Labouti Wrasse 'Spinning'

ca1ore · May 15, 2018

OK, this is a new one for me .....

Have had a labouti wrasse in QT for about a month, no signs of any disease problem and eating well. Netted him (gently) and placed into my socialization box. Now he's doing these wierd barrel rolls. Still eating, and no signs of any injuries. Any insight? I've had fish with swim bladder problems before, always manifesting within a few days and a quite different kind of aberrant swimming to what I am seeing here. Very odd.

Xanthurum · May 15, 2018

If you are asking for help, we are all doomed!

easternreefer · May 15, 2018

video? it might help?

saltyhog · May 15, 2018

I had a wrasse that did that after I transfered him. It was a spinal injury that I think happened when he panicked and ran in to the side of the tank. He did not recover.

Since then I always release in the middle of my tank not the end.

Hope yours is not that!

tdileo · May 15, 2018

Spinal injury. Happened to my supermale lineatus and my solorensis. Sadly there is nothing you can do but hope. If he continues to eat, there is a small chance it can make a complete recovery after a few weeks. This is what caused me to give up on fairy wrasses. I hope yours can pull through.

scchase · May 15, 2018

Lost my Rhomboid to the same thing, really can only hope and wait.

ca1ore · May 15, 2018

Well that's the proverbial crap sandwich. Now it's just laying in the box looking decidedly unhappy. Win some; lose some I guess .... in this case literally. Thanks for the replies.

ca1ore · May 15, 2018

Xanthurum said:
If you are asking for help, we are all doomed!

That made me spit coffee onto my iPad .... Which fortunately is mostly coffee proof. Very funny.

eatbreakfast · May 17, 2018

The only times I've seen "barrel rolls" it was the death throes.

ca1ore · May 17, 2018

It's very odd. Fish was just fine for a month in QT. Netted it to transfer to the socialization box and it immediately started the rolls. Doesn't actually appear to be a spinal issue because there is no sign of any paralysis ..... just rolling. Been doing it for almost three days, so if it's death throes it's a drawn out demise. Also, it only does it during the light hours, not at night. Is gradually getting worse and fish is no longer eating. May have to euthanize it.

saltyhog · May 17, 2018

It's not a complete paralysis. The fish is swimming in the circular pattern due to losing some of the use of muscles of propulsion on one side. Mine actually ate for a couple of weeks. If I turned off all flow he could keep making loops until he lined up with the food. Eventually the only time he tried to swim was when food was in the water. I'm sure it was just too exhausting.

Very bad luck ca1ore! So sorry, my Labout's is one of my favorite fish.

ca1ore · May 17, 2018

Appreciate the insight. Never have had this happen before- guess there's a first time for everything.

ca1ore · May 18, 2018

For those interested, exhibit A .....

Going on like this for 3 plus days.

Epic Aquaculture · May 18, 2018

That's really too bad. What a beautiful fish. I have one about to come out of QT. I'll make sure to handle it carefully.

evolved · May 18, 2018

I've had similar things happen too, and I've never had one recover from that point.
It sucks every time.

Maacc · May 18, 2018

I had an exquisite not quite that bad, took a month and a half of special feeding and another month with it pale and hiding, but its out and swimming now. It's definitely a spinal injury

saltyhog · May 18, 2018

That brings back some very bad memories. Mine was an isosceles.

ca1ore · May 18, 2018

SawCJack00 said:
That's really too bad. What a beautiful fish. I have one about to come out of QT. I'll make sure to handle it carefully.

The irony of it is that I am always careful. Sometimes stuff happens I guess. Only thing I can figure is it damaged itself diving into the corner of the acclimation box.

saltyhog · May 18, 2018

I bet you're right. That's how mine happened. That's just one of the freak things that can happen with wrasses. You may never have it happen again the rest of your life!

asting · Jun 19, 2019

Sorry to resurrect, but I've got a ruby longfin wrasse in qt for 2 weeks and it has been rolling the last day and a half. It has still got food, and last night I noticed it wasn't moving regularly but seemed to roll less. I really hope I don't lose him.