Clown trigger suddenly stopped eating

[Bpfor3]

I have had my clown trigger for about 3-4 months. Put through full QT with copper and praziquantel. He has easily doubled in size and doing quit well. Eating like a pig. 3 days ago, he just started showing no interest in food. I have been fighting ich in my tank for 40 days. Its easy to say he it is the ich, but I don't thing that is it. He is in a mixed reef with several tangs, angels, wrasses, clownfish. No one has gone on a hunger strike, but the trigger. despite the ich outbreak, all fish doing well.

I did recently start soaking the frozen with metro as part of my ich control effort. He acts normal. No signs of disease or injury. Other than the ich, tank is doing very well. Corals all growing. Parameters on point. No ammonia, little to no nitrates and phos. Salanity 1.025, Alk, Cal all good.

Only variables are the metro in the food and frozen bits of fresh shrimp and black worms I started feeding. But again, all the fish eat that stuff and he is the only one. Only thing I can think to do is find some clams and see if he will start on those. Oh yes, he will hammer nori in a clip, but I don't think he is swallowing it.

video of fish attached. Any insight or ideas appreciated.

 

[Reef.]

I would try different foods just to discount it’s only him being picky, Clams sound a great idea.

 

[BigKid4788]

Feed LRS. Haven’t had a fish not eat it

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is it showing an interest in any food?
If not, may signify something internal. When it poops, does it look normal or is it white (also signifies internal issue). Try adding garlic extract as an enticer to eat.
If internal issue, PrazuPro works well. Other possibility is gill flukes or protozoan issue

 

[lion king]

Does he appear to see the food at all, check his eyesight by introducing some stimulus to get a reaction. Copper can have an adverse effect on triggers as well as another fish. Triggers don't usually go off feeding just cause, @vetteguy53081 has a good point about internal as well. His stomach does look a bit pinched, so internal parasites could be a good guess. He will likely need to treated with metronidazole as well as praziquantel, and metronidazole is not reef safe. Since he is not eating, treatment needs to be in the water column, general cure is best action as it contains both. I would remove him and treat with general cure if you don't determine his eyesight is waning.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Following. I have a Clown about the same size, and as you know, they arevbig eaters. I would be sick with worry if it happened to my fish, so if he goes back to eating, please let us all know! Best wishes in getting to the bottom of this. (By the way, mine gets a cracked-open frozen Mussel each day; if he ever stopped attacking one of those, I would ‘know’ I’m in deep trouble.)

 

[Bpfor3]

Thanks everyone for the comments. Was able to get some fresh clams and he went after it pretty good. Still a little concerned as he was eating almost anything before he stopped. Would love to get some LRS food, but nearest store that sells it is an hour away. Excuse for a Road trip I guess. Something has changed. Just need to figure out what.

FYI. He was last fish in. All other fish, including him, were treated with praziquantel. Got ich through a contaminated coral I think.

 

[JumboShrimp]

He’s beautiful— hope all returns to normal for you!

 

[Bpfor3]

Well, he really attacked the clam the second time i put it in and started eating the normal food again this morning. When he first ate the claim, it was almost like it hurt him to do it, but he just had to. Weird. These guys are tough and ferocious eaters so i knew something was off for him to stop. video of him eating/guarding his meal yesterday. (he had eaten almost all of it by then.

 

[Reef.]

Another way to add clam is to freeze it, then grate it into some rodi water, add this to the tank, easier for them to eat and helps with any nervous fish or aggression.

 

[lion king]

Was he having angst with anyone in the tank. Keep an eye out for his appetite to all of sudden get more voracious than usual.

 

[JumboShrimp]

So glad he’s eating again!, although he still looks a bit tentative in the video. Let’s hope his appetite improves day-by-day. My Clown absolutely attacks his frozen cracked Mussels. They are great fish, aren’t they!