Soooooo confused.

[BestMomEver]

So my tank is sick. All the fish I’ve lost have classic symptoms of velvet. They are sensitive to light, they swim into the stream of power heads, and they are covered with a creamy slime. I’ve lost a Zoster Butterfly, Kole Tang, Yellow Clown Goby, and a Yellow-tail Pygmy Angel. I thought I’d lost my Orange-back Wrasse because he swam out of a hole, flipped upside down and disappeared again. Two weeks later, he did it again and this time I managed to catch him. I put him in my hospital tank and started treating him it’s Cupramine. He’s been in there four or five days now. He lays upside down or on his side on the bottom and just looks around. When I feed I put a dropper right next to his mouth and feed him mysis. As long as I put the food close to his mouth he eats it. He seems to be completely normal except he can’t right himself. I know this is a swim bladder issue but I don’t know what to do to help him. I need help please....

 

[Humblefish]

He looks to be a goner, but following this protocol is the best hope for saving a fish with velvet: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/#post-2499437

 

[JoshKReef]

Copper is rough on a wrasse. Did you ramp up, or go full therapeutic since its velvet?

 

[BestMomEver]

Full therapeutic. I already had the tank ready on the off chance I might actually be able to catch some of my fish. I don’t have access to some of the chemicals mentioned in the article without ordering..... maybe. I’ll have to check for sure. When you say you think he’s a goner, tell me, if you can, how long he can go on like he is. He’s been upside down for at least three weeks. The other infected fish died within hours of visible symptoms. I don’t want him to suffer. He’s a beautiful fish and I’m really kinda attached to him. At the same time, I don’t know how to humanely euthanize him.

 

[BestMomEver]

I also did a 50% water change a bit ago for that reason. He’s not responding to copper after four days so I figured I’d start getting rid of it. Am also gonna throw in some carbon.

 

[Big G]

Cupramine can be a bit rough on wrasses. Chelated copper like Copper Power (not Copper Safe) is much easier on wrasses. See the link on fish treatment:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.283450/#post-3449648

 

[JoshKReef]

Is he eating at all? I've never done it, but recently saw a post pop up about tube feeding.

Does he ever move around or swim? Or just lay there?

 

[JoshKReef]

I just read your post about him eating if you hold food close to him.

There is a sticky about swim bladder, if you want to try it...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/venting-a-swim-bladder-black-cap-basslet.219954/

 

[BestMomEver]

He eats a little but only if I tube feed him. He curls his body around and kinda slithers around otherwise. Yesterday he actually shot right out the top of the tank and landed on the dog bed.... better than the hard floor I guess. That’s when I decided to take out the copper. Obviously he doesn’t like it. Even after jumping he is still hanging in. Toughest fish ive ever seen.

 

[BestMomEver]

Btw... I read the swim bladder thread. He’s not bloated at all.... never has been. He just can’t seem to turn himself over.

 

[Maritimer]

Wrasses often show similar symptoms with spinal injuries, which are common with them, as they startle easily and dart for the surface. They tend to either resolve ... or end badly.

~Bruce