Help- Red headed Fairy Wrasse sick

[tokitay]

Our red headed fairy wrasse has started to act weird in the last two days. It has stopped eating (was a pig before), and is starting to swim on its side. upside down, in circles, etc.

It has been in the tank for about a month, and shows no outward signs of disease. All other fish are OK. Tested water parameters and all is normal (Ph 8.3, temp. 79, sal. 1.024. 'trates 0, amm 0, trires 0, 'phates 0).

Not sure what to do. Hate to say it, but I'm thinking cyanide??
I can get him into a hospital tank, but not sure how to treat, or if I can do anything??

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[BlackOnyx]

How long have you had him? As a percaution yes you should move him.
The other fish may have stressed him or perhaps he got into a fight and smashed against some rock.

[tokitay]

OK, I moved the fish into the refugium and set him up with an airstone. He's suckin it up. He has not left the stream of bubbles. Not sure what else to do??

He's isolated so he will not get picked on, and he has really good aeration. Any other suggestions???

[zens]

some info on the fish and other inhabitants would help.

[TerryB]

The behavior that you describe is indicative of a toxin in the water. This fish may be the most sensitive in the tank. The first thing that I would do is make a couple of LARGE water changes using well aged and aerated saltwater. Do you have a powerful protein skimmer? Do you use carbon or Poly Filter (chem pad)? What is your water source?

It could possibly be viral or even bacterial, but I am betting there is some sort of toxin involved. Have you sprayed anything that emits fumes near the tank? Sprayed for fleas? Cleaned the glass using a product with ammonia? Anyone smoking cigars in the house?

Terry B

[tokitay]

TerryB,

I do run a large protein skimmer (ASMG3). Nothing has been sprayed in, around, or near the tank. I do regularly run a bag of carbon in the sump. It was changed out a week or two ago.

Nothing else in the tank is showing any sign of stress. I would suspect that the BTA in the tank would be the first to show signs of stress, but not really sure??

I'm with you though that a large water change can't hurt. I'm making some water and tommorrow will change out about 25 gallons of the 150 total volume. It sure can't hurt.

The fairy wrasse is still around this morning. Since I put him in the 'fuge with the airstone, he has just kept working back and forth through the bubbles.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[tokitay]

As I think about it more the only thing that preceeded the wrasse becoming sick was me blowing off the rocks really well with a turkey baster.

It's something I do every couple of weeks. It does make a cloudy mess for a half hour or so??