Baby clown triggerfish fading?

acomps · Sep 25, 2021

Hello, I have had this clown triggerfish in quarantine for a month with copper. It eats and swims normal however recently it seems to be fading. Any suggestions?

vetteguy53081 · Sep 25, 2021

Assure it’s getting adequate oxygen and proper diet with selcon vitamins added to the foods

Jay Hemdal · Sep 25, 2021

acomps said:
Hello, I have had this clown triggerfish in quarantine for a month with copper. It eats and swims normal however recently it seems to be fading. Any suggestions?

Is it faded more due to stress from being in the cup for the photo? It looks really unhappy. Can you post a short video of it swimming in the tank?
If it has been in copper for 30 days, you should consider removing the copper and dosing with praziquantel, just to limit the chance of flukes.
Jay

acomps · Sep 25, 2021

Jay Hemdal said:
Is it faded more due to stress from being in the cup for the photo? It looks really unhappy. Can you post a short video of it swimming in the tank?
If it has been in copper for 30 days, you should consider removing the copper and dosing with praziquantel, just to limit the chance of flukes.
Jay

I went to the LFS and they recommended seachem Focus and Metroplex in the food which I started treatment of that. I will get a video of him swimming. He may not be happy but he looks like that recently.

Jay Hemdal · Sep 26, 2021

acomps said:
I went to the LFS and they recommended seachem Focus and Metroplex in the food which I started treatment of that. I will get a video of him swimming. He may not be happy but he looks like that recently.

Sigh, Focus + Metroplex is so often recommended, but the reality is, it can’t work! Metronidazole needs to be at 5000ppm in food to be effective, and it is so bitter at that dose, fish won’t eat it. If the fish eat it, the dose is too low.
Even the Focus instructions don’t agree between the box and the tube. Take a look in the library section here for an article I wrote on medicated foods (sorry I can’t link you to it, I’m on my phone).

Try to get a video, that might provide more clues.
Jay

acomps · Sep 26, 2021

Jay Hemdal said:
Sigh, Focus + Metroplex is so often recommended, but the reality is, it can’t work! Metronidazole needs to be at 5000ppm in food to be effective, and it is so bitter at that dose, fish won’t eat it. If the fish eat it, the dose is too low.
Even the Focus instructions don’t agree between the box and the tube. Take a look in the library section here for an article I wrote on medicated foods (sorry I can’t link you to it, I’m on my phone).

Try to get a video, that might provide more clues.
Jay

acomps · Sep 26, 2021

Jay sorry about the low quality video. You can see the fish swim. Sorry I don't have great light and I am taking water from the main tank so the water should be clear. Can you recommend a praziquantel? When I google that I am not sure what to get. Thanks again it seems to be eating and swimming fine

Jay Hemdal · Sep 26, 2021

acomps said:
Jay sorry about the low quality video. You can see the fish swim. Sorry I don't have great light and I am taking water from the main tank so the water should be clear. Can you recommend a praziquantel? When I google that I am not sure what to get. Thanks again it seems to be eating and swimming fine

Yes, the video seems down sampled or something. Is that a big puffer in with the trigger? Any concerns about aggression?
A lot of people use General Cure for praziquantel. It also contains metronidazole that can help against some protozoans. I use bulk praziquantel myself, but for smaller tanks I’ve been using Prazipro. With that, you just need to ensure that you increase the aeration to the tank.
Jay

Ulee · Sep 26, 2021

very risky fish as a young clown , high risk of death even with full colors..ditch the copper and focus on feeding him. Water change , bag of carbon in filter. PE Mysis and life spectrum pellets, the tiny ones. Get him some shelter too...pvc pipe.