Disease or weird fish?

[SeaDøøby]

I recently noticed my Exquisite Fairy Wrasse swimming upside down and then swimming normally. After doing that for a bit it would let the wave maker push him around.

After looking closer at him, I noticed that he had white spots all over his tail but it’s hard to tell because he doesn’t stay still or swims away into a cave. Later today I took another look at him and didn’t see any spots but a part of his scales were peeling off a bit and were white.

Here’s some pictures but they are pretty bad hope they help:

I have some more if needed. Setting up a QT. I was thinking Ich, possibly Velvet but seems a little unlikely but you never know, or swim bladder. Or he’s just weird. Thank you for any help.

 

[fishguy242]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[vetteguy53081]

The white spots may be lymphocystis which is viral but a guess as I have a hard time seeing it against light colored gravel
Im more concerned about the buoyancy issue which is displaying. Fish is in great distress making recovery 50/50.
Struggling to maintain a normal swimming position is relevant to swim bladder infection or similar iternal issue/symptom.
If severe buoyancy problems exist, the fish may not be able to feed normally or even reach the surface of the water. This disorder is sometimes caused by compression of the swim bladder, which may involve a distended stomach from rapidly eating, overeating, constipation, or gulping air, which is thought to occur with floating foods. Eating freeze-dried or dry flake food that expands when it becomes wet can also lead to an enlarged stomach or intestinal tract.
Other causes are :

• Trauma/Injury
• Bacterial infection
• Parasitic infection
• Stress/rapidly changing water parameters
• Poor water quality

Water change(s) may help and antibiotic should also help. Kanamyacin o neomyacyn should help great and best done in a quarantine tank

Buoyancy Issues
Fish with gas bladders may develop buoyancy issues if the gas in the bladder is not being properly adjusted for the fish’s ambient water pressure. Additionally, gas may build up in the digestive system of a fish, also causing positive buoyancy. Symptoms of these issues include a fish that floats at the surface, struggling to maintain a proper position in the water, or once exhausted, may float at the surface upside-down. Negative buoyancy may also rarely be seen, where the fish sinks to the bottom and then may struggle to rise in the water column. Causes for these maladaptation issues can include bacterial infections of the swim bladder, genetic propensity for developing these issues, or the collection of the fish in deep water, and subsequent improper decompression.

 

[SeaDøøby]

Thank you very much

 

[SeaDøøby]

A little update:

The wrasse can’t swim upright anymore and can barely move

 

[JumboShrimp]

Sounds like the beginning of the end. Always a sad event.

 

[SeaDøøby]

He’s in QT and this formed around him overnight. He’s still alive and squirms around. Any ideas?

 

[SeaDøøby]

I was able to get the thing off him. It seems like that relieved him and he is able to swim upright but still goes upside down a bit.

 

[JGT]

That’s a mucous bubble wrasses will make when they sleep at night. Supposedly keeps their scent from potential predators. Think you will still have the buoyancy issue.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I recently noticed my Exquisite Fairy Wrasse swimming upside down and then swimming normally. After doing that for a bit it would let the wave maker push him around.

After looking closer at him, I noticed that he had white spots all over his tail but it’s hard to tell because he doesn’t stay still or swims away into a cave. Later today I took another look at him and didn’t see any spots but a part of his scales were peeling off a bit and were white.

Here’s some pictures but they are pretty bad hope they help:

I have some more if needed. Setting up a QT. I was thinking Ich, possibly Velvet but seems a little unlikely but you never know, or swim bladder. Or he’s just weird. Thank you for any help.

How long have you had the fish? There is an odd neurological condition that causes symptoms like this in newly imported wrasses. No cure for it, we don’t know what causes it. If you’ve had the wrasse more than a month, it probably isn’t it though.
Jay

 

[A Young Reefer]

How long have you had the fish? There is an odd neurological condition that causes symptoms like this in newly imported wrasses. No cure for it, we don’t know what causes it. If you’ve had the wrasse more than a month, it probably isn’t it though.
Jay

is this condition something new going on ?
and should we be worried ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

is this condition something new going on ?
and should we be worried ?

I’ve seen it for around 10 years. Some wrasse suddenly can’t swim, or swim with bent spines. The fish will often still feed, or try to. Frequently attributed to running into a tank wall, but there is no corresponding face injury, so I question that. I can’t say how common it is, but it does show up in cases here.
Jay

 

[SeaDøøby]

How long have you had the fish? There is an odd neurological condition that causes symptoms like this in newly imported wrasses. No cure for it, we don’t know what causes it. If you’ve had the wrasse more than a month, it probably isn’t it though.
Jay

I got the wrasse probably about a week and a half ago.

 

[SeaDøøby]

He also has some white dots on his tail and neck.

 

[SeaDøøby]

Here’s some more info if it helps. Tank has been running for about three months.

Parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Phosphate: .15ppm
Calcium: 370ppm
Alkalinity: 8.4 dKH
Magnesium: 980ppm

Cal and mag are pretty low and working on bringing those up but maybe the swings of those have been affecting fish? It seems like everything else is doing very well except those two parameters. Other fish are doing well and eating well. Not hiding or acting strange.