Melanurus Wrasse with sunken belly

eutimio · 10/26/2012, 12:17 PM

Hi there what can I do about this guy?he is in quarantine and has a sunken belly like he hasnt eaten in days.I feed him every day once a day with mysis shrimp..I know he demands high ammounts of food but how much food?thanks for your help

sponger0 · 10/26/2012, 01:53 PM

Wrasses can consume alot of food in one day. The ones I had would eat as long as you fed them. I know I could feed mine 3 times a day and each time the food is gone in minutes

ajcanale · 10/26/2012, 05:55 PM

This is the problem with quarantine. Some species just do not do well in them, at all. That's not to say it's impossible or that quarantining is a bad thing because it absolutely isn't. It's just tricky.

I am no biologist but this is my 2 cents in regards to wrasses. My experience is with a Leopard and Melanurus that I currently have, and a couple six lines that did not do well in a system I had years ago....Many (if not all) species of wrasses run on a biological clock, in which they bury themselves in a sandbed and sleep... or whatever it is that they do. Keeping them in a typical QT for an extended amount of time hinders this function to operate normally. This likely adds an emense amounts of stress, in your case probably the cause of refusal to eat and sunk in belly. Another issue is that your QT is not providing the natural forms of nutrition that wrasses thrive off of. They love all types of little pods and small critters that exist in a well established system.
Healthy wrasses are some of the most aggressive eaters I've seen, 2nd to only some triggers that I've seen.

Unfortunately every time I have seen a frail fish who refuses to eat, it had never fared well. Hopefully you'll have some luck. They can be resilient.

benjc · 10/26/2012, 07:27 PM

If you haven't done so already, put a bowl of sand in the qt. That's what I did and my Hoevens is a fat pig now.

jamesbaur13 · 10/26/2012, 09:57 PM

If he is eating it could be parasites in his intestinal tract... try treating with prazi-pro or some other equivalent as long as he is in QT. If you are not using RODI water call the manufacturer and see what types of water conditioners are acceptable during treatment. If you are using RODI then you are ok without checking.

I treated with this is an uncycled QT... by the 2nd day clouding of the water would be moderate, by the 3rd it was heavy. At that time I was transferring the fish to a new tank (tank transfer method for ich... read the fish disease forum stickies). Drain the water and use a clear cup to transfer him... don't use a net. Your fish likely views you as a predator, you want to transfer him while trying to minimize your movements... the more you move (especially sudden movements) while trying to capture him, the more stressed he'll become. Ideally the new tank should match the lay out of the old tank. If you are using PVC pipes for the fish to have cover you can easily duplicate your tanks. I feel these steps minimize stress to the fish.. mine would typically be swimming out in the open within 5mins after transfer.

ebacon · 10/26/2012, 10:56 PM

Try and use mature sand that has some pods in it

10/26/2012, 12:17 PM	#1
eutimio Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 102	Melanurus Wrasse with sunken belly Hi there what can I do about this guy?he is in quarantine and has a sunken belly like he hasnt eaten in days.I feed him every day once a day with mysis shrimp..I know he demands high ammounts of food but how much food?thanks for your help

10/26/2012, 05:55 PM	#3
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	This is the problem with quarantine. Some species just do not do well in them, at all. That's not to say it's impossible or that quarantining is a bad thing because it absolutely isn't. It's just tricky. I am no biologist but this is my 2 cents in regards to wrasses. My experience is with a Leopard and Melanurus that I currently have, and a couple six lines that did not do well in a system I had years ago....Many (if not all) species of wrasses run on a biological clock, in which they bury themselves in a sandbed and sleep... or whatever it is that they do. Keeping them in a typical QT for an extended amount of time hinders this function to operate normally. This likely adds an emense amounts of stress, in your case probably the cause of refusal to eat and sunk in belly. Another issue is that your QT is not providing the natural forms of nutrition that wrasses thrive off of. They love all types of little pods and small critters that exist in a well established system. Healthy wrasses are some of the most aggressive eaters I've seen, 2nd to only some triggers that I've seen. Unfortunately every time I have seen a frail fish who refuses to eat, it had never fared well. Hopefully you'll have some luck. They can be resilient. __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

10/26/2012, 09:57 PM	#5
jamesbaur13 Apsiring Alhcohlolic Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 772	If he is eating it could be parasites in his intestinal tract... try treating with prazi-pro or some other equivalent as long as he is in QT. If you are not using RODI water call the manufacturer and see what types of water conditioners are acceptable during treatment. If you are using RODI then you are ok without checking. I treated with this is an uncycled QT... by the 2nd day clouding of the water would be moderate, by the 3rd it was heavy. At that time I was transferring the fish to a new tank (tank transfer method for ich... read the fish disease forum stickies). Drain the water and use a clear cup to transfer him... don't use a net. Your fish likely views you as a predator, you want to transfer him while trying to minimize your movements... the more you move (especially sudden movements) while trying to capture him, the more stressed he'll become. Ideally the new tank should match the lay out of the old tank. If you are using PVC pipes for the fish to have cover you can easily duplicate your tanks. I feel these steps minimize stress to the fish.. mine would typically be swimming out in the open within 5mins after transfer. __________________ 120G AGA Dual Overflow, 40G B Sump, SRO-2000int, 2 Eheim 200w Heater, Eheim 1262 Return, BRS C & GFO React., BR-1000ss Biopellet React., Tunze 5017 ATO, 2 MP-40wes, DIY 76LED (36RB,24NW,6B,6CW,4Moon)

10/26/2012, 10:56 PM	#6
ebacon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: St Charles Mo Posts: 1,084	Try and use mature sand that has some pods in it __________________ Everybody Loves Bacon

10/26/2012, 01:53 PM	#2
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Wrasses can consume alot of food in one day. The ones I had would eat as long as you fed them. I know I could feed mine 3 times a day and each time the food is gone in minutes

10/26/2012, 07:27 PM	#4
benjc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 636	If you haven't done so already, put a bowl of sand in the qt. That's what I did and my Hoevens is a fat pig now.