FW dip recovery time

Pbh-reef · Dec 15, 2018

How long do fish take to recover from a FW dip?

I dipped my possum wrasse for 5 min after temp matching/aerating. I squirted some tank water to help balance oh. Saw what I think are some gill flukes at the bottom of the container.

The wrasse has been lying on her side in the tank for the last 30 minutes - I held her lightly under the filter current for some of that time. Is this normal? There isn’t much i can do I guess but want to know if I should be really worried or just a little worried.

Pbh-reef · Dec 15, 2018

Still breathing hard and not moving gonna try moving her through the water

brwaldbaum · Dec 15, 2018

I don't know if this observation is relevant, but, when I freshwater dipped my Halichoeres wrasses, they both looked nearly dead afterwards. All was fine by the next day.

Pbh-reef · Dec 15, 2018

Thanks she’s still breathing and laying on the floor - here’s hoping she gets better

HotRocks · Dec 15, 2018

Is the fish doing any better? I've had tangs act funny for an HR or two post dip before.

Pbh-reef · Dec 15, 2018

Breathing has slowed down (was very rapid for awhile) but she’s not swimming. She did go from laying with her side on the bottom of the tank to laying propped up against the side with her stomach on the bottom of the tank. I added a circulation pump to the tank to increase surface agitation hoping more
oxygen will help. It’s been about 5 hours now. Hoping her breathing slowing down is a good sign rather than a sign of the end.

I was so proud of correctly identifying flukes as the problem - I just hope the dip doesn’t kill her

HotRocks · Dec 15, 2018

Pbh-reef said:
Breathing has slowed down (was very rapid for awhile) but she’s not swimming. She did go from laying with her side on the bottom of the tank to laying propped up against the side with her stomach on the bottom of the tank. I added a circulation pump to the tank to increase surface agitation hoping more
oxygen will help. It’s been about 5 hours now. Hoping her breathing slowing down is a good sign rather than a sign of the end.

I was so proud of correctly identifying flukes as the problem - I just hope the dip doesn’t kill her

A FW dip will not kill a fish. If the fish dies post dip it was likely going to die anyway. I have dipped several fish, even fish that were in very bad shape and they would bounce back.

maroun.c · Dec 16, 2018

I've seen wrasses respond terribly bad to FW dips and also to any treatment at shorter times or less concentration than what other fish take fine.

Pbh-reef · Dec 16, 2018

thanks. The wrasse is still alive this morning, but still not swimming. Sometimes she moves around a bit but stays on the tank's bottom. Her swimming is jerky, almost like she has lost her balance or something. I hope she recovers, I didn't realize it was such a risk with a wrasse.

Would people suggest leaving her alone or trying to hold her under the filter or moving her through the water? My gut tells me just let her be and see if she gets better

Pbh-reef · Dec 16, 2018

HotRocks said:
A FW dip will not kill a fish. If the fish dies post dip it was likely going to die anyway. I have dipped several fish, even fish that were in very bad shape and they would bounce back.

Well she’s not dead this morning, but not swimming either (occasionally will move in a jerky/wonky fashion). I really hope she bounces back.

maroun.c · Dec 16, 2018

Pbh-reef said:
thanks. The wrasse is still alive this morning, but still not swimming. Sometimes she moves around a bit but stays on the tank's bottom. Her swimming is jerky, almost like she has lost her balance or something. I hope she recovers, I didn't realize it was such a risk with a wrasse.

Would people suggest leaving her alone or trying to hold her under the filter or moving her through the water? My gut tells me just let her be and see if she gets better

Id let the fish rest l, maybe minimize flow if its struggling to keep its balance. Try to feed and observe. Nothing else u can really do.

Pbh-reef · Dec 16, 2018

Still alive... moved from the corner of the tank to a pvc tube and has gone from laying with its side on the tank bottom/tube bottom to laying sort of propped up again by the tube. She's so cute with her little eyes moving around in the tube. So fingers still crossed...

Wen · Dec 16, 2018

Following...
Keep us updated on her recovery.

Reefahholic · Dec 17, 2018

Hope he pulls through. Likely not the FW Dip that caused this unless you didn’t temp match. Even then...it would be unlikely unless the water was 50 degrees.

Pbh-reef · Dec 17, 2018

Thanks everyone - as of this morning she’s alive and actually swimming! Seems kinda “drunk” in her swimming but definitely an improvement

Be102 · Dec 17, 2018

Wohoo!

4FordFamily · Dec 17, 2018

Pbh-reef said:
Thanks everyone - as of this morning she’s alive and actually swimming! Seems kinda “drunk” in her swimming but definitely an improvement

That’s good!

The reaction to the dip was likely the flukes dislodging from the gills. It probably damaged them or stressed her so much she needed a long recovery time. At this point since she’s moving in the right direction I think the prognosis is probably pretty good after this much time.

HotRocks · Dec 17, 2018

4FordFamily said:
That’s good!

The reaction to the dip was likely the flukes dislodging from the gills. It probably damaged them or stressed her so much she needed a long recovery time. At this point since she’s moving in the right direction I think the prognosis is probably pretty good after this much time.

I agree!^^^. Good news!