What's wrong with this wrasse?

Jblakeman · Oct 1, 2014

I've had this Solon Fairy Wrasse in my tank for about a week now. A couple days ago he started swimming almost vertically. He is constantly moving and he is still eating. It doesn't look like it is breathing hard. In fact, it looks like everything is pretty normal except for him being vertical. Every now and then it seems like he dips down and touches the sand or rock with its tail then darts up again, almost like he is tired. There are no marks of injury or distress on his body that I can see.

Here are a couple of pics. What do you think?

evolved · Oct 1, 2014

Swim bladder issue (likely infection); pretty difficult to overcome I'm afraid.

Jblakeman · Oct 1, 2014

I have some Dr. G's anti-bacterial Rx frozen food from the LFS. Will that help?

evolved · Oct 1, 2014

I can't hurt. However, I must be honest: despite all the various methods/attempts I've seen people use to try and treat a condition as such, never have I seen someone be successful. But that's certainly not to say it's impossible.

TruRacr314x · Oct 1, 2014

evolved said:
Swim bladder issue (likely infection); pretty difficult to overcome I'm afraid.

+1....good luck, maybe you'll get lucky!

eatbreakfast · Oct 1, 2014

IME when I see a fish having trouble like this it actually looks like a spinal injury, from jumping and hitting a glass top or being startled and darting into the side of the tank or a rock. Swim bladder issues usually have the tail up rather than the head, whereas with a spinal injury the pectoral fins still work but caudal tail doesn't.

evolved · Oct 2, 2014

^ Fair; that's a possibility too. And although I agree swim bladder issues are typically tail up, head down, I have seen the alternative a few times.

Jblakeman · Oct 3, 2014

Thanks all. I tried the Dr. G's. He ate like a champ all the way through yesterday. Unfortunately today he disappeared. I can't find him anywhere. I'm assuming he buried himself in a deep, dark hole. My LFS is taking care of me with a credit even though I had it past the warranty time and can't produce the fish.