Bluethroat Trigger Color

[Winschuc]

Hello,

Just curious if anyone has experienced, and hopefully solved, faded coloration in blue throat triggers. I've had mine for about 8 months or so and he's growing very well, but has lost the vibrant coloration he had when I first got him. The blue on the throat has faded to grey and the yellow on the fins has gone to a darker yellow, almost brown.

I feed reef frenzy 3x per week and spectrum pellets/nori 2x daily and clams 1x per week. I spoke with a LFS a few months ago and was advised to feed more herbs, but it hasn't seemed to help. He eats really well, and appears to be fine when swimming, although he spends most of his time in his cave.

Water is;
78 degrees
1.024-1.026 (depending on top off amount)
Cal - 550
Alk - 10
PO4 - 0.1
Nitrate - 2-5ppm

I'll post a pic shortly.

 

[Winschuc]

 

[Salty1962]

Are you sure it's a male?

 

[lion king]

Looks like my female, I've seen supposed females all of a sudden become male but not the other way around. How big is he, I've never seen them change when bigger than about 4.5". There was so much confusion when I got my pair, two people from two different stores both got pairs and within a few months the supposed female turned male and all heck broke loose.

 

[Winschuc]

it is (or maybe was) a male for sure. coloration was vibrant when I got him in.

she/he's about 4" or so. maybe a bit bigger, but not much.

I have hear the same about males not turning, that's why I'm at a loss on the colors.

 

[wattsg30]

it is (or maybe was) a male for sure. coloration was vibrant when I got him in.

she/he's about 4" or so. maybe a bit bigger, but not much.

I have hear the same about males not turning, that's why I'm at a loss on the colors.

I’m having the exact same thing happen! I have had the fish for about 10 months and he eats everything - shrimp, krill, clams, mussels, squid, nori, bloodworms all daily soaked in selcon. He’s fat and healthy but his colors have dulled so much. I know that it is definitely not because of stress.