Itchy Christmas Wrasse

[tweeter]

I've had a Christmas wrasse in a QT 30 gallon tank since 11-6-17. I did a Prazipro treatment on him. But after a week or so, I saw him scratching on rocks, so I did two more treatments. He's still scratching. I don't see anything on him, he eats good, and swims in the open all day. He is fine other than scratching on rocks, one in particular. Do some fish rub just themselves on rocks? He needs to go in the main tank soon, but the scratching makes me wonder what I need to do first. Any suggestions?

 

[4FordFamily]

Wrasse, because of their thick slime coats and tendency to either sleep in a mucous cocoon or under the sand, tend not to show symptoms of ich or velvet on their bodies. This makes them effective “Typhoid Marys” frequently infecting fish with ich or velvet because the wrasse didn’t show classic symptoms.

If your halichoeres is still scratching h after three prazi treatments, it’s very likely ich or velvet is infesting the gills, and occasionally elsewhere on the body.

Is the fish breathing heavily? Are there any other fish in with it? Any other symptoms?

 

[tweeter]

I haven't noticed him breathing heavy, but then he's not still long enough for me to see! He's like my grandson,...very very active!! I do have a Hemicyanea damselfish in with him. He shows no symptoms at all. No scratching, and his body is clean.

 

[tweeter]

Oh, and no other symptoms on the wrasse...

 

[melypr1985]

The rubbing on the rocks is not normal behavior. You might see it occasionally after a treatment as the wounds made by parasite heal, but you shouldn't see a fish do it over and over again. This suggests a parasite like ich that you might not see outwardly, but is living in the gills - out of sight- until you treat for it.

 

[tweeter]

What should I treat him for and what medication would be the best?

 

[melypr1985]

What should I treat him for and what medication would be the best?

If you haven't treated for ich yet, then I'd run him through 30 days of coppersafe @ 2ppm. Use the API test kit for this type of copper. Be sure the copper level stays at 2ppm the entire 30 days even during water changes (which means the new water needs to be dosed to the correct amount before adding it to the QT).

 

[tweeter]

If you haven't treated for ich yet, then I'd run him through 30 days of coppersafe @ 2ppm. Use the API test kit for this type of copper. Be sure the copper level stays at 2ppm the entire 30 days even during water changes (which means the new water needs to be dosed to the correct amount before adding it to the QT).

Thanks!