Wondering if my new Orange back wrasse is injured (bent spine)

[maxpare79]

Hey guys, bought this guy 2 days ago, and can't say I noticed anything wrong with him, but today I noticed that his rear fin is always bent downward and he doesn't seem to be using it, is that normal for this type of fish?


I looked at some google picture and saw some similar pictures but saw others that were straight

 

[vetteguy53081]

may be a sign of nitrate poisoning. Although more common in FW fish, there are a few signs and indicators derived from nitrate poisoning of fish:

• Lethargic behavior and lack of energy;
• Weak or no feeding reflex;
• Random erratic movements;
• Side swimming;
• Upside-down swimming;
• Fast movement of the gills as if the fish experiences shortness of breath;
• Lying on the bottom of the aquarium;
• Fading color and a pale look;
• A bent body with a curved spine where the fish looks curled up

 

[maxpare79]

may be a sign of nitrate poisoning. Although more common in FW fish, there are a few signs and indicators derived from nitrate poisoning of fish:

• Lethargic behavior and lack of energy;
• Weak or no feeding reflex;
• Random erratic movements;
• Side swimming;
• Upside-down swimming;
• Fast movement of the gills as if the fish experiences shortness of breath;
• Lying on the bottom of the aquarium;
• Fading color and a pale look;
• A bent body with a curved spine where the fish looks curled up

Well he comes out to eat fine, but when he's not eating he does stay at the bottom of my qt. I will check on my nitrate levels

 

[maxpare79]

Well I just checked and my nitrate reading comes back at 0pppm

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well I just checked and my nitrate reading comes back at 0pppm

Are you by chance using an API kit?

 

[ca1ore]

Fins look a little ratty. Wrasse do sometimes swim/hover with that drop tail appearance. Hard to tell much from a picture; can you post a short video. They ARE pretty twitchy when acclimating, so some kind of spinal issue is certainly possible. I’ve had it happen twice, though in both cases it was blindingly obvious .... and nothing to be done unfortunately.

 

[maxpare79]

Are you by chance using an API kit?

Yeah I am, and your question got me worried lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah I am, and your question got me worried lol

They are notorious for false readings and I asked as Zero is near impossible unless you are frequently changing water. I would suggest to take a water sample to a trusted LFS that Does NOT use API test kits and see what readings they come up. Might as well have them test your ammonia-phosphate-ph-salinity

 

[maxpare79]

They are notorious for false readings and I asked as Zero is near impossible unless you are frequently changing water. I would suggest to take a water sample to a trusted LFS that Does NOT use API test kits and see what readings they come up. Might as well have them test your ammonia-phosphate-ph-salinity

Well I doubt that's because of this unless he had it at the fish store and I didn't noticed. It's my qt filled in just for him and with live rock and filter media from my tank.

My question is more in regards is this a normal shape for an orange back wrasse? He pretty much hides all day but when I turn off the filter he comes out to swim and eat... His tail looks beaten up a bit and like I said bent downward like the picture. But when I do a google search I found a few picture of wrasse with a similar shape but not all of them.

If there is an orange back wrasse expert on the board I would appreciate the input lol
.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well I doubt that's because of this unless he had it at the fish store and I didn't noticed. It's my qt filled in just for him and with live rock and filter media from my tank.

My question is more in regards is this a normal shape for an orange back wrasse? He pretty much hides all day but when I turn off the filter he comes out to swim and eat... His tail looks beaten up a bit and like I said bent downward like the picture. But when I do a google search I found a few picture of wrasse with a similar shape but not all of them.

If there is an orange back wrasse expert on the board I would appreciate the input lol
.

If the tail is curled, and beaten up, may be due to aggression. Are you medicating the QT tank ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Well I doubt that's because of this unless he had it at the fish store and I didn't noticed. It's my qt filled in just for him and with live rock and filter media from my tank.

My question is more in regards is this a normal shape for an orange back wrasse? He pretty much hides all day but when I turn off the filter he comes out to swim and eat... His tail looks beaten up a bit and like I said bent downward like the picture. But when I do a google search I found a few picture of wrasse with a similar shape but not all of them.

If there is an orange back wrasse expert on the board I would appreciate the input lol
.

Youre doubting false readings ? research API test kit reliability and you will quickly find out. Been doing this 34 years and there is an array of reefers quite upset at the catastrophies they endured due to false readings thinking their water quality was on track.

 

[maxpare79]

Just a prazipro treatment

 

[maxpare79]

The picture in the post is a picture I took this is exactly how he looks like

 

[ca1ore]

I’d be shocked if nitrates had anything to do with it.

 

[saltyhog]

Nitrates are not toxic to salt water fish. I've had nitrates over 50 with no deleterious effects on fish. I agree with ca1ore. Spinal injuries are pretty common with wrasses but usually it's more swimming in circles or vertically in stead of horizontally. Post a video of his swimming/behavior.

Is he eating?

 

[Dom]

Youre doubting false readings ? research API test kit reliability and you will quickly find out. Been doing this 34 years and there is an array of reefers quite upset at the catastrophies they endured due to false readings thinking their water quality was on track.

I thought the issue with API was only related to their ammonia test kit.

That being said, I find API useful for quick and easy routing testing. I back up questionable results with Red Sea.

 

[Dom]

Nitrates are not toxic to salt water fish. I've had nitrates over 50 with no deleterious effects on fish. I agree with ca1ore. Spinal injuries are pretty common with wrasses but usually it's more swimming in circles or vertically in stead of horizontally. Post a video of his swimming/behavior.

Is he eating?

I picked up a Valentini Puffer from a LFS. And the tank from which it came was THRIVING.

Imagine my surprise when I tested bag water and the nitrates were 180.

 

[maxpare79]

Nitrates are not toxic to salt water fish. I've had nitrates over 50 with no deleterious effects on fish. I agree with ca1ore. Spinal injuries are pretty common with wrasses but usually it's more swimming in circles or vertically in stead of horizontally. Post a video of his swimming/behavior.

Is he eating?

Alright will do, yeah he is eating, it's the only time he comes out of hiding, when not eating he spends his time laying on his stomach in the pvc pipe of my qt

 

[ca1ore]

This is what spinal injury looked like in both my cases .....



Perfectly healthy fish, through QT, drove itself into the corner of the transfer box and that's what you get. Lasted a couple of days until I euthanized it.

 

[maxpare79]

This is what spinal injury looked like in both my cases .....



Perfectly healthy fish, through QT, drove itself into the corner of the transfer box and that's what you get. Lasted a couple of days until I euthanized it.

Wow poor little guy...

OK no mine swims fine other then the fact that he doesn't seem to use his tail and its bent downward