Black Triggerfish .... Please Advise

[italquam]

Hi everyone,

My Hawaiian Black Triggerfish, for the last week has been acting weird , he moves around the bottom of the tank but he seems to have lost his buoyancy. I cannot figure out what had caused this , does anyone have any idea what the issue could be ? Please help me , I love this fish and want to get him healthy.

 

[blaxsun]

#fishmedic

 

[italquam]

#fishmedic

Hi what is #fishmedic ??

 

[TurboTang]

It's a call out for the fish disease experts on this site. Kind of like the batman sign in the night sky

 

[Rmckoy]

It's a call out for the fish disease experts on this site. Kind of like the batman sign in the night sky

But more like Bioluminescent Algae stirred up by aggressive tangs​

 

[TurboTang]

 

[Sharkbait19]

Could you try linking it as a YouTube video? R2r doesn’t really like videos (especially if your on an iPhone).

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi everyone,

My Hawaiian Black Triggerfish, for the last week has been acting weird , he moves around the bottom of the tank but he seems to have lost his buoyancy. I cannot figure out what had caused this , does anyone have any idea what the issue could be ? Please help me , I love this fish and want to get him healthy.

I was able to download your video - odd, it looks like the fish cannot see properly. It is breathing o.k., and has no other major symptoms, but it is bumping along the bottom like it can't see.

Can you give us more background information? This link explains what info is helpful:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[italquam]

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtube.com

 

[italquam]

I was able to download your video - odd, it looks like the fish cannot see properly. It is breathing o.k., and has no other major symptoms, but it is bumping along the bottom like it can't see.

Can you give us more background information? This link explains what info is helpful:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

I will work on a info list tomorrow


It is a fish only tank , with live rock, Lifereef skimmer, Turbo aquatics algae scrubber, I feed nori sheets , brine shrimp, mysis shrimp daily

 

[italquam]

I also posted you tube short video link

 

[italquam]

The Trigger is still having same issue , he hides in rocks or under rocks , he looks healthy other than he cannot swim up in the water column, he kind of just bob's along the bottom. This is the most puzzling thing I have ever seen in a fish

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

The Trigger is still having same issue , he hides in rocks or under rocks , he looks healthy other than he cannot swim up in the water column, he kind of just bob's along the bottom. This is the most puzzling thing I have ever seen in a fish

Is it feeding?
When I first looked at the video, I thought it might be blind, but I looked at it again just now and I wonder if it has a negative
Buoyancy issue. If it can see food to eat, then it isn’t blind.
Jay

 

[italquam]

Is it feeding?
When I first looked at the video, I thought it might be blind, but I looked at it again just now and I wonder if it has a negative
Buoyancy issue. If it can see food to eat, then it isn’t blind.
Jay

He is definitely eating, he just swims around the bottom of the tank and eats , he has not lost any body mass at all. He was the tank master before and always a great eater. He still wedges in rocks like he always used to and like most triggers do

 

[Weeb]

I will work on a info list tomorrow


It is a fish only tank , with live rock, Lifereef skimmer, Turbo aquatics algae scrubber, I feed nori sheets , brine shrimp, mysis shrimp daily

Please drop the brine shrimp from the menu. A low nutrient food. It can be replaced with ocean plankton (freeze-dried is good).

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

He is definitely eating, he just swims around the bottom of the tank and eats , he has not lost any body mass at all. He was the tank master before and always a great eater. He still wedges in rocks like he always used to and like most triggers do

O.K., then it isn't blind.

I can't say why it is negatively buoyant. It most likely involves some issue with the swim bladder. Most fish with swim bladder issues are positively buoyant, not negative like this. I've only seen a handful of cases over the years of this, and never found a "cure", just supportive therapy - feed it well, keep it away from aggressive fish, etc.

Try getting it to feed on some prepared pellets, I like New Life Spectrum. Roasted nori has little nutritional value and brine shrimp, if it has been thawed and refrozen during handling is also a poor food. Mysids are high in protein and fat, but need to be augmented with other, more balanced foods.

Jay

 

[Cell]

Could it be some sort of paralysis/spinal injury from jumping?

 

[italquam]

Could it be some sort of paralysis/spinal injury from jumping?

He never was a jumper and my tank is open on top. Possibly the injury could be from him moving a rock or something, I am honestly puzzled about it

 

[Weeb]

He never was a jumper and my tank is open on top. Possibly the injury could be from him moving a rock or something, I am honestly puzzled about it

How long have you had this fish? Do you know where it was collected, for sure? (I understand you said, "Hawaiian" but these fish have a broader range and can be collected at different locations.) Did you get this fish shipped to you or from your local marine fish store? Lastly, what do you think it's length is?

 

[italquam]

Hi ,

How long have you had this fish? Do you know where it was collected, for sure? (I understand you said, "Hawaiian" but these fish have a broader range and can be collected at different locations.) Did you get this fish shipped to you or from your local marine fish store? Lastly, what do you think it's length is?

Hi the fish is about 2 years I have had him, I actually rescued him from another hobbyist that bought a trigger and decided he no longer wanted aggressive fish. He is about 6 inches in size , unfortunately I don't have history or where he was from originally