Red coris wrasse laying on side

[rocket098]

I got this red coris a month ago she acclimated well was eating and swimming everywhere. Not bullying or bullied by anyone. About 3 days ago started to be less active but still eating then swimming in odd ways and laying down to take breaks. Still trying to eat until finally now just laying on the side. Not breathing heavily is this just old age thanks for any help.

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic

 

[nereefpat]

It is in a bare-bottom tank? Coris genus wrasses need sand to hide and sleep in.

 

[rocket098]

I will add I see her eyes just looking around

 

[rocket098]

She seemed ok hiding in all the rocks and slept under them. I don’t think that is the problem here as it’s almost like she has no strength or it hurts to move.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I got this red coris a month ago she acclimated well was eating and swimming everywhere. Not bullying or bullied by anyone. About 3 days ago started to be less active but still eating then swimming in odd ways and laying down to take breaks. Still trying to eat until finally now just laying on the side. Not breathing heavily is this just old age thanks for any help.

This is something that shows up in newly acquired wrasses - usually fairy wrasse, but I've seen it in coris as well. The key symptoms are: odd swimming pattern, but the fish STILL tries to feed. Sometimes the fish lay on the bottom, like this, other times it swims with a curved spine, or dragging its tail. In most other diseases, once a fish begins swimming poorly, it stops feeding at the same time.

It is an unknown peripheral neurological disease...possibly viral, but could also be nerve damage from nematodes or from microsporidians. Since the fish still tries to feed, it is unlikely the brain is affected, more likely the spinal column. or muscle nerves.

In many cases, people attribute these symptoms to a "strike injury", the wrasse running into the tank wall, etc. The trouble with that is these fish never show a bruised snout or other signs that it ran into something. I recently asked a group of fellow public aquarists about this - many of those people have also seen this, but nobody has yet sent a sample our for histopathology, so the cause is still unclear. One aquarist thinks it could be from cyanide collection (since it shows up in more newly collected wrasses). However, the symptoms of cyanide collection in other fish are different. Another curator thinks it is barotrauma from the fish being collected in deep water. Again, I don't think so as there is no swim bladder issues as is typically seen in those fish (and coris come from shallow water).

So, long story short, I'm sorry but we still don't know what causes this, but it is always fatal.

Jay

 

[nereefpat]

Is it possible to get a short video of the wrasse swimming?

What I would try to rule out would be a spinal injury. That would look like spinning around, or a bent spine, or swimming with the tail downward.

 

[rocket098]

Wow sad to hear but all the symptoms you described are present. With that being said is there any success with keeping these fish. Thanks again for the help.

 

[rocket098]

I will try tonight and see if she swims or not. she was definitely swimming in an odd way and seemed to get worse with time

 

[MnFish1]

Here is a story - which may or may not apply. I bought a 3 inch harlequin tusk (also a wrasse) - it was swimming openly at the LFS - I observed it (after QT there) - for 3 weeks. Brought it home it immediately went and lied down on a piece of open live rock. And stayed and stayed. I thought - I messed up with acclimation - and tried to get it to move - it would not - but obviously still breathing. Long story short - after 3 days in the exact position - its been fine for 3 years.

Just saying. be patient. But as Jay says - be wary of death.

 

[rocket098]

Unfortunately she is no longer swimming at all just laying on the side and breathing normally. I can see eyes moving as the fish is looking around and on occasion she tries to move but then just settles back down on the side.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Unfortunately she is no longer swimming at all just laying on the side and breathing normally. I can see eyes moving as the fish is looking around and on occasion she tries to move but then just settles back down on the side.

Sorry to hear. The lack of rapid breathing hopefully rules out the more contagious issues like flukes or velvet.
Jay

 

[rocket098]

So an update on the coris is she is still alive I made a basket for her and she lays on the side in the sump. It’s been about five days now. Today I decided to force feed her with crushed flakes. She seems to be getting stronger or that’s what appears to me. Previously she could barely move but now she seems to make more attempts at swimming, If I can force feed her successfully maybe with enough time she will recover from whatever this is. I have deduced that this is not any regular disease as her skin and breathing is normal. However this does look like something to do with the neurological system and her ability to control her body.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So an update on the coris is she is still alive I made a basket for her and she lays on the side in the sump. It’s been about five days now. Today I decided to force feed her with crushed flakes. She seems to be getting stronger or that’s what appears to me. Previously she could barely move but now she seems to make more attempts at swimming, If I can force feed her successfully maybe with enough time she will recover from whatever this is. I have deduced that this is not any regular disease as her skin and breathing is normal. However this does look like something to do with the neurological system and her ability to control her body.

Good luck!

If you haven't seen it, here is my article on tube feeding:

Tube / Force Feeding Fish

This article describes methods of tube-feeding and force-feeding fish

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[Sharkbait19]

Any updates on how the wrasse made out?

 

[WannaBReffer30]

Update?

 

[rocket098]

He didn’t make it. Long story short I put him out of his misery. He continued to survive for long time but unable to regain normal functionality. After speaking to another reefer his theory is that the wrasse may have darted and injured himself. However I never saw that and his mobility was degrading over period of 2-3 days.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He didn’t make it. Long story short I put him out of his misery. He continued to survive for long time but unable to regain normal functionality. After speaking to another reefer his theory is that the wrasse may have darted and injured himself. However I never saw that and his mobility was degrading over period of 2-3 days.

Sorry to hear. It probably was not an injury. Soon after this case, I started a thread on this issue. It still isn't curable. Some researchers/veterinarians have begun looking into the histopathology of some affected fish, hoping for an answer in the next six months....but there may well never be a cure.

Here is the link:

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

Jay