Cirrhilabrus rubeus Diagnostics

[rushbattle]

Howdy Helpful Folks,

I have a C. rubeus that is scraping, flashing, and shaking his head intermittently. I see it maybe once a day with the pumps on, but he shows this behavior more when the pumps are off, so I am thinking there is something going on with his gills. I thought it was velvet, but there are no signs of visible external parasites and this has been going on for a few weeks now. I treated with Focus and Metro on the LRS feedings twice a day hoping that it was a fluke that I could treat that way, but I am guessing this is not an effective gill fluke treatment. I also did a FWD and I did not see any flukes present. He does stay in more shaded area than he did initially but I am not seeing almost any swimming into the flow. I did see it once, but he might have been going after food as there was quite a bit in the water column. I feed overly much for the fish in the tank, so he isn't starving. No other fish are acting like they might be effected at all. Am I stuck going back to QT? Assume velvet and treat with coppersafe for 30 days? I wish a picture would help but he is fat, happy, and there are no signs of visible external parasites, after MUCH careful examination of all of the fish in the tank.

Please ask for more info if I forgot it, I will be happy to answer anything you are curious about.

Any input would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Rush

 

[melypr1985]

Hi there! I'm sorry for the troubles with your wrasse. These are beautiful fish.

I also did a FWD and I did not see any flukes present.

How long did you do the dip for? How long have you had this wrasse and what was the last wet thing added to the tank? Was this last thing qt'd?

 

[rushbattle]

Hi there! I'm sorry for the troubles with your wrasse. These are beautiful fish.


How long did you do the dip for? How long have you had this wrasse and what was the last wet thing added to the tank? Was this last thing qt'd?

Dipped in RODI buffered with a tiny splash of tank water for exactly 5 mins. He acted like he was possessed ala The Excorcist. Had him since december 11th. Only one batch of fish since the tank was started. He was the last (and first) QT'd. He wasnt treated in QT since there were no signs of malady, but I'm strongly considering profilactic treatment from now on!

Thanks for the help!

 

[melypr1985]

Dipped in RODI buffered with a tiny splash of tank water for exactly 5 mins. He acted like he was possessed ala The Excorcist. Had him since december 11th. Only one batch of fish since the tank was started. He was the last (and first) QT'd. He wasnt treated in QT since there were no signs of malady, but I'm strongly considering profilactic treatment from now on!

Thanks for the help!

It's entirely possible for wrasses to not show signs of ick at all - outwardly. If no flukes showed on a proper freshwater dip (which you did), then ick is the next most possible problem here. Wrasse have thick slime coats and are capable of harboring ick in the gills for very long periods without it showing on the body. I'm betting, this is the problem. Sorry sweetie. I would take everybody out for Copper or TTM and leave the tank fallow for 76 days.

 

[rushbattle]

It's entirely possible for wrasses to not show signs of ick at all - outwardly. If no flukes showed on a proper freshwater dip (which you did), then ick is the next most possible problem here. Wrasse have thick slime coats and are capable of harboring ick in the gills for very long periods without it showing on the body. I'm betting, this is the problem. Sorry sweetie. I would take everybody out for Copper or TTM and leave the tank fallow for 76 days.

Thanks for the help. Off to Petco to get started on a much larger QT.