Fish death questions.

[toddmau5]

I tried posting in the fish disease forum when the symptoms first started showing. We got a new wrasse, acclimated it and let it do its thing. The next morning there was a very large white fleshy spot on his side, the was not there in the store, nor on him when we introduced him. He was still acting completely normal and eating well, acting so normal I could not net him to move him to a hospital tank. The next morning I wake up and he's laying on his side clinging to life, so now he was actually easy to catch. Got him into the hospital tank. made sure everything was right, he was still swimming on his side, rather slowly. Then he didn't even last till about lunch time. So 40hrs after purchasing the fish, he died. Im actually quite upset at the whole ordeal and can not figure out what happened. all the water parameters are good. everything else in the tank is thriving, to make matters worse the store has an "arrive alive" policy. Basically, its good until it hits your tank, then its all up to you. So I got no help on that end. Here are the pictures, if anyone has any ideas to help avoid this from happening again.http://www.flickr.com/photos/titanphotog/sets/72157637328767854/

[Timfish]

That doesn't look like any kind of injury to me but much more like some kind of bacterial infection. Most likely there is nothing you can do about something like that. You can try medicating fish in a QT or hospital tank but if you ask any vet it is impossible to verify a fish will get a therapeutic levels of an antibiotic this way.

[toddmau5]

Its just odd that it came out of no where. I guess the stress from transportation and acclimation probably triggered or worsened it. its sad, we pulled his carcass from the hospital tank and you could see right to his spin. Just hopefully he was the only one affected.

[Reef Frog]

Wow that sounds like auite a wound. Its a lot of damage for bacteria to cause in so short a time I would think. But dont know for sure. But didn't look @ pic as my battery is low. Any uber aggressive fish in there? Crazy crabs, mantis shrimp?

[toddmau5]

Nothing super agressive. One of the bangai seems to be the bully of the tank, but I haven't actually seen him nip at anything, he just darts towards them like he's trying to intimidate them, but the wrasse was much larger then him. There's a pistol in there but last time I saw him he was barely 1/4". There are some tiny stone crabs im in still in the process of fishing out. Im just trying to determine if I purchased a bad fish, or if I have something going on in my tank

[wnppmy]

Are outside chances fish was not healthy on purchase, also some are exposed to lethal doses during capture and die just weeks later.

Many Shops do have several days of life guarantee on receipt, next purchase I would look elsewhere.

Fortunate my local pet store is above average from others experienced. Give extended time on purchase survival. One of the clerks is well versed and hand selects some of the purchases, as corals.

Tho aways drive another store rivals anything I've seen, tanks are prestine and then some. Not to advertise but check this out!

Aquatic Environments Davenport Iowa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtyBIxSma50&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Hobchoice1]

That looks like an injury from getting caught in the rocks or being pinched by something. Is does not appear to be bacterial as is seems to be beneath the skin.

Melanaurus wrasses like to bury at night - it looks like you may have a coarser substrate. Perhaps he injured himself during the bury?

Do you have any larger crabs or anything that might have gotten ahold of him during the night?

[toddmau5]

I originally thought he might have ran into a rock or something, when I first put him in he was bumping into all sorts of things. The substrate is crushed coral, I asked they guy at the lfs if it would be ok for him and he said yes as long as there was 2-3inches, I couldn't find information that said otherwise (usually I'll see a warning that says they need fine sand or what not) I guess the substrate could have been too rough for him? It still crazy how fast he died tho. I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can to keep it from happening again.