six line wrasse with white spots / fibres

[bergcor]

I am new to the hobby and started my first salt water tank, a biocube, about 3 months ago. After 4 weeks I added a clean-up crew and a few weeks later 2 clown fish and a blenny. Last week I added a six line wrasse but I am concerned about what appears to be happening with his skin. It appears to become more bumpy and I can clearly see what look like white strands or fibers. It is pretty clearly visible on the attached photos. The other fish don't have this. I don't have a quarantine. The wrasse seems to behave like normal but he is new to me and I am not experienced with fish.

Has anybody seen this before ? Is my wrasse OK or do I have my first problem ?

 

[blaxsun]

I have not seen anything resembling this on my six, but something does seem off with him. What are your water parameters and do you have a UV?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I am new to the hobby and started my first salt water tank, a biocube, about 3 months ago. After 4 weeks I added a clean-up crew and a few weeks later 2 clown fish and a blenny. Last week I added a six line wrasse but I am concerned about what appears to be happening with his skin. It appears to become more bumpy and I can clearly see what look like white strands or fibers. It is pretty clearly visible on the attached photos. The other fish don't have this. I don't have a quarantine. The wrasse seems to behave like normal but he is new to me and I am not experienced with fish.

Has anybody seen this before ? Is my wrasse OK or do I have my first problem ?

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I'm not sure what is causing that. What I see are raised scales and some extra mucus production. The right side of the fish looks pretty severe. The causes are varied:

*Brooklynella - a protozoan
Being stung by a coral (unlikely since it is on both sides of the fish)
*Bacterial
Viral
Idiopathic mucus being produced due to some unknown irritant

Since you haven't got a treatment tank, there isn't any safe in-tank treatment to try, and only the two that I marked with an * even have a possible treatment.

What other fish are in with it?

Jay Hemdal

 

[bergcor]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I'm not sure what is causing that. What I see are raised scales and some extra mucus production. The right side of the fish looks pretty severe. The causes are varied:

*Brooklynella - a protozoan
Being stung by a coral (unlikely since it is on both sides of the fish)
*Bacterial
Viral
Idiopathic mucus being produced due to some unknown irritant

Since you haven't got a treatment tank, there isn't any safe in-tank treatment to try, and only the two that I marked with an * even have a possible treatment.

What other fish are in with it?

Jay Hemdal

Hi Jay,

Thank you for the perspective. There is a pair of clown fish in the tank and a tail spotted blenny. I did show the pictures also to someone at a fish store and they thought it could be velvet but also weren't sure. I don't know of any safe in-tank treatments that I could do given that I don't have a treatment tank set-up.
I guess I just have to wait and see...

 

[bergcor]

I have not seen anything resembling this on my six, but something does seem off with him. What are your water parameters and do you have a UV?

I don't have a UV. I will test my water later today and update. Until know I had it tested in store about every 2 weeks and they gave me thumbs up but without detail; I now have my own test strips so I can check more frequently.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for the perspective. There is a pair of clown fish in the tank and a tail spotted blenny. I did show the pictures also to someone at a fish store and they thought it could be velvet but also weren't sure. I don't know of any safe in-tank treatments that I could do given that I don't have a treatment tank set-up.
I guess I just have to wait and see...

I am certain that it isn't velvet - with that, the first symptoms would be rapid breathing and not feeding, the skin lesions would only come later on.

Jay

 

[bergcor]

I am certain that it isn't velvet - with that, the first symptoms would be rapid breathing and not feeding, the skin lesions would only come later on.

Jay

With that being the case, what would be my best course of action ? Is there any in-tank treatment I could do that wouldn't harm my other fish and coral but that gives my wrasse a shot at healing ? You identified Brooklynella and Bacterial infection are treatable... or can I only do this with a quarantine tank ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

With that being the case, what would be my best course of action ? Is there any in-tank treatment I could do that wouldn't harm my other fish and coral but that gives my wrasse a shot at healing ? You identified Brooklynella and Bacterial infection are treatable... or can I only do this with a quarantine tank ?

Yes, sorry - those diseases cannot be effectively treated in a display tank with corals and other animals.

Jay

 

[bergcor]

Yes, sorry - those diseases cannot be effectively treated in a display tank with corals and other animals.

Jay

Thank you for taking the time to provide me some insight Jay... I'll hope for the best..

 

[bergcor]

A quick update on the wrasse as it might help others.

I used FishKeeper from tropical science biolabs (tsbiolabs.com : https://www.tsbiolabs.com/The-Fishkeeper-Marine-p/ts-71475.htm) and added the recommended dose to the water daily. In addition someone recommended to feed twice daily for a short period of time to help the fish and his immune system. After several days the white spots and fibers started to disappear and currently the fish looks completely healthy again.