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Dying Lineatus Wrasse

Tyler

Tyler

I came home today to find my wrasse swimming crazy. Upside down and sideways constantly. I am quite sure I see internal bleeding, his right fin is half missing, and his other fins seem to be disintegrating. I have no aggressive tankmates in the tank except a starry blenny but he only ever attacks new algae eating fish to tell them who’s boss. The wrasse was eating like a pig and seemed incredibly healthy up until this point. I would be heartbroken to see this happen to any fish, but ESPECIALLY a fish I had to work for such a long time to buy.


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diana a

diana a

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
QT and removing the fish may cause a bit more stress short-term but I would suggest doing it. What else is in the tank? Any more aggressive fish? Meds like Melafix or Maracyn may work but see if simple QT for two days does the trick. Keep a constant eye on AT water parameters. Any other fish have symptoms?
 
Tyler

Tyler

I have no aggressive fish except a starry blenny and he doesn’t ever attack my established fish, just new algae eaters and he stops after a few hours. The ONLY other thing I can think of is perhaps he got pricked by my foxface and is poisoned.


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diana a

diana a

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
You would be surprised if you saw what goes on at night. Fish are like kids...when the adult isn't around, the bully attacks.
 
Tyler

Tyler

Moved him to my refugium for now to hopefully prevent stress in case he was being bullied. He is no longer moving, just laying upside down. But I am going to try and be hopeful I’ll come back in a few hours to see him swimming around.


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Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
Unfortunately, this is very common with these fairy wrasses. I have kept all of them. Flames, Linneatus, Rhomboid, Scotts, Labouti. One day they will be fine and next day you will find them breathing heavy and they will just die in a few days. I do not want to give you false hope.

The most I was able to keep a fairy wrasse was for 2 years or so and that was a flame. All others, specially Labouti never worked past 6 months for me.

These are expensive fish but very hard to keep alive long term.
 
Tyler

Tyler

Sunny said:
Unfortunately, this is very common with these fairy wrasses. I have kept all of them. Flames, Linneatus, Rhomboid, Scotts, Labouti. One day they will be fine and next day you will find them breathing heavy and they will just die in a few days. I do not want to give you false hope.

The most I was able to keep a fairy wrasse was for 2 years or so and that was a flame. All others, specially Labouti never worked past 6 months for me.

These are expensive fish but very hard to keep alive long term.
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I wish I had heard about this long ago. Had researched all the wrasses I liked for months and I was down to a lineatus and rhomboid. Ended up finding the lineatus for a good price, and has done great until now. If he dies I will not be buying any more wrasses. This is a complete heartbreak. One of my all time favorite, dream fish suddenly going downhill like this.


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Tyler

Tyler

Currently he is resting on a bed of caulerpa. Slowly forming a mucus cocoon but still has not moved. I will keep everyone updated, hopefully with good news. I am quite sure that his fate will be decided within an hour or so. If he is still kicking and perhaps even improving, I don’t think a recovery is far away. If not, then he is a goner. As much as I hate to say it, I’m pretty sure that he’s going to die soon.


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Tyler

Tyler

He seems to be doing better since getting moved to my fuge where he can’t be bothered by anything. No other fish, very low flow, and I have put the light on but very dim. He went from not moving at all and barely breathing at one point to slowly cruising in and out of the field of macroalgae I have in there. Now it is a waiting game. If he gets better very quickly I’m going to assume that my blenny just decided to attack him today and rehome the blenny. The only reason I am not entirely sure of that is because usually he leaves lip marks behind but I couldn’t notice any. However the missing right fin chunk, frayed other fins, and missing scales could point to an attack. I have just never seen it happen to him before and the very quick onset made me think it was more like disease. I have heard so many problems with wrasses from decompression issues with deep water species (like my lineatus) to chance poisoning during collection.


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Tyler

Tyler

trio91 said:
I'm thinking it's a disease, could be stress related. Are any other fish showing signs?
Click to expand...

That was my initial thought but the more time he spends sitting alone the better he looks. I really am wondering if he was just badly bullied all of a sudden. Regardless I do plan on putting him in a QT with triple sulfa for a few days just to ensure that he doesn’t pick anything up from the little wounds that popped up. All my other fish are very happy, fat, and healthy. Always grazing nori and they get a good varied diet.


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