Melanurus Seems Like Its Dying!

[Cole_Voeller]

Hey all. It’s 2:00am so I probably won’t get any answers, but posting anyway. I got a melanurus wrasse today and I’m running TTM with him. I drip acclimated him about 12 hours ago and he’s been doing great. I just checked on him now and he seems to be doing very poorly. In his “sleep” he wss waving his fins, and now that I’ve turned the lights on and woke him, he keeps flipping sideways/onto his back, and has to keep rightening himself. It almost looks like he has some slime coat sticking out of his mouth, and he isn’t closing his mouth. I can put my hand in and grab him and he just sits there. Otherwise he only lays on the bottom. Is this just because I just woke him up? The clownfish that is in there with him is absolutely fine. 78°, 8.2ph, 1.025, airstone, pvc pipe. I know the time for this post is awful, but if anyone knows to do or if this is just because I woke him up, please let me know.
(I took about 15 minutes between writing this and frantically making sure he was okay. He is more active now, but I can still cup him with my hands and he doesn’t even try to get away.)

 

[Dierks]

In his “sleep” he wss waving his fins, and now that I’ve turned the lights on and woke him, he keeps flipping sideways/onto his back, and has to keep rightening himself. It almost looks like he has some slime coat sticking out of his mouth, and he isn’t closing his mouth. I can put my hand in and grab him and he just sits there. Otherwise he only lays on the bottom. Is this just because I just woke him up?

Yes, also get some sand in a dish for him to sleep in. He is super stressed and if you do such things as you are doing it will stress him further. Wrasses are pretty delicate fish so stress is one of the top killers fo r these guys.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

Yes, also get some sand in a dish for him to sleep in. He is super stressed and if you do such things as you are doing it will stress him further. Wrasses are pretty delicate fish so stress is one of the top killers fo r these guys.

Thank you, that’s I was thinking and hoping to hear. It’s just shining a flashlight and seeing him on his side fluttering all his fins, and then seeing him with his mouth open almost looks like he’s choking on something, whether it be it he part of his mucus cocoon or something else. Is choking or something like that a possibility?
And I can get some sand tomorrow.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

Also I think it might be worth my stating that I got him from my lfs frag tank, so he has already lived in a tank without sand for a long time. That won’t stop me from getting some sand for him tomorrow, but still, that’s why his behavior is freaking me out so much. I really don’t want him to die overnight.

 

[Dierks]

Is choking or something like that a possibility?

You are seeing slime coat thickening as it does when they sleep in the sand to protect them.

 

[Dierks]

Also I think it might be worth my stating that I got him from my lfs frag tank, so he has already lived in a tank without sand for a long time. That won’t stop me from getting some sand for him tomorrow, but still, that’s why his behavior is freaking me out so much. I really don’t want him to die overnight.

I am willing to bet the moment that fish sees sand he will dive! Wouldn't be shocked if its for a day or two being in the new tank and a new handler.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

I am willing to bet the moment that fish sees sand he will dive! Wouldn't be shocked if its for a day or two being in the new tank and a new handler.

I plan on buying a bag right when store opens in morning. I’ll just use a container or bowl or something to hold it in. I’m just hoping he’s okay in the morning. I’ve done this exact same process with multiple fish and have great success, but seeing how he was acting just really freaks me out. This sort of thing is just super stressful for me to see.
I’ll definitely post an update tomorrow morning about how he’s doing and if he dives into sand.

 

[52728299]

Yea when my melanarus was in qt he would lay on the bottom like that. Was always just fine. Having sand for him is optimal just let him rest tonight tho imo

 

[Cole_Voeller]

Yea when my melanarus was in qt he would lay on the bottom like that. Was always just fine. Having sand for him is optimal just let him rest tonight tho imo

You got it. Thank you for the input!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hey all. It’s 2:00am so I probably won’t get any answers, but posting anyway. I got a melanurus wrasse today and I’m running TTM with him. I drip acclimated him about 12 hours ago and he’s been doing great. I just checked on him now and he seems to be doing very poorly. In his “sleep” he wss waving his fins, and now that I’ve turned the lights on and woke him, he keeps flipping sideways/onto his back, and has to keep rightening himself. It almost looks like he has some slime coat sticking out of his mouth, and he isn’t closing his mouth. I can put my hand in and grab him and he just sits there. Otherwise he only lays on the bottom. Is this just because I just woke him up? The clownfish that is in there with him is absolutely fine. 78°, 8.2ph, 1.025, airstone, pvc pipe. I know the time for this post is awful, but if anyone knows to do or if this is just because I woke him up, please let me know.
(I took about 15 minutes between writing this and frantically making sure he was okay. He is more active now, but I can still cup him with my hands and he doesn’t even try to get away.)

How is the wrasse this morning?

I'm concerned because you are able to hold the fish loosely in your hand. A healthy wrasse isn't going to allow that and will struggle. You mentioned it was going upside-down, that is also a more serious symptom, more than just not having sand to sleep in. Think about it - these wrasse spend up to two weeks travelling through the supply chain from Asia, none of the tanks they were held in have sand in them. To suddenly go off like this due to no sand doesn't make any sense. That said, no fish appreciates having the lights turned on them. You may have shocked the fish if you turned the lights on suddenly.

I think another angle needs to be explored here: Do you know the specific gravity/salinity of the water at the store it came from? How does that compare to your tank?

Jay

 

[Cole_Voeller]

How is the wrasse this morning?

I'm concerned because you are able to hold the fish loosely in your hand. A healthy wrasse isn't going to allow that and will struggle. You mentioned it was going upside-down, that is also a more serious symptom, more than just not having sand to sleep in. Think about it - these wrasse spend up to two weeks travelling through the supply chain from Asia, none of the tanks they were held in have sand in them. To suddenly go off like this due to no sand doesn't make any sense. That said, no fish appreciates having the lights turned on them. You may have shocked the fish if you turned the lights on suddenly.

I think another angle needs to be explored here: Do you know the specific gravity/salinity of the water at the store it came from? How does that compare to your tank?

Jay

Hi Jay, thanks for the input. Your concerns match mine exactly, good to see that I didn’t worry for no reason.
I just woke up, and slowly turned the lights on, the Melanurus is up against the glass in the corner, right side up. He’s breathing and his eyes have moved some, but I’m not going to try to get him to move or anything, I’m just going to let him be while I go to class.
Regarding the specific gravity, I actually always make sure the salinity and ph match the tank water and store water before I even start drip acclimating. Half of the water was from the store as well, and everything was 1.025.

-I checked on him once more now right before I leave. He was swam from the corner, has started falling over again and then “waking up” again. He’ll just slowly start falling on his side, and then snap back upright and swim around. Pictures are from this update.

-Okay stayed a little bit longer to keep an eye on him, I’m totally gonna be late for class, haha. He is now zooming around the bottom, picking at gunk and searching for food it seems. Perhaps the first commenter was 100% right, and this dude just sleeps in a super weird way?

 

[Tamberav]

Can we get a better pic of his mouth? under whites if possible? I am curious if it is injured.

These fish sleep in sand and not in a cocoon so the mucus is something else imo.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

Can we get a better pic of his mouth? under whites if possible? I am curious if it is injured.

These fish sleep in sand and not in a cocoon so the mucus is something else imo.

You got it, I’ll take a picture and reply to you with it when I get back home.

 

[vetteguy53081]

From pics, fish seems lethargic and is becomming moribund which is a weakening condition which can or may result in loss as fish will not eat or swim properly. As Tamberav mentioned, they dive bomb into sand for hiding as a typical sleeping/hiding trait

 

[Cole_Voeller]

From pics, fish seems lethargic and is becomming moribund which is a weakening condition which can or may result in loss as fish will not eat or swim properly. As Tamberav mentioned, they dive bomb into sand for hiding as a typical sleeping/hiding trait

Now that he is awake he seems to be swimming normally again and is picking at gunk on the bottom searching for food. I’m not home now, but I will be in about an hour, and will give another update then. Regarding eating, he was eating great before lights out yesterday.

 

[Tamberav]

Now that he is awake he seems to be swimming normally again and is picking at gunk on the bottom searching for food. I’m not home now, but I will be in about an hour, and will give another update then. Regarding eating, he was eating great before lights out yesterday.

That is good news. Hopefully it is just the fish being out of it not having a proper sleep spot. I have some shallow areas where wrasses sometimes try to sleep not covered all the way up and they look dead (arched back and zombie like).

I do TTM with my fish as well... I just use new sand in every bucket... I then rinse the old sand in tap and put it in a bucket to dry out (usually months before I use it again so it gets fully dry).

 

[Cole_Voeller]

I plan on just buying a bag, fill a bowl, and once I’m done with each 3 days I’ll just throw it out. I’m actually going to call the owner of my lfs and ask him whether or not he’s ever seen how this fish in particular slept, as he was one of the permanent fish in his frag tank. I recently got my first wrasse ever, an aquarium conditioned cleaner wrasse, and ran TTM with him as well. That dude absolutely gave me some scares with how he slept, thats for sure. He would just wedge himself between the pvc pipe and glass and sleep upside down. Total weirdo. So seeing how this dude sleeps like a total freak, I guess if this is how the melenurus sleeps I shouldn’t be too surprised.

 

[Cole_Voeller]

That is good news. Hopefully it is just the fish being out of it not having a proper sleep spot. I have some shallow areas where wrasses sometimes try to sleep not covered all the way up and they look dead (arched back and zombie like).

I do TTM with my fish as well... I just use new sand in every bucket... I then rinse the old sand in tap and put it in a bucket to dry out (usually months before I use it again so it gets fully dry).

Sorry, forgot to press reply.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Now that he is awake he seems to be swimming normally again and is picking at gunk on the bottom searching for food. I’m not home now, but I will be in about an hour, and will give another update then. Regarding eating, he was eating great before lights out yesterday.

Great to hear as falling into a hand and laying there without resistance very unusual

 

[Cole_Voeller]

Can we get a better pic of his mouth? under whites if possible? I am curious if it is injured.

These fish sleep in sand and not in a cocoon so the mucus is something else imo.

He doesn’t enjoy staying still for an hd picture of his mouth, heres the best I could get.
Anyway, I’m home now. Is waaaay more active now, not lying around or anything. Threw some pellets and mysis in and he ate them all up immediately