Want to buy this fish, but should I?

[cmcoker]

This wrasse has been in the store 3 or 4 weeks. It's been run through something for flukes and is living in a subtheraputic copper system (uses Cupramine).
He has a head twitch for sure, but appears to be eating and does swim normally and flash at tank mates.
He is the healthier of specimens I have seen locally over the past few weeks.

If I got him, I would do general cure, then coppersafe (unless CP was better but thought for wrasses better to try the copper.) for 30 days, followed by observation for a couple weeks. Same as I would for any fish...

What has me more concerned than the head twitch is this circling he does. I don't know if it's related to whatever is making him twice his head, or something else..

So thought?

 

[Empress]

Pretty fish. But did I see him nip at his back fin? He might be trying to dislodge or remove something from there; hence his swimming in circles.

 

[cmcoker]

Pretty fish. But did I see him nip at his back fin? He might be trying to dislodge or remove something from there; hence his swimming in circles.

That's what I'm thinking, though there wasn't anything visible I could see... The fact that he still looks pretty good after being in the store around a month is what has me leaning towards getting him.. Despite the circling and head twitch.
The wrasses I've seen over the last couple months clearly have velvet or just look on deaths door... I would prefer to buy local than to ship as I really prefer to buy one fish at a time, and see what I'm getting myself into before it's at my door..

 

[Empress]

Do you have a QT set up and some meds on hand? And if you have time and patience I would go ahead and buy him. Let's see what Humblefish and Melypr have to say.

 

[Brew12]

That's what I'm thinking, though there wasn't anything visible I could see... The fact that he still looks pretty good after being in the store around a month is what has me leaning towards getting him.. Despite the circling and head twitch.
The wrasses I've seen over the last couple months clearly have velvet or just look on deaths door... I would prefer to buy local than to ship as I really prefer to buy one fish at a time, and see what I'm getting myself into before it's at my door..

I would recommend trying to get the LFS to do a freshwater dip to check for flukes. If you can confirm the fish has flukes then you know it should be fairly easy to treat and I think it would be fine to purchase it.

 

[cmcoker]

Do you have a QT set up and some meds on hand? And if you have time and patience I would go ahead and buy him. Let's see what Humblefish and Melypr have to say.

Yes, have a 20g with hob filter, heater, pvc, powerhead, making water now... Lol it's time for a water change anyway so.. I've got general cure on hand, as well as some antibiotics, kanaplex and metroplex. And I have coppersafe an Api copper test, and new ammonia badge in my Amazon cart with one day shipping..
I work at the vets so could get CP by next week if that would be better.

 

[Empress]

Yes, have a 20g with hob filter, heater, pvc, powerhead, making water now... Lol it's time for a water change anyway so.. I've got general cure on hand, as well as some antibiotics, kanaplex and metroplex. And I have coppersafe an Api copper test, and new ammonia badge in my Amazon cart with one day shipping..
I work at the vets so could get CP by next week if that would be better.

Sounds like you're ready to rock! Buy that fish and nurse it to 100% health and you'll both be very happy. [emoji106]

Oh by the way, you got delicious foods he can't resist? That's very important!

Keep us posted.

 

[Humblefish]

I would recommend trying to get the LFS to do a freshwater dip to check for flukes. If you can confirm the fish has flukes then you know it should be fairly easy to treat and I think it would be fine to purchase it.

^^ I would do this; although you'll probably have to do the FW dip at home after you buy him. If no flukes show, immediately begin to slowly raise the copper on him (I prefer Coppersafe for wrasses). If your LFS is maintaining him in subtherapeutic copper and the wrasse is twitching, then there is a strong chance he has velvet or ich (if no flukes show.)

 

[cmcoker]

^^ I would do this; although you'll probably have to do the FW dip at home after you buy him. If no flukes show, immediately begin to slowly raise the copper on him (I prefer Coppersafe for wrasses). If your LFS is maintaining him in subtherapeutic copper and the wrasse is twitching, then there is a strong chance he has velvet or ich (if no flukes show.)

Yeah, I am going to ask what the level actually is on the Cupramine he's using.

The lfs said species prone to fluke are treated for that, then into "low dose" copper (Cupramine) and they get a dose of Methylyn blue nightly iirc.

Even though wrasses stress so much when transported, you would still do a freshwater dip on day 1?

On another note if needed, can general cure be mixed with copper?

 

[Humblefish]

Even though wrasses stress so much when transported, you would still do a freshwater dip on day 1?

Normally, no. But the head shaking leads me to believe that fish either has flukes or velvet. Doing a FW dip will provide temporary relief for both and confirm the former.

On another note if needed, can general cure be mixed with copper?

Yes

 

[cmcoker]

Normally, no. But the head shaking leads me to believe that fish either has flukes or velvet. Doing a FW dip will provide temporary relief for both and confirm the former.



Yes

Ok so my plan will be set qt to match salinity he came from, do 5min freshwater dip, transfer to qt.
If flukes = start general cure, once done then start copper unless other signs show during general cure then start copper quickly ramping over 24-48 hours.
No flukes = start ramping copper, over 3-5 days, unless he starts to show other symptoms then I would ramp up faster.
After 30 days copper, run general cure during observation period

Week before transfer start upping salinity. He should be coming from 1.020 according to lfs owner.

Sound good? Any changes you suggest?

 

[cmcoker]

Sounds like you're ready to rock! Buy that fish and nurse it to 100% health and you'll both be very happy. [emoji106]

Oh by the way, you got delicious foods he can't resist? That's very important!

Keep us posted.

Missed the food part. I have lrs reef and fish frenzy, may see if they have any fish eggs when I get the fish... But have some selcon on hand as well. Also have some frozen brine, clams on a half shell.
Another lfs usually has black worms on hand if I need some live food.
I'm lucky to have many lfs (and a willingness to drive an hour) to find good stuff.. [emoji3]
May try and source some nutramar over since this is the beginning of stocking the display. I imagine my quarantine will be up for the next year or so..

 

[Humblefish]

Ok so my plan will be set qt to match salinity he came from, do 5min freshwater dip, transfer to qt.
If flukes = start general cure, once done then start copper unless other signs show during general cure then start copper quickly ramping over 24-48 hours.
No flukes = start ramping copper, over 3-5 days, unless he starts to show other symptoms then I would ramp up faster.
After 30 days copper, run general cure during observation period

Week before transfer start upping salinity. He should be coming from 1.020 according to lfs owner.

Sound good? Any changes you suggest?

Sounds good, except if no flukes show I would be inclined to raise Cu to at least minimal therapeutic within 48 hrs due to velvet's accelerated lifecycle.

 

[cmcoker]

Sounds good, except if no flukes show I would be inclined to raise Cu to at least minimal therapeutic within 48 hrs due to velvet's accelerated lifecycle.

Will do [emoji106]

 

[cmcoker]

Fish is home, did freshwater dip and he's now hiding in qt. I believe I saw 1 fluke in the bucket but can't find it after transferring the fish to the quarantine..

The lfs owner told me the other day he uses seachem copper. I asked him today what level he runs it at and he said .5 ...
So I did an Api test and here's the result.

He was in their system about a month.

@Humblefish So with that info, should I start general cure or Copper first?

I'm thinking copper and once he's adjusted and eating well a couple days, start general cure on top of it but I'd like to know your thoughts.

 

[Humblefish]

I'm thinking copper and once he's adjusted and eating well a couple days, start general cure on top of it but I'd like to know your thoughts.

^^ I agree with this plan.

 

[cmcoker]

^^ I agree with this plan.

Thanks!

 

[wherenext]

Nice longfin fairy wrasse. I had one of these, and he did the spin occasionally when he came down with ich. Mine loved brine shrimp and spirulina. Good luck with nursing him back to health.

 

[cmcoker]

Nice longfin fairy wrasse. I had one of these, and he did the spin occasionally when he came down with ich. Mine loved brine shrimp and spirulina. Good luck with nursing him back to health.

Thanks, he was eating brine and mysis at the store, which I was out of mysis so I picked up a pack.. Hopefully he eat for me without too much trouble...

 

[cmcoker]

Fish is out a little bit, still hunkering down, staying low on one side of the tank but for a wrasse I consider it great progress. I've had them hide for a week before, very stressful. He's eating mysis this morning, and I'm working on raising the Copper. So far so good.