Sick Trigger need advice Please

[vair]

I have a trigger fish that has been very healthy, feed well, in a tank with good water conditions. More then a two weeks ago he started just wedging himself into spaces like when they sleep, but all the time. It's like he just stopped swimming. Looks around at everything but no swimming. Sort of saw him not wedged and it was like he could not swim. Very forced with mostly backward motion. He did not eat for a week, then I placed food on a stick right in front of his mouth he ate. Now I've feed him like this for almost 10 days still no swimming or capabilities to swim. My fish vendor who is real good has no clue. He called him a HawaiianCross Hatch trigger quite rare (read cost a lot). Any ideas what could be wrong? Also in the tank is a golden ell, pink tail trigger and a clown trigger.
Thanks in advance for any help!

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

How big is the tank? Have you noticed any aggression issues with any other of the fish? FWIW, I have a trigger here at the shop that lays around all day like a dog. He just lays around on the rocks until you walk by then he hops up looking for you to feed him.

 

[danmhippo]

We need a bit more info to help you with the trigger issue. How big is the crosshatch and the eel? What other fish is in the tank, and how big is the tank? Have you done any water quality testing to the tank lately, and how do you maintain the tank?

Triggers often snug back to their hideout when they feel threatened (aggression issue) or stressed (environmental isue). With a bit more info, we should be able to determin which direction we should go about.

BTW, Welcome to Reefs.org. This place is very resourceful and when you have time to browse around, you can get the most out of this site by visiting http://reefs.org/library/howto.html

 

[Anonymous]

I too agree that we need more info to make a definitive reasoning, but my first glance is your Crosshatch(very expensive indeed) is being harrassed by another occupant, which IMO/IME would most likely be the Clown Trigger. I havent come accross a Clown Trigger that could be put in a tank with anything but its own kind.
The Salt only LFS I used to run had a 9 inch Clown Trigger that ate Mice on a regular basis- live ones(we had a brief mouse problem)

 

[trigger0214]

I have a blue throat (very closely related) trigger. The trigger is in a tank with some very small and non-threatening damselfish. He hardly comes out at all, unless he is being feed.

These type of triggers (Xanthichthys) are often much more shy and harder to adjust to tank life that say a pink tail or a clown (both very bosterous triggers).

 

[naesco]

How long have you had her?

 

[vair]

More info as asked.
Tank set up:
-aprox. a 90 gal tank with a 15 gallon portion sectioned off on the side for sump.
-Aqua Medic Turbo 1000 skimmer in sump
-Lighting called a Smartlite, sorry don't know model #
-Custom Sealife Chiller (Water temp a pretty solid 77-78 degrees)
-Emperor Aquatics 40watt(i think) UV steralizer
-only media in sump is carbon
-about 15-25? lbs of live rock
- do about 10 % water change a week or as needed

Don't really add to many additves all water paramaters are what I would call normal , sorry don't have many specifics.(setting myself up here for a grilling I bet) Have done lots of testing. No nitrates, no phosphates. PH a little low about 7.8 ish been adding Reef Pure Marine Buffer to bring it up (just did that again).

The Fish:

The Cross Hatch is about 8-9 inches long had him six months appox
Pink tail is about 5 inches about seven months
Clown is 3-4 inches about eight months
Golden Eel is young and small 10 inches but thin (growing fast) 3 months

The eel bothers no one, pretty much hides in the rock or PVC pipe I have set up in the tank.

They get lots of different food squid,clams,shimp

The triggers have always sort of got along, the pink tail is the bad ass for sure, cross hatch is mellower, the clown leaves them both alone due to size. The pink tail does hassle the cross hatch a bit but not tons it goes back and forth more like agressive playing.
Four months ago had some sort of bacterial fungal disease, rotting fins, cloudy eyes could not really cure it with any medications so i added the UV light and it cleared up. Cross hatch never had it, mostly affected the clown. The pink tail sort of got it but not bad I'm sure the problems are not related. All other fish are real healthly looking and acting.

I really don't think it is aggression issue, he can't swim. He's the fish that can't swim. It's not like he's hiding or scared he's front and centre unable to swim. If I move what ever he's stable on he'll struggle ackwardly to get wedged some where.
I'm no fish pro but I'm a bit experienced. This is my preditor tank that sits above my 120 gal. reef tank with soft, hard corals and fish that has a 80 gal. mud/sump system with a whole list of hardware...

Thanks again for trying to help me out.
Dave

 

[EmilyB]

You have three triggers in a 90g tank....man I hope I read that wrong :? Not only the aggression/stress factor but these are messy fish... a huge bioload issue.

I have two triggers ( a blackblotch and a bursa) in a 120g - they are less than 4" and I will have to remove one soon. Your trigger is hiding, and has been forced into submission, imo.

I would try to find some homes for the more aggressive ones, like the clown.

 

[Anonymous]

i think your tank may be abit overcrowded :wink:

and my money is on aggression from the clown trigger-that fish will make sure it gets a 90 all to itself :wink:


and welcome to the board!

 

[Anonymous]

i also just noticed that you posted that your pH is abit low

fish behavior can be affected by water that is too acidic-it's one of the symptoms of acidosis

the low pH also indicates that your water changes are not keeping up with diluting/counteracting the organic waste production/buildup in the system

in a tank with that high a relative bioload-i'd recommend at least a 25% water change weekly, a tank upgrade(a serious on at that), or a thinning out of the fish population

hth