Ich? Velvet? Something else?

[newreefnick]

Fairy wrasse that I bought 2 weeks ago. First fish I bought because the wife fell in love. Didn't realize how expensive he was till I was checking out. Obviously not a good first fish in a tank. He is eating great but scratching on rocks and swimming a little abnormal. No spots anywhere but he has a cloudiness on his face and kinda on one eye. Went to my lfs and they recommended melafix. I use to use this stuff in my freshwater back in the day and I don't think it treats ich. What do you think this is? What should I treat it with?

 

[Shep]

#reefsquad

 

[newreefnick]

#reefsquad

Ammonia .25
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Ph 8
Temp 79

 

[melypr1985]

Any ammonia being present is a bad thing and means your tank hasn't cycled completely yet. I advise a water change and quickly. It's difficult to tell much from your pictures, but the flashing can mean ich, velvet and/or flukes. Wrasses have a very thick slime coat so you may not see any spots until it gets bad. I would suggest a freshwater dip first to check for flukes.

 

[stevo01]

Ammonia burns?

 

[melypr1985]

Ammonia burns?

It's possible he has ammonia burns but those usually show up on the gills as redness. It wouldn't explain the white-ish stuff on his head that the OP is talking about.

 

[newreefnick]

It's possible he has ammonia burns but those usually show up on the gills as redness. It wouldn't explain the white-ish stuff on his head that the OP is talking about.

It's also a API test kit which are apparently notorious for false ammonia readings.

 

[melypr1985]

It's also a API test kit which are apparently notorious for false ammonia readings.

I've only seen false readings when there is a medication like copper in the water. We use API at the store almost exclusively unless we are testing for something like calcium ect. I rarely get a false reading unless the test tubes aren't clean or there is a medication in the water (which nobody thinks to tell us about until their water tests out all wonky).

 

[stevo01]

It's possible he has ammonia burns but those usually show up on the gills as redness. It wouldn't explain the white-ish stuff on his head that the OP is talking about.

Thats true. Amonia burns on the body would looks like red streaks. Im having a hard time seeing what is on the wrasse.

 

[newreefnick]

Thats true. Amonia burns on the body would looks like red streaks. Im having a hard time seeing what is on the wrasse.

It's basically a haze/film on the head and one eye.

 

[stevo01]

Sounds like bacterial but @melypr1985 is the expert deals with this stuff often. I would follow her instructions.

 

[newreefnick]

It's basically a haze/film on the head and one eye.

 

[newreefnick]

 

[mcarroll]

No spots anywhere but he has a cloudiness on his face and kinda on one eye.

Possible flatworms from your description...those are common enough and the description doesn't sound like anything else that comes to mind....certainly nothing that's more common.

A freshwater dip (dechlorinated tap water) will make them show and probably drop off if that's what they are.

I personally don't see anything on the eye or head in the photos.

I also don't see enflamed gills in the photo in post #12....so wondering if the ammonia reading is legit.

A water change can hardly be argued against.

 

[melypr1985]

so here's the deal. I still don't see anything wrong with this fish BUT.. Infections are usually secondary to something else.. ie: ich, flukes, velvet ect. The first step is to figure out what is causing the infection (if that's what this is). So the freshwater dip would hopefully confirm or rule out flukes and we could go from there for a diagnosis. Up to you to do this.

 

[stevo01]

I don't see anything.

 

[mcarroll]

Is the light spot above his eye at about the 2 o'clock location?

 

[stevo01]

Do you see this all the time or only at certain times of the day? I'm wondering if your alarmed because of excess mucus on the wrasse from it's cocoon.

 

[newreefnick]

Is the light spot above his eye at about the 2 o'clock location?

Yes that's one of the spots in question.

 

[mcarroll]

Hm....a freshwater dip wouldn't hurt him, assuming you can catch him with minimal stress.

But....I'm not sure that looks like a mark from a flatworm. More like he could've knocked a scale or two loose during flashing or something.

I think I'd be inclined to watch very closely and do nothing....for now.

Anything you can do to improve the feed you're offering him? Already feeding some or all live food, for example? Or at least some whole frozen items like planton or refrigerated items like @Reef Nutrition's stuff?