Yellow Coris Wrasse - Swollen gill or Tumor?

[OnlyTono]

So my yellow Coris Wrasse has developed a swollen gill. He started showing signs of trouble with the gill a few weeks ago, but I left him in place since at the time, it was very minor and he had no other outward signs of discomfort. His eating and sleeping habits have remained normal (always a good eater), and his energy level has remained normal until a few days ago.

Starting on Friday – he seemed a bit more lethargic than normal, but was still eating like he should. His gill had inflamed a considerable amount and is now pushing out of the side of his head.

I have already setup a hospital tank and and moved him into it earlier today.

What I need help with is identifying the issue so I can make the best decisions on treating him. Below are some close up photos of his left gill, and a video of him swimming around.

I've shown this to a few other both online and at my LFS, and have received varying opinions from parasitic infection, tumor, fungus - but no solid consensus yet.

History of water parameters can be viewed on my AquaticLog profile here:
http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/measure?aquariumId=2396

http://images.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/aquarium2396.png (http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/onlytono/2)

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57573

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57574

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57575

Video
bbdK5WawKbk


I'm sure I've left something out here, so if you have any questions, please ask - thanks in advance.

[jarrett shark]

Wow never seen that before

[Newsmyrna80]

I would send this over to Bob Fenner at WetWebMedia.com if you don't get any answers here in a short period of time.

[Josh40996]

Im sorry, but I can't offer any advice. Best of luck to that guy :(

[Rea17]

I would send this over to Bob Fenner at WetWebMedia.com if you don't get any answers here in a short period of time.

+1 I've never seen anything like that before. Please keep us updated on his condition.

[OnlyTono]

I would send this over to Bob Fenner at WetWebMedia.com if you don't get any answers here in a short period of time.

Thanks for the tip - I've shot of an e-mail to him. I'll keep this thread updated as things progress

[Mrscribbled]

Yes please let us know what he says, I've also never seen this before. Bob typically replies the following morning.

[Newsmyrna80]

How's the wrasse doing today? I looked at the video and it appears he's having a hard time breathing, hence, the mouth staying open. How long have you had him?

[OnlyTono]

How's the wrasse doing today? I looked at the video and it appears he's having a hard time breathing, hence, the mouth staying open. How long have you had him?

He seems to be doing OK - he spent the day yesterday hiding after the move to the hospital tank and didn't eat. Today, he's out swimming around bit. I'll be feeding the fish in a few minutes so I'll see if he continues to eat.

His condition does not seem to have worsened, so that's good. I have not settled in on a treatment yet since I've still not sure what I'm dealing with.

I'm considering a freshwater bath as the first round of treatments to target potential parasitic infections, but I'm not fully committed to it just yet.

So for now, I'm just going to observe.

[OnlyTono]

How long have you had him?

I've had this wrasse since early January of this year - so about 11 months. He, along with most of the other fish, where brought into this tank when I upgraded from the 50 gallon to this 125 back in early June of this year.

The full stock list can be viewed on my AquaticLog profile at:
http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/stock?aquariumId=2396

All the fish that where brought over during the upgrade will have an introduction date of Thursday, June 6th or earlier, while newer fish will have an date more recent.

[Newsmyrna80]

He seems to be doing OK - he spent the day yesterday hiding after the move to the hospital tank and didn't eat. Today, he's out swimming around bit. I'll be feeding the fish in a few minutes so I'll see if he continues to eat.

His condition does not seem to have worsened, so that's good. I have not settled in on a treatment yet since I've still not sure what I'm dealing with.

I'm considering a freshwater bath as the first round of treatments to target potential parasitic infections, but I'm not fully committed to it just yet.

So for now, I'm just going to observe.

I am a proponent of freshwater dips but I don't think it will serve a purpose here. Since you've had the fish for awhile the likelihood that it is parasitic in nature is low.
Do you have a marine science center nearby?

[OnlyTono]

I am a proponent of freshwater dips but I don't think it will serve a purpose here. Since you've had the fish for awhile the likelihood that it is parasitic in nature is low.
Do you have a marine science center nearby?

Actually I do - Just got back from one of the LFS (http://aquatouch.com/) I frequent here and the owners are extremely knowledgably. They also run an off-site quarantine facility where they have a full lab setup.

I was lucky enough to catch their Senior Aquatic Biologist in the shop today, so I showed him the pictures. He looked at them and was of the same opinion - that the FW bath would probably do little good in this case.

I had not realized this, but they offer various services, including the surgery that would be required to remove the growth at a very reasonable cost. So I scheduled an appointment. Kora (the coris wrasse) is scheduled for an examination, then possible surgery depending on what they find, on Thursday. :)

I'll keep this post update with photos (if possible) as this proceeds.

[RJT]

Wow thats great. What city are you located in/near?

[OnlyTono]

Wow thats great. What city are you located in/near?

I'm in the Metro Phoenix Area - Glendale AZ to be exact

[RJT]

Thank you. I was hoping you were near MD. Having a LFS with that level of expertise is priceless. Good luck!!

[Newsmyrna80]

That's great! Keep us updated! Did they give you any instructions as treatment in the meantime?

[OnlyTono]

That's great! Keep us updated! Did they give you any instructions as treatment in the meantime?

Nothing Specific other then to keep him as healthy as possible and to keep stress down to a minimum.

The fish doesn't particularly like the small 10 gallon tank he's in - he's pretty big for a tank of that size, but he's swimming around better then he had been in the display tank and eating good.

I placed a chunk of live rock in there from the refugium, just to make it more 'homey' so to speak. Seems to have helped - he seems a little less stressed.

Basically, they said it's a one day procedure. I'll bring him in at 11am. Assuming it goes as planned, I can pick him up later that day. Of course they didn't make any guarantees, and even warned there's always a chance for poor outcome. :uhoh2:

Fingers crossed....

[Newsmyrna80]

Yeah, the lead marine biologist at our science center tells me that whenever I bring my fish in:) Just like what we tell human patients;)
I'm sure you are putting vitamins in his food. Fingers are crossed!

[OnlyTono]

Yeah, the lead marine biologist at our science center tells me that whenever I bring my fish in:) Just like what we tell human patients;)
I'm sure you are putting vitamins in his food. Fingers are crossed!

ya - I'v been using selcon for a while now and just soaking their food in it while it defrosts.

the tank gets feed frozen Mysis soaked in selcon, along with a small amount of a mixture that contains vitamin enriched brine shrimp, cycloposeez, and Nutra Mar.

While the wrasse is in the hospital tank though, he just gets the Mysis.

[Mrscribbled]

Did you get a response from Bob yet?

[OnlyTono]

Did you get a response from Bob yet?

No - I have not. I sent the e-mail to the address they have listed on their site (crew -at- wetwebmedia.com). Maybe I should have sent it to a different e-mail address?

I Did find a section in their site that describes what sounds very similar. If you go here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/wrasdisfaq2.htm , then search that page for "Strange growth under gill plate".

At about 3/4 of the way down the page, there is a conversion about a wrasse with an issue that sounds similar to mine. But there are no pictures so it's hard to say for sure.

[Newsmyrna80]

Did you try the iodine in his food?

[OnlyTono]

Did you try the iodine in his food?

no not yet - I could not find the Logol's iodine solution mentioned in the article in any of the store I visited over the last few days. I could order it online, but by the time it got here, the wrasse will already had the mass removed.

I'm going to try to hit a few more stores today to see if they have it though

[OnlyTono]

just an update. The lump in the wrasses gill has continued to increase a little bit. It has also began to change color just a bit with small darker patches.

I tried getting a photo of it, but can't get a good one. He continues to act normal and eats and sleeps as normal. doesn't seems to bother him too much.

Also - I did receive a message back from the Bob Fenner at webwebmeida.com


Here's the message with his in-line comments

Dear Mr. Fenner,

I have yellow coris wrasse that has a gill issue.

One of the members (Newsmyrna80) on reefcental.com suggested I bring this to your attention.
My yellow Coris Wrasse has developed a swollen gill. He started showing signs of trouble with the gill a few weeks ago, but I left him in place since at the time, it was very minor and he had no other outward signs of discomfort. His eating and sleeping habits have remained normal (always a good eater), and his energy level has remained normal until a few days ago.
<Mmm; not swollen per se; but some sort of tumorous growth coming out from the cavity>> Starting on Friday - he seemed a bit more lethargic than normal, but was still eating like he should. His gill had inflamed a considerable amount and is now pushing out of the side of his head.

I have already setup a hospital tank and moved him into it earlier today.
What I need help with is identifying the issue so I can make the best decisions on treating him. Below are some close up photos of his left gill, and a video of him swimming around.
< I would not treat... but maybe try one or more purposeful cleaner organisms at this juncture... Perhaps a Lysmata sp. shrimp for a first go >

I've shown this to a few other both online and at my LFS, and have received varying opinions from parasitic infection, tumor, fungus - but no solid consensus yet.
<... only can be discerned by necropsying the fish, area... with it dead or killed... Embedding, sectioning... histological exam. >

History of water parameters can be viewed on my AquaticLog profile here:
http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/m...quariumId=2396
<http://www.aquaticlog.com/showcase/measure?aquariumId=2396>
<http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/onlytono/2>
Video
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdK5WawKbk>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdK5WawKbk
I'm sure I've left something out here, so if you have any questions, please ask - thanks in advance.
Antonio Gutierrez
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Not a whole lot of info, but it does at least provide another confirmation that it's some sort to growth, as opposed to a swollen gill. Also his prognosis doesn't sound particularly positive. So I feel comfortable with the continuing to wait until Thursday to see what happens with the examination and possible removal of the mass.

[Newsmyrna80]

I think that is the way to go. As long as he is not suffering I would wait until his dr. appt tomorrow.

[OnlyTono]

All packed and ready go - traveling in a luxury 5 gal bucket.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57691

[dunc101]

Good luck to the wrasse! I'm awaiting the results, hopefully good.

[Newsmyrna80]

Good luck little girl!

[OnlyTono]

Sad to say it did not go well - Kora the Coris wrasse did not survive the procedure.:sad2:

After they got in there and where able to get a better look, it turned out the issue was even more extensive. It was in fact some sort of tumor, but in addition most if not all of the gill structure was gone, and there was a pit running from the base of the tumor into the head, almost up to the eye.

Given the extent of it, I don't believe Kora would have lasted much longer any away since the tumor was clearly still growing. So, as sad as it is, this may have been the better outcome as opposed to a slow death. It was far worse than the fish had let on to.

They did take a few photos of the process for documentation purpose since this was something that they had never really seen before in the aquarium trade. I asked that they send me the photos, along with a more detailed explanation of their findings. I should have that in a few days and will post them here for anyone who is interested.

sad day.

[Newsmyrna80]

I am so sorry for your loss. You did everything you could and more than most! I believe you are right that she probably would not have lasted much longer but she was a trooper! Again, very sorry:(

[RJT]

You're a great pet owner. Glad she won't have to go through the final stages of having a tumor.

[OnlyTono]

Thanks for all the condolences - it's appreciated.

I received the photos from the LFS that performed (http://aquatouch.com/)the procedure, and a brief explanation of their findings.

here it is - hopefully this info will help someone else in the future should they encounter this in their own tank.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The tumor-like growth was firm, no fluids present, mottled in color with a smooth surface texture. The texture was different than that of a Lymphocystis nodule. The interior contained no pores and had the same texture and appearance as on the surface. It measured 1.1 cm in diameter. The primary attachment was at the top of the opercula cover bone with a smaller attachment point lower on the bone plate. Once removed, bright red flesh surrounded the lesion area within the gill cavity. No gill filaments remained. A circular opening approximately 2 millimeters in diameter extended from the gill cavity inward toward the head of the fish, aligning with the left eye socket. No other external signs or symptom were present in this fish when examined.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57695 http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57696 http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=8430&pictureid=57697

[Newsmyrna80]

Holy cow!! That poor fish!! She didn't stand a chance.