Why did my leopard wrasse die? murder?

[Burrito]

so got a blue star leopard wrasse about 2 weeks ago and she was doing great in the tank, peaceful, hunting for pods and acting completely normal. She disappeared about 36 hours ago and figured she was spoked it annoyed since I moved some
Rocks around. Well came home today and saw this.

Just a few days ago

All I can think is this dang crab dug him up while sleeping?

 

[Burrito]

Got the SOB

 

[Big G]

Crabs are terrorists in a DT. Got rid of all of my hermit crabs because they were killing off all of the snail cleanup crew. That being said, there is a tremendous problem with wholesalers, shipper, and LFS using sub-therapeutic copper to keep fish alive and looking good for sale. What happens is the copper wears off anywhere from a few days up to 30 days or so and either Velvet or bacterial infections come roaring back without displaying the usual visual symptoms. The Velvet parasites on inside on the gills sight unseen choking the fish almost suddenly. Rapid death follows. And then there is the gram negative bacterial infections that come on suddenly causing seeming overnight death. Not good. So your crab could just be guilty of feeding, rather than murder. I still don't trust them though.

 

[Burrito]

Looks like my yellow coris also has a wound on his body. I can’t get a decent pick but looks darker and a bit like some flesh is missing. He’s acting pretty normal and eating otherwise.

Anything I can do or just watch and hope it heals?

 

[Big G]

The "redness" is troubling. It's a symptom of a bacterial infection. Do you have a QT?

 

[Big G]

From Humblefish's Treatment Advisory:

Bacterial infections:

Symptoms - Sometimes it's self-describing: Popeye/cloudy eyes, fin & tail rot, dropsy (bloated fish), etc. But some other bacterial infections, such as furunculosis, hemorrhagic septicemia, etc., can have varying visible symptoms. Any redness or open sores/wounds on a fish should be viewed with suspicion. Also, a white film or fungus-looking growth may denote a bacterial infection. It’s important to note that in many cases a bacterial infection is usually secondary in nature to a parasitic infestation such as ich, meaning if a fish has been battling ich for a while then his immune system has been lowered. This makes infection more likely for many opportunistic, harmful bacteria.

Treatment options - Broad spectrum antibiotic medication i.e. one that treats both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial diseases. Examples of this include Furan-2, Kanamycin aka Seachem Kanaplex, Nitrofuracin Green Powder, Triple Sulfa Powder, or a combination of using both Erythromycin & Minocycline. The latter can be accomplished (albeit expensively) by using freshwater Maracyn 1 & 2 and then doubling the dosage for saltwater use. When battling a particularly nasty bacterial infection, combining Furan-2, Kanaplex and metronidazole (ex. Seachem MetroPlex) can be very effective (and safe). Props to “hedgedrew” for enlightening me of this.

 

[Burrito]

Yes I have a qt ready to go. Actually just put the dbag crab in it for now. Any tips on how to catch the wrasse? Dig his bed up? Treatments I have on hand are

 

[Big G]

You need a "fish trap" otherwise you'll have to dig it up. Some clear out a portion of the tank and use eggcrate to divide the tank to make the catching easier. Lots of work. Sorry. But time is not your friend. If that's a gram negative infection, it needs a wide spectrum antibiotic ASAP like kanaplex, or Furan2, or Sulfaplex, or NFG. Or in really nasty infections the trifecta of Kanaplex + Furan2 + Metro listed in the above post.

 

[Burrito]

Thanks. I’ll get on it

 

[HotRocks]

Fyi, I keep several leopards, and other sand burrowing wrasse. I have a crab or two in my tank. Likely the fish died, then the crab starting eating it post mortem.

Also I agree with the excellent advice you have received from @Big G

 

[cancun]

Hi! @Big G is spot on! Sorry about loosing your leopard! I don't have any hermits or any other crab or snail....my red Coris ate them all when he went from a juvi to a sub adult.....but I have to agree....I bet the leopard died first. I also have several leopards, and when I did have a cuc they didn't touch my leopards or other Wrasses that sleep in the sand.

I never had the patience or luck with a fish trap to catch a Wrasse. I partition off part of my tank and use two nets to get them. I hate to disrupt my other fish, but for me it was faster and easier than a fish trap. I usually have to move some rock or coral to the other side, but it works for me, and is usually pretty quick. Caught a clever and agressive six line that way, and a agressive checkerboard Wrasse that way also. Good luck! Please keep us posted!

 

[4FordFamily]

Fyi, I keep several leopards, and other sand burrowing wrasse. I have a crab or two in my tank. Likely the fish died, then the crab starting eating it post mortem.

Also I agree with the excellent advice you have received from @Big G

Ditto. Leopard wrasses are known for dying in the first month or so, seemingly for no reason. If not treated for internal parasites, that is likely your culprit.

 

[Burrito]

Had the fish cornered with eggcrate...fish swam throw the egg crate. Lol dug back into the sand.

 

[cancun]

Had the fish cornered with eggcrate...fish swam throw the egg crate. Lol dug back into the sand.

LOL! Oh no! I feel your pain!

 

[Big G]

Had the fish cornered with eggcrate...fish swam throw the egg crate. Lol dug back into the sand.

You can add a layer of square hole 1/4" plastic mesh that used for gardens to keep birds and bugs off of veges and fruits. Just zip tie the mesh to the eggcrate.

 

[cancun]

Did you finally catch your Wrasse?

 

[Burrito]

No. I was just about to update this. After he escaped me yesterday. He hid in sand some more and I couldn’t figure out where. He turns up this afternoon when the lights turned on dead too.
Any idea based on the pics? The red spot got bigger

 

[cancun]

No. I was just about to update this. After he escaped me yesterday. He hid in sand some more and I couldn’t figure out where. He turns up this afternoon when the lights turned on dead too.
Any idea based on the pics? The red spot got bigger

Oh wow.....I am sorry about your other Wrasse too. Hopefully someone else maybe @Humblefish or others will chime in so we all can help figure this out. It is crazy how fast this all happened. I am wondering about a possible bacterial infection on the Yellow Wrasse. Those pictures are really good.....how was he acting before you were trying to catch him? Was he eating, swimming normally etc?

 

[Burrito]

Up until about 48 before he does he was fine. I can post some video of his behavior but just swimming around, ate anything I put in the tank, normal swimming patterns. Then the last day out(when I was trying to catch him) he stayed low, swam slow and seemed to keep under some arches (might have been avoiding me). Then never surfaced again. The blue star was the same. Normal, eating (only pods) no signs of bruises or redness but would have been harder to spot. Then turned up dead and missing pieces as shown above.

 

[Big G]

Sorry for your loss. Sure looks like a bacterial infection.