Logo
Please visit our Sponsors

FAQs about Triggerfish Nutritional Disease

FAQs on Triggerfish Disease: Trigger Disease 1, Triggerfish Health 2, Triggerfish Health 3,
FAQs on Triggerfish Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Trauma, Pathogenic (infectious, parasitic), Social, Genetic, Treatments

Related Articles: Triggerfish, Red Sea Triggerfishes

Related FAQs: Triggerfishes, Triggerfish: Identification, Selection, Compatibility, Behavior, Systems, Feeding Reproduction,

 


Triggerfishes for  Marine
 Aquarium
Diversity, Selection & Care

New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here


by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Blue Throat Trigger WWM gang, Great site. I recently purchased a male Blue throat trigger. About 4 inches long, appears to be in excellent health. I have him in a quarantine tank (~40gals) by himself.  He's been in there a week with no signs of any parasites. He ignores any food other than fresh water "ghost shrimp" however.  I've tried a variety of frozen foods, but he shows no interest.  A ghost shrimp however, is immediately hunted down and eaten.  I've been adding a little bit of frozen food with the shrimp in hopes that he might accidentally eat it and figure out that it is food, but no luck. Intend to try some raw fish, muscles, etc. from the grocery store tonight. Two questions: 1)       Any recommendations as to how to teach this fish to eat something other than ghost shrimp? 2)       Would it be a good idea to move him to a display tank now, i.e. is he likely to learn to eat other food from seeing his tank mates eating?  He is headed to a 125gal that is networked into 500 gal system w/ large sumps and skimmers. Thanks in advance for your help. Dick >>>Hey Dick,   It's just a matter of time. Some fish take weeks or months to acclimate to a wide variety of foods. As long as you have him eating something that is nutritionally sound, you're doing fine. I had an emperor angel that wouldn't eat anything but brine for weeks on end, then one day something just snapped and he started accepting frozen foods. Continue feeding the ghost shrimp, soaked in Selcon, and keep offering other foods. He will come around. Don't cut his quarantine period short whatever you do. Cheers Jim<<<

Trigger Having Difficulty Eating >Hi Crew, >>Hi Steven.  Marina here. >I have had a Picasso Trigger for over a year and he has always been a very good eater.  Recently he has had a difficult time.  When I feed the fish he swims quickly up to the food and bites but misses the food.  He usually bites "short" of the food.  His eyes look fine.  He doesn't bump into things.  He is in a 110 gallon tank with a niger trigger, porcupine puffer, yellow tang and an eel.  Water parameters all check out OK.  The tank is heavily skimmed.  All other fish eating normally.  Any ideas? Thanks, Steve >>Well, Steve, I am a bit stumped.  It's not that I've never run across a trigger that was having trouble, it's that there was ALWAYS an injury or illness, old age, or something precluding the trouble.  You've only had the fish a year and a half, but it seems as though he's acting as though he's an old guy.  If you think this may be the case, look here--> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trighlthfaqs2.htm >>Also, please do a Google on the site on triggers, you'll net more information than you'd imagined!  If the cases sited don't resemble what you're experiencing, then at this point I'm stumped.  I'll suggest that you sign up for the WetWebFotos forums (at http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk ) and pose your query, and I'll also suggest you try another good site, www.reefs.org (though the search engine on that site is a bit...troublesome) for help answering this question.  Good luck!  Marina

Trigger needs glasses Good Morning Guys                                                             Thanks for such an informative sight. I have a question concerning a Picasso Trigger, which has been part of the family for about 5 years. He has always been the picture of health and very responsive to my being in the room or nearby. Now here's the problem. He has what appears to be a vision problem. When I walk up to the tank he can see me. I know this because he comes running at feeding time. He comes to the top of the tank to feed but seems as though he can’t see the food. The food can be right in front of him but he can’t find it! The only way to feed him is by hand! So it seems as though he can see at a distance but not up close. He also has become very clumsy and disoriented at times. (i.e. running into the coral) I really would appreciate your thoughts on this. He has lost weight. Is this a result of not being able to find the food or is something else going on? Thanks again for your time. Randy S.  < Try soaking his food in a vitamin preparation such as American Marines Selcon.  Unfortunately this is a problem with many large/old captives. You won’t be able to completely restore his vision but just keep it from getting worse.  Also make sure you are keeping up on your regular water changes.  Hope this helps, Cody>

Trigger Losing His Sight? Good Morning Guys <Scott F. your guy today!> Thanks for such an informative site. I have a question concerning a Picasso Trigger which has been part of the family for about 5 years. He has always been the picture of health and very responsive to my being in the room or nearby. Now here's the problem. He has what appears to be a vision problem. When I walk up to the tank he can see me. I know this because he comes running at feeding time. He comes to the top of the tank to feed but seems as though he cant see the food. The food can be right in front of him but he cant find it! The only way to feed him is by hand! So it seems as though he can see at a distance but not up close. He also has become very clumsy and disoriented at times. (i.e. running into the coral) I really would appreciate your thoughts on this . He has lost weight. Is this a result of not being able to find the food or is something else going on? Thanks again for your time. Randy S. <Well, Randy- hard to say...There actually is "nutritional blindness", generally brought on by (surprise!) dietary deficiencies. There are other possibilities, too: The fish could have had some sort of trauma to its eyes...? You should observe carefully...Make sure that the environmental conditions are stable and of high quality...This is an unusual occurrence, but it does happen...Usually, however, lack of response to environmental stimuli is indicative of some sort of water chemistry issue, in my experience...Hang in there, and take action as needed...Regards, Scott F>

Trigger Trouble?  Concerned about my Niger Trigger. 5yrs in 1200 litre system. Gone off food for 2 weeks now & not swimming around at all.  <Not good...>  All other fish in system ok. Captured & in hospital tank. No signs of external disease.  <That's good to here...>  Treated for 1 week with Myxazin & fresh water dip.  <I'd stick with just the FW dip. Why medicate if you're not sure what you're treating?>  Tried feeding sea urchin to see if any interest. No interest at all in food. Don't know what to treat with, maybe something for worms? Concerned from Cape Town South Africa.  <Well, concerned, a fish that refuses food all of the sudden definitely is problematic. While these fishes tend to go on "hunger strikes" occasionally, it is entirely possible that you may be dealing with some kind of internal parasite. So, I cannot entirely blame you for attempting medication after all! I suppose that I'd utilize medications that are for internal parasites. Hopefully, that will do the trick...Also, keep tempting the fish with a variety of different foods. You may want to use some liquid vitamins, such as Vita Chem, which can be administered directly into the water. As fishes do drink, the fish may actually take in some of the vitamins directly. These may just pull him through until he starts taking food again. Don' give up! Regards, Scott F.>


Triggerfishes for  Marine
 Aquarium
Diversity, Selection & Care

New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here


by Robert (Bob) Fenner
Become a Sponsor Features:
Daily FAQs FW Daily FAQs SW Pix of the Day FW Pix of the Day New On WWM
Helpful Links Hobbyist Forum Calendars Admin Index Cover Images
Featured Sponsors: