Possum wrasse acting strange

[tanstrobels]

I have a yellow banded possum wrasse in a 15 gallon tank. Parameters are all normal and my only other fish (clownfish is fine).
I have had the wrasse for two weeks and it started eating the second day, all of its color is back and I have seeded the tank with copepods to keep it busy during the day as it cruises around looking for food on the rocks. I’m a bit worried because I’m gonna be away from the tank for the weekend but I noticed today that he uses one of his pectoral fins more than the other.

Is this common for wrasses? Early sign of disease? Or is it possible he pulled a muscle like us?

He also appears to be resting more, in the rocks and in crevices. Eyes are still engaged as if he is looking for pods or food.

Aside from that his color is good, no heavy breathing, no cloudy eyes, never surfs the glass and is buddies with the clown I’ve seen him scratch the rock a couple times over the last two weeks but it hasn’t gotten worse and his appearance has gotten better so I never thought to much about it.

There isn't much information about these little guys on the web and their normal behavior so I'm a bit paranoid right now since I'll be gone a couple of days.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi,

That isn't normal, but it also isn't a symptom of any primary disease that I know of. Does the fin have any damage to it?

Jay

 

[tanstrobels]

Just got back from my Fourth of July trip. The wrasse is doing great. He’s swimming with both fins now and isn’t resting around like he was on Friday. Almost as if he did pull a muscle in his dorsal fin and needed to take a little break here and there.
Super odd behavior but it had me worried since I was going to be gone a few days.

 

[Tamberav]

Glad your wrasse is okay. I have had fish clamp fins before with flukes so I would keep an eye on him in case it returns.

 

[tanstrobels]

When you say clamp, you mean holding it against their body?