Harlequin Tuskfish injured

HankstankXXL750 · Nov 8, 2022

I briefly brought this up in another post, but that one focused on the parasite or disease that has bloomed in one of my tanks.

Today the Tuskfish came out of hiding and I saw him swimming and he looked terrible. Thought probably covered in ich or velvet, which ever one I am battling. The it laid down in the sand in an area I could access.

Turns out he is just really pale. Not very active, and has what appears to be wounds on his side. These are not from aggressive fish, he was alone in a 37 gallon tall in a system with 2 29g 1 37g and a 55g converted to a sump. And I startled him when changing water and cleaning his tank. He burst across the tank ricocheting off the sides and live rock.

He has what appears to be three wounds on his side, or internal injuries. He hasn’t eaten since this occurred.

I removed him from the tank and gave him a 1 hour dip in paraguard. Might not be the best based on what @Jay Hemdal says but hopped to provide him some relief if he got infected as well. Then transferred him to a 40 breeder.

Any thoughts on a treatment regimen?

These are the medications I have in hand. Only have a Petsmart in town, and closest real LFS is 2 1/2 hours away.

Paraguard, prazipro, kanaplex, metroplex, focus, copper power.

At this point I think I need to look at treating his injuries before worrying about wether he has ich or velvet. Probably not healthy enough to handle copper, if he doesn’t die from the dip.

Thanks.

vetteguy53081 · Nov 8, 2022

HankstankXXXL750 said:
I briefly brought this up in another post, but that one focused on the parasite or disease that has bloomed in one of my tanks.

Today the Tuskfish came out of hiding and I saw him swimming and he looked terrible. Thought probably covered in ich or velvet, which ever one I am battling. The it laid down in the sand in an area I could access.

Turns out he is just really pale. Not very active, and has what appears to be wounds on his side. These are not from aggressive fish, he was alone in a 37 gallon tall in a system with 2 29g 1 37g and a 55g converted to a sump. And I startled him when changing water and cleaning his tank. He burst across the tank ricocheting off the sides and live rock.

He has what appears to be three wounds on his side, or internal injuries. He hasn’t eaten since this occurred.

I removed him from the tank and gave him a 1 hour dip in paraguard. Might not be the best based on what @Jay Hemdal says but hopped to provide him some relief if he got infected as well. Then transferred him to a 40 breeder.

Any thoughts on a treatment regimen?

These are the medications I have in hand. Only have a Petsmart in town, and closest real LFS is 2 1/2 hours away.

Paraguard, prazipro, kanaplex, metroplex, focus, copper power.

At this point I think I need to look at treating his injuries before worrying about wether he has ich or velvet. Probably not healthy enough to handle copper, if he doesn’t die from the dip.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, pics are very fuzzy with reflection from tank. May have to darken room a little to remove reflections. Would like to see in particular the wounds you are referring to.
What are treating with and for right now and at what dosages?
Did you add air stone for added oxygen per last posting ?

MnFish1 · Nov 8, 2022

Since wrasses tend to do this (lie down) - for a while when stressed it's hard to say whether it's 'moribund' - i.e. terminal - or just 'stunned'. I would watch it - stop dipping, etc - unless you have a reason to do so. Please correct me if I'm wrong - you have a fish - that is lying on its side, pale - without evidence for any spots (CI) - or dusting (Velvet) - that has a history of significant possible injury, right?

HankstankXXL750 · Nov 8, 2022

Mute point. I went back down to take a different picture and he didn’t make it. Did get to look pretty close at his wounds. He beat himself up pretty good when he spooked.

HankstankXXL750 · Nov 8, 2022

MnFish1 said:
Since wrasses tend to do this (lie down) - for a while when stressed it's hard to say whether it's 'moribund' - i.e. terminal - or just 'stunned'. I would watch it - stop dipping, etc - unless you have a reason to do so. Please correct me if I'm wrong - you have a fish - that is lying on its side, pale - without evidence for any spots (CI) - or dusting (Velvet) - that has a history of significant possible injury, right?

Thank you. Yes he had an injury in QT and wouldn’t eat. So I moved him into a larger aquarium hoping he would have less stress. W/in 48 hours the tank broke out with ich or velvet. I didn’t plan to further stress the Tuskfish hoping he would pull through.

He had hidden in the rocks so I could only see his tail. When he came out he didn’t look well including strength and agility. When I netted him he didn’t put up much fight. I doubt he would have lasted much longer if I had left him alone. I only treated with dip in case he made it into the 40g so maybe he wouldn’t bring whatever is in that tank along with him.

Thanks for the reply.

MnFish1 · Nov 8, 2022

HankstankXXXL750 said:
Mute point. I went back down to take a different picture and he didn’t make it. Did get to look pretty close at his wounds. He beat himself up pretty good when he spooked.

Yes. Sorry to see it

Jay Hemdal · Nov 8, 2022

HankstankXXXL750 said:
Mute point. I went back down to take a different picture and he didn’t make it. Did get to look pretty close at his wounds. He beat himself up pretty good when he spooked.

Sorry to see!
Are you sure those are wounds? If a fish hits the tank wall, the snout gets damaged. For the sides to get damaged like this the fish would have to hit sharp rocks. One other possibility is Uronema, a inter cellular protozoan. It causes rapid breathing and huge skin lesions like this. Harlequins are one species prone to this. Unfortunately it is not treatable.
Jay

vetteguy53081 · Nov 8, 2022

HankstankXXXL750 said:
Mute point. I went back down to take a different picture and he didn’t make it. Did get to look pretty close at his wounds. He beat himself up pretty good when he spooked.

Awww man took a nap and sad to see this- My Most favoriye fish in marina aquaria. Looks like bruising or internal but my guess is aggression as this is a docile fish

HankstankXXL750 · Nov 8, 2022

I assume it could have been a disease as Jay states, but since it came after the freak out in the small tank? I do have a rectangular ledge type rock in the tank that I added once to assist with cycle when I got other fish.

I am only guessing, but the fish seemed in perfect health until that happened. I was siphoning the Algea off the bottom with a 1/2” hose and guess it was too close and he really went after it. I remember there being multiple thumps as he beat around the tank.

I expected head injuries, and the way he hid and laid down I really didn’t notice the wounds. He ate right before the incident and every day prior, but never ate again that I saw after. I would feed and then leave hoping he would come out and get some. I believe I only saw him swimming around once or twice afterwards. Each time I thought ok he’ll eat tonight.

Going to hold off a while before I do another. Seem to have bad luck here.

1 carpet diver.
1 ich or velvet and think I did it in on the freshwater dip I did before going TTM. He was the only fish I lost except an eel that slipped out a small hole one night.
1 when I had the bacterial bloom when I added the big angels
And now this one.

Since we named them Romance, I guess it’s fair to say that romance is dead at the Steele house.

I think the issue with the two in the middle is the wrasses nature of needing higher O2. Even though I had pumps and air stones etc. I just think they aren’t as tough as some of the others.

Thanks for your help and concern. Really hard on us when we lose any fish. But especially one so striking and he already had such a fun personality in the QT.

Jay Hemdal · Nov 8, 2022

HankstankXXXL750 said:
I assume it could have been a disease as Jay states, but since it came after the freak out in the small tank? I do have a rectangular ledge type rock in the tank that I added once to assist with cycle when I got other fish.

I am only guessing, but the fish seemed in perfect health until that happened. I was siphoning the Algea off the bottom with a 1/2” hose and guess it was too close and he really went after it. I remember there being multiple thumps as he beat around the tank.

I expected head injuries, and the way he hid and laid down I really didn’t notice the wounds. He ate right before the incident and every day prior, but never ate again that I saw after. I would feed and then leave hoping he would come out and get some. I believe I only saw him swimming around once or twice afterwards. Each time I thought ok he’ll eat tonight.

Going to hold off a while before I do another. Seem to have bad luck here.

1 carpet diver.
1 ich or velvet and think I did it in on the freshwater dip I did before going TTM. He was the only fish I lost except an eel that slipped out a small hole one night.
1 when I had the bacterial bloom when I added the big angels
And now this one.

Since we named them Romance, I guess it’s fair to say that romance is dead at the Steele house.

I think the issue with the two in the middle is the wrasses nature of needing higher O2. Even though I had pumps and air stones etc. I just think they aren’t as tough as some of the others.

Thanks for your help and concern. Really hard on us when we lose any fish. But especially one so striking and he already had such a fun personality in the QT.