks ago i used Brightwell Razor according to the manufacturer's instructions to help with an algae problem (which was resolved nicely).

I hold out hope that this doesn't end up being terminal but I appreciate your input and assessment.

Yes - head trauma is one suspected cause of this, but there never seems to be any signs of head trauma, and then, why are only certain species of wrasse affected?

It really is an enigma. Some public aquariums have sent samples out for testing, but we won’t learn the outcome of that until they publish their results.

 

[reefer_madness69420]

Thank you again, really appreciate you taking the time.

Two other quick questions:
1) what should i do at this point. I don't have a quarantine tank though i do have a magnetic quarantine box that sits in the display. Should I use that or just let it be ?

2) I've had the wrasse for 3 weeks so I'm unlikely to still be eligible for a 'replacement' for this fish, but is this something that should make cautious of purchasing wrasses from the same vendor again or is this just unavoidable bad luck. I got three wrasses at the same time, this one and two smaller ones, and the two smaller ones seem to be doing ok.

Many thanks again !

 

[JumboShrimp]

Once more, Jay to the rescue! We all appreciate you, Jay.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you again, really appreciate you taking the time.

Two other quick questions:
1) what should i do at this point. I don't have a quarantine tank though i do have a magnetic quarantine box that sits in the display. Should I use that or just let it be ?

2) I've had the wrasse for 3 weeks so I'm unlikely to still be eligible for a 'replacement' for this fish, but is this something that should make cautious of purchasing wrasses from the same vendor again or is this just unavoidable bad luck. I got three wrasses at the same time, this one and two smaller ones, and the two smaller ones seem to be doing ok.

Many thanks again !

I would put it in the quarantine box, less chance of it swimming into a pump intake or something.

This issue doesn't seem to be highly contagious, but there are cases of multiple fish of the same species, in the same shipment developing the issue.

 

[MnFish1]

I’ve had a wrasse in my tank for about 3 weeks now. Over the last day I’ve noticed some behavior that seems unusual — it’s swimming and hovering more vertically than it normally does. The fish is still eating well (just fed mysis shrimp and TDO Chroma and it ate without issue), but I’m concerned. I've attached a video of feeding that I just did.

I’m not sure if this is an early sign of a problem or just something I hadn’t noticed before. My water parameters are stable and reasonable:
pH: 8.1–8.3; Alkalinity: ~10 dKH (working down toward 9); Calcium: ~450 ppm; Magnesium: ~1500 ppm; Nitrate: ~13 ppm; Phosphate: ~0.2 ppm (working down toward 0.05–0.1)

Has anyone seen this type of vertical hovering behavior in wrasses before? Should I be worried or just keep observing?

I can't see the video - if possible a YouTube option going forward would work better

 

[MnFish1]

I would put it in the quarantine box, less chance of it swimming into a pump intake or something.

This issue doesn't seem to be highly contagious, but there are cases of multiple fish of the same species, in the same shipment developing the issue.

@Jay Hemdal - can you comment on whether fish with these symptoms - commonly cause this kind of injury. I have had multiple fish bang their heads - and thought they might be a little quiet - they are not dying. How would you resolve the dying vs waiting issue?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

@Jay Hemdal - can you comment on whether fish with these symptoms - commonly cause this kind of injury. I have had multiple fish bang their heads - and thought they might be a little quiet - they are not dying. How would you resolve the dying vs waiting issue?

Sorry, not sure I understand your question - I generally tell folks that if the fish can be isolated and if it is still eating well, to just continue to see if it recovers. If the fish stops eating, then euthanasia is warranted.

 

[MnFish1]

Sorry, not sure I understand your question - I generally tell folks that if the fish can be isolated and if it is still eating well, to just continue to see if it recovers. If the fish stops eating, then euthanasia is warranted.

Sorry - I reversed the words. I meant do these types of injury commonly cause symptoms. I've seem multiple fish bang their heads upon introduction into the tank. I was asking are there any thresholds where it makes sense to euthanize vs keep watching.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry - I reversed the words. I meant do these types of injury commonly cause symptoms. I've seem multiple fish bang their heads upon introduction into the tank. I was asking are there any thresholds where it makes sense to euthanize vs keep watching.

I’m not sure that these cases are caused by strike injuries - we don’t see physical indication of damage. In many cases, the symptoms worsen over time - a strike injury would come on acutely. You don’t break a leg and have it gradually get worse over two weeks (grin). Finally, there are many species of fish prone to running into things - why would these peculiar symptoms only be seen in a few types of wrasse?