So Ive had a melanarus wrasse for about 5.5 years now, always vibrant, healthy, active, eating well. A few months ago he vanished and then came out about a week later looking normal. He then over the next week or so would only come out a couple hours a day and then one day just vanished again. After a few weeks I assumed he had died in the sandbed as there was no body.
Tonight I came home and he was darting around the tank like a dying fish. Fins, body, mouth all look fine no evidence of disease. Just emaciated from not eating in weeks and drab colors. Breathing real fast and laying on the sandbed now. I have not added anything to the tank, no fish, coral, inverts, NOTHING in 3-4 years so cant be a new disease it would have to be something that festered for years.
Im pretty sure he is a goner by morning, but my question is how do these wrasse die? Is this just an old age thing or would it be a disease or parasite that festered for years? I always assumed that they would just go into the sand and not come out one day. I have no clue on actual age bought him at around 3 inches and hes a solid 6 inches now but at least 5-6 years old.
Hoping to get some insight from some wrasse experts like evolved who have probably kept and lost wrasse to old age and other things many times over the years.
Tonight I came home and he was darting around the tank like a dying fish. Fins, body, mouth all look fine no evidence of disease. Just emaciated from not eating in weeks and drab colors. Breathing real fast and laying on the sandbed now. I have not added anything to the tank, no fish, coral, inverts, NOTHING in 3-4 years so cant be a new disease it would have to be something that festered for years.
Im pretty sure he is a goner by morning, but my question is how do these wrasse die? Is this just an old age thing or would it be a disease or parasite that festered for years? I always assumed that they would just go into the sand and not come out one day. I have no clue on actual age bought him at around 3 inches and hes a solid 6 inches now but at least 5-6 years old.
Hoping to get some insight from some wrasse experts like evolved who have probably kept and lost wrasse to old age and other things many times over the years.