Sick Wrasse?

[kwjones]

Ok guys I'm stumped. I've tested my water and everything is normal.

I usually feed a small cube of formula 1 or 2 every other day or every three days. I just looked at my wrasse this morning, and he's THIN, I mean really thin. He's normally right out front with the rest of my fish when I feed, but this morning he wasn't. All the other fish are fat. I've had the wrasse since January and he's by far my wife and I's favorite.

So, internal parasite? Do I fish him out and set the QT up? What should I treat with? I can't see anything wrong externally, so I don't know what's going on with him. The picture is from a few months ago and you can see how rounded out his sides are...he doesn't look like that now.

Kevin

[kelpforest]

I'm not sure, but I would put him in the Q tank if even just to give him a chance to eat in peace, if hes sick, competing with the other fish for food can't be a good thing

[cath]

ditto what kelpforest said. My wrasse got sick and skinny too, and I couldn't get him out.

At that time, Alice thought mine had a parasite too. She suggested a garlic treatment to get rid of the parasites.

[TerryB10]

If the weight loss was gradual then internal parasites could be a problem. However, internal parasites usually are not a problem. Most fish have them and they co-exist together fine. My guess would be that the problem is not getting fed enough or often enough. Some other disease such as tuberculosis is a possibility.

If the weight loss was rapid then the fish may be suffering from dehydration. This would cause rapid weight loss as the fish has lost the ability to osmoregulate efficiently. This can be caused by many things, including gill flukes (not uncommon in wrasse) or a bacterial infection of the gills. I would reduce the salinity to counteract this in quarantine (check the pH daily). I would also consider treating the fish for gill flukes with a series of 3 formalin dips, one every third day. If you look in the library at http://www.MarineAquariumAdvicce.com then you will find an article about how to use formaldehyde as a treatment for parasites, The formalin dips should cure gill flukes
Terry B

[kwjones]

Thanks guys. The weight loss does seemt to be pretty rapid. He was the last fish we added to the tank. The only thing that has been added to the tank recently was a pulsing xenia frag. I'll pick up some garlic extract and give that a shot.

He was usually out front all the time, but yesterday he kept towards the back of the tank. This morning he's out front again and still eating. None of his fins are clamped and he still moves like a bullet if I try to net him.

Kevin