Wrasse Swimbladder Issue

[Marquiseo]

Might want to add metronidazole to the mix if you're seeing stringy white poop. You might still be able to find an 18 gauge needle at a drug store (or medical supply depot.) Or maybe try a farm store or vet. There's also good ol' Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n:318120011,p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin:5738908011

I wasn't 100% sure it was poop after I did a WC. I got some needles from CVS (previous post).

 

[Marquiseo]

Update:

- Day 5 of Ciprofloxacin / Day 4 of Epsom Salt
- I attempted the needle decompression yesterday. I may have done it incorrectly because he is still upside down. It took a lot out of him from me doing that so I won't attempt that again. I thought he was a "goner" yesterday afterwards because he just floated upside down in very slow breaths with zero eye movement.
- He appears do have white stringy poop hanging from him this morning \. I think the Cipro is taking care of that.
- He did dart when I turned on the light which is a good sign he still has strength and may be improving; originally he would not move and would just float into my hand or net.

 

[Humblefish]

- He appears do have white stringy poop hanging from him this morning \. I think the Cipro is taking care of that.

White stringy poop is a sign of intestinal worms. Cipro is an antibiotic; it only kills bacteria, not worms.

 

[Aquaph8]

I'm not sure I would attempt to add metro to a fish in this condition, it's pretty hard on a healthy wrasse. I've had very similar experience as Mike and Terry, never could get a wrasse to eat a pea. I've had one fish make a turn around using erythromycin but I jumped to treat so early on I'm not sure if the fish would've made a turnaround on its own or not. This was around the time period that Hunter speaks of when all the rhomboids were coming in with issues.

 

[Marquiseo]

White stringy poop is a sign of intestinal worms. Cipro is an antibiotic; it only kills bacteria, not worms.

"Metronidazole is an antibiotic. It fights bacteria in your body.

Metronidazole is used to treat bacterial infections of the vagina, stomach, skin, joints, and respiratory tract. This medication will not treat a vaginal yeast infection."

Source: http://www.drugs.com/metronidazole.html

 

[Marquiseo]

I will look into a medication for it as well. I don't want to double tap the Cipro and another antibacterial. Thanks for the info on the poop

 

[Humblefish]

@Marquiseo Metro does treat anaerobic bacterial fish diseases, but it's also useful for various internal & external parasites. Internal parasites = worms. This explains more: http://www.fishvet.com/metro-ms.htm

To my knowledge, cipro has no anti-parasitic properties.

 

[zibba]

@Marquiseo, sounds like you're making progress. I'm happy to read that.

We caught our lineaus two days ago and it spent the last two nights in the acclimation box in the sump. We transferred it back into QT and started a kanaplex/metroplex/bifuran & epsom salt treatment. I'm amazed that the fish is even still alive and don't expect much. Just want to give it our best effort to try and save him.

I'll keep y'all posted.

 

[zibba]

We're going to attempt the needle decompression this evening as explained in the video ReefBuilders posted awhile back: http://reefbuilders.com/2011/12/01/...s-simple-procedure-correct-downswimming-fish/

I haven't come across another, more applicable, video. I'm going to try and set something up to backlight the fish. I'll try to video the process for anyone interested.

And, for who ever reads this, to make something clear: we're using metroplex in the food, not in the water column. The wrasse hasn't eaten anything so it technically hasn't received any metro yet.

 

[Marquiseo]

We're going to attempt the needle decompression this evening as explained in the video ReefBuilders posted awhile back: http://reefbuilders.com/2011/12/01/...s-simple-procedure-correct-downswimming-fish/

I haven't come across another, more applicable, video. I'm going to try and set something up to backlight the fish. I'll try to video the process for anyone interested.

And, for who ever reads this, to make something clear: we're using metroplex in the food, not in the water column. The wrasse hasn't eaten anything so it technically hasn't received any metro yet.

I attempted it twice. No such luck I did it exactly according to the videos.


Update:

Day 7 of Ciprofloxacin. 2nd Dose of Metroplex. Still hasn't eaten yet. Has pooped more. It has been able to sleep at a 45 degree angle now which means it is less bloaty compared to its initial state of only being able to sleep 100% upside down.

 

[zibba]

Ours slept belly up all night last night, just floating in one spot. It was doing the twirling swim a little bit mid-morning and then found some pvc to stay put in.

If ours was at 45-degrees, I'd consider that an improvement. Sounds like the cipro is reducing inflamation. Are you done with epsom salt? Did you add it every day at 1 tbs/5g?

I'll do a 50% water change tonight and redose furan2/kanaplex and wasn't sure whether I should retreat with epsom salt and, if so, how much.

Thanks for continuing to share your experience.

 

[Marquiseo]

Ours slept belly up all night last night, just floating in one spot. It was doing the twirling swim a little bit mid-morning and then found some pvc to stay put in.

If ours was at 45-degrees, I'd consider that an improvement. Sounds like the cipro is reducing inflamation. Are you done with epsom salt? Did you add it every day at 1 tbs/5g?

I'll do a 50% water change tonight and redose furan2/kanaplex and wasn't sure whether I should retreat with epsom salt and, if so, how much.

Thanks for continuing to share your experience.

I haven't used Epsom Salt in the last two doses. I don't want to over it do it. I will resume it tomorrow but at every other day. Hopefully, my wrasse will make it till then. Will you record your needle decompression?

 

[zibba]

I haven't used Epsom Salt in the last two doses. I don't want to over it do it. I will resume it tomorrow but at every other day. Hopefully, my wrasse will make it till then. Will you record your needle decompression?

Understood and makes sense, thanks.

Yes, we'll record it, upload to youtube and post it. Don't expect much since I've never done it before.

 

[Marquiseo]

Understood and makes sense, thanks.

Yes, we'll record it, upload to youtube and post it. Don't expect much since I've never done it before.

I wish you luck. I may attempt it once more.

 

[Marquiseo]

Understood and makes sense, thanks.

Yes, we'll record it, upload to youtube and post it. Don't expect much since I've never done it before.

Success?

 

[Marquiseo]

So I force fed my wrasse by squirting food at/near him while he was breathing. I made a food paste mix of crushed flakes, metroplex, tank water, and cyclopeeze. He also started to poop while I was feeding him which is good. Here is a video (please ignore my loud frag tank in the background):

 

[zibba]

Success?

Yes, I believe so. I'll post the video as soon as it finishes uploading. How do you embed a youtube video?

 

[Marquiseo]

Yes, I believe so. I'll post the video as soon as it finishes uploading. How do you embed a youtube video?

When adding a reply, click the film icon(video) next to the smiley and image icons. Then copy and paste the URL for your youtube video

 

[zibba]

I think this will work:



First few slides are of the equipment we used to try and see the fish's swim bladder. Should be self-explanatory, but let me know if there are any questions.

Sorry for the first failed attempt, I know it's painful to watch. Trust me, it was tough to do this to a fish that we really care for.

 

[zibba]

The wrasse is no longer floating at the top but has found a place in PVC and made a cocoon for the night. It has gone a few days without food so I'll give your feeding method a try if the fish is still alive tomorrow.

It's so sad because I took this video of the fish just a month ago while it was hanging in the acclimation box and it was flashing with the rhomboid. They occasionally flashed like this but it never appeared to get physical.