Carpenter's flasher wrasse - lethargic/hiding, popeye

[benwilsonx]

Our Carpenter's flasher wrasse has been acting very unusually over the past week... hiding for most of the day, often resting on the substrate or hiding in rocks. He won't come out to eat, but if I manage to sink some pellets near where he's resting he'll dart out to eat a bite or two.

Today was the first day I got a good look at him, and he seems to have a bulging right eye. He also looks a bit pale, with some white patches on his flanks that almost look like pale wrinkles.

I found similar posts where unilateral popeye is most commonly attributed to trauma. I'm not sure if any treatments are warranted, or if I just provide supportive care (feed what I can and limit stress - anything else?). I've read some comments recommending epsom salts? I'm fine with simply monitoring, but want to make sure I'm not being too passive.

Prior to a week ago, I would have considered him to be my healthiest fish - constantly active, the best/most aggressive eater, and obese (I'm not sure if obesity is a health risk in fish?).

The issue started while we were away on vacation. He ate normally for my fish-sitter one day (3/2/23), and the next day I didn't see him (on the tank camera) come out with the other fish once the lights came on.

I've had this flasher wrasse for just over a year (from Dr. Reef's quarantined fish in Feb. 2022, along with a McCosker's wrasse that's still acting normally).

I don't have any great images, as he usually swims into the rocks if I get close. But I do have an image from above that shows the unilateral right eye bulging, and a side view (the white spots on this image are salt spots on the glass), and I'll link a short video below.

Here's a short video clip:

Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse - popeye

youtube.com

Here's some background info:

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Mixed reef
Aquarium water volume: Waterbox 130.4
Filtration type: Mesh socks, ~100 lbs of aquacultured live rock from KP Aquatics, Reef Octopus Regal 150INT skimmer
Lighting: AI Hydra 32HD (x2)
How long has the aquarium been established? Live rock added May 2021

Other fish (all acting normally):
Midas Blenny
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Yellowhead Jawfish
Ocellaris Clownfish (pair, recently added Jan 2023)

Water quality (be sure to indicate what measurement units you are using, as well as the test kit brand)
Temperature: 78 F (Inkbird)
pH: 8.3 (Red Sea)
Salinity / specific gravity: 1.026
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrate: 8.0 (Hanna)
Phosphorus: 0.24 (Hanna)
Calcium: 400 (Red Sea)
Alkalinity: 8.9 (Hanna)

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? No
Are any invertebrates affected? No
Respiration rate of affected fish: 80/minute
Is the affected fish still feeding? Only when target fed, a couple of pellets per day. Will not come out of hiding to eat.
What remedies have you tried so far? Benign neglect

Here's a full-tank shot:

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Our Carpenter's flasher wrasse has been acting very unusually over the past week... hiding for most of the day, often resting on the substrate or hiding in rocks. He won't come out to eat, but if I manage to sink some pellets near where he's resting he'll dart out to eat a bite or two.

Today was the first day I got a good look at him, and he seems to have a bulging right eye. He also looks a bit pale, with some white patches on his flanks that almost look like pale wrinkles.

I found similar posts where unilateral popeye is most commonly attributed to trauma. I'm not sure if any treatments are warranted, or if I just provide supportive care (feed what I can and limit stress - anything else?). I've read some comments recommending epsom salts? I'm fine with simply monitoring, but want to make sure I'm not being too passive.

Prior to a week ago, I would have considered him to be my healthiest fish - constantly active, the best/most aggressive eater, and obese (I'm not sure if obesity is a health risk in fish?).

The issue started while we were away on vacation. He ate normally for my fish-sitter one day (3/2/23), and the next day I didn't see him (on the tank camera) come out with the other fish once the lights came on.

I've had this flasher wrasse for just over a year (from Dr. Reef's quarantined fish in Feb. 2022, along with a McCosker's wrasse that's still acting normally).

I don't have any great images, as he usually swims into the rocks if I get close. But I do have an image from above that shows the unilateral right eye bulging, and a side view (the white spots on this image are salt spots on the glass), and I'll link a short video below.

Here's a short video clip:

Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse - popeye

youtube.com

View attachment 3058133
View attachment 3058134

Here's some background info:

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Mixed reef
Aquarium water volume: Waterbox 130.4
Filtration type: Mesh socks, ~100 lbs of aquacultured live rock from KP Aquatics, Reef Octopus Regal 150INT skimmer
Lighting: AI Hydra 32HD (x2)
How long has the aquarium been established? Live rock added May 2021

Other fish (all acting normally):
Midas Blenny
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Yellowhead Jawfish
Ocellaris Clownfish (pair, recently added Jan 2023)

Water quality (be sure to indicate what measurement units you are using, as well as the test kit brand)
Temperature: 78 F (Inkbird)
pH: 8.3 (Red Sea)
Salinity / specific gravity: 1.026
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrate: 8.0 (Hanna)
Phosphorus: 0.24 (Hanna)
Calcium: 400 (Red Sea)
Alkalinity: 8.9 (Hanna)

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? No
Are any invertebrates affected? No
Respiration rate of affected fish: 80/minute
Is the affected fish still feeding? Only when target fed, a couple of pellets per day. Will not come out of hiding to eat.
What remedies have you tried so far? Benign neglect

Here's a full-tank shot:
View attachment 3058205

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice!

As these fish will dart off in a flash when spooked, I am assuming this is an injury or scratch to the eye. Treatment in a separate quarantine system would be maracyn which is ethromyacin. Other popeye causes are elevated ammonia and/or nitrate as well as gas bubble issues especially in a tank with micro bubbles and high water temps

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Our Carpenter's flasher wrasse has been acting very unusually over the past week... hiding for most of the day, often resting on the substrate or hiding in rocks. He won't come out to eat, but if I manage to sink some pellets near where he's resting he'll dart out to eat a bite or two.

Today was the first day I got a good look at him, and he seems to have a bulging right eye. He also looks a bit pale, with some white patches on his flanks that almost look like pale wrinkles.

I found similar posts where unilateral popeye is most commonly attributed to trauma. I'm not sure if any treatments are warranted, or if I just provide supportive care (feed what I can and limit stress - anything else?). I've read some comments recommending epsom salts? I'm fine with simply monitoring, but want to make sure I'm not being too passive.

Prior to a week ago, I would have considered him to be my healthiest fish - constantly active, the best/most aggressive eater, and obese (I'm not sure if obesity is a health risk in fish?).

The issue started while we were away on vacation. He ate normally for my fish-sitter one day (3/2/23), and the next day I didn't see him (on the tank camera) come out with the other fish once the lights came on.

I've had this flasher wrasse for just over a year (from Dr. Reef's quarantined fish in Feb. 2022, along with a McCosker's wrasse that's still acting normally).

I don't have any great images, as he usually swims into the rocks if I get close. But I do have an image from above that shows the unilateral right eye bulging, and a side view (the white spots on this image are salt spots on the glass), and I'll link a short video below.

Here's a short video clip:

Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse - popeye

youtube.com

View attachment 3058133
View attachment 3058134

Here's some background info:

Aquarium Parameters:
Aquarium type: Mixed reef
Aquarium water volume: Waterbox 130.4
Filtration type: Mesh socks, ~100 lbs of aquacultured live rock from KP Aquatics, Reef Octopus Regal 150INT skimmer
Lighting: AI Hydra 32HD (x2)
How long has the aquarium been established? Live rock added May 2021

Other fish (all acting normally):
Midas Blenny
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Yellowhead Jawfish
Ocellaris Clownfish (pair, recently added Jan 2023)

Water quality (be sure to indicate what measurement units you are using, as well as the test kit brand)
Temperature: 78 F (Inkbird)
pH: 8.3 (Red Sea)
Salinity / specific gravity: 1.026
Ammonia: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrite: 0 (Red Sea)
Nitrate: 8.0 (Hanna)
Phosphorus: 0.24 (Hanna)
Calcium: 400 (Red Sea)
Alkalinity: 8.9 (Hanna)

In-depth information:
Have you lost any fish to this problem yet? No
Are any invertebrates affected? No
Respiration rate of affected fish: 80/minute
Is the affected fish still feeding? Only when target fed, a couple of pellets per day. Will not come out of hiding to eat.
What remedies have you tried so far? Benign neglect

Here's a full-tank shot:
View attachment 3058205

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice!

The eye looks to have an air bubble in it, is that correct? Those bubbles develop from either supersaturation of air in the water are severe physical trauma. Generally, an air bubble in one fish in one eye is due to trauma. Trouble is, these bubbles often do not resolve - there is no treatment for it except supportive care, as you mentioned.

Jay

 

[benwilsonx]

As these fish will dart off in a flash when spooked, I am assuming this is an injury or scratch to the eye. Treatment in a separate quarantine system would be maracyn which is ethromyacin. Other popeye causes are elevated ammonia and/or nitrate as well as gas bubble issues especially in a tank with micro bubbles and high water temps

Thanks. I'm assuming trauma too since I haven't seen any temperature or nitrate swings. I guess I have occasional brief episodes of microbubbles when I change out filter socks, but I assume that wouldn't be an issue?

It's going to be difficult to capture this fish (especially without stress), so I may be left with monitoring for now.

 

[benwilsonx]

The eye looks to have an air bubble in it, is that correct? Those bubbles develop from either supersaturation of air in the water are severe physical trauma. Generally, an air bubble in one fish in one eye is due to trauma. Trouble is, these bubbles often do not resolve - there is no treatment for it except supportive care, as you mentioned.

Jay

Thanks for the additional info. It does have the appearance of an air bubble in the anterior chamber, but I'm not positive.

Just out of curiosity, do you know how trauma results in an air bubble within the eye?

Trauma probably makes the most sense - as vetteguy mentioned my wrasses are both "dart-y." Is this usually blunt trauma, or is penetrating trauma a concern (i.e. if he ran into my hitchhiker longspine urchin)?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks for the additional info. It does have the appearance of an air bubble in the anterior chamber, but I'm not positive.

Just out of curiosity, do you know how trauma results in an air bubble within the eye?

Trauma probably makes the most sense - as vetteguy mentioned my wrasses are both "dart-y." Is this usually blunt trauma, or is penetrating trauma a concern (i.e. if he ran into my hitchhiker longspine urchin)?

I have wondered for years how the gas bubbles are produced by trauma - but a couple of cases where I’ve seen the trauma occur and the bubble then developed clearly shows causation. I’ve had fish develop this by just flipping their heads back and forth in a net.
I’ve tried bleeding the gas off with a tuberculin syringe, but it just returns, with the added risk of trauma due to the extra handling.
Small trauma bubbles can resorb, but it is difficult for me to predict which ones will and which won’t.
Jay

 

[benwilsonx]

I have wondered for years how the gas bubbles are produced by trauma - but a couple of cases where I’ve seen the trauma occur and the bubble then developed clearly shows causation. I’ve had fish develop this by just flipping their heads back and forth in a net.
I’ve tried bleeding the gas off with a tuberculin syringe, but it just returns, with the added risk of trauma due to the extra handling.
Small trauma bubbles can resorb, but it is difficult for me to predict which ones will and which won’t.
Jay

Strange. Thanks so much for your thoughts!