Dead Rectangle Triggerfish (Picture Warning)

[HumuhumuFan]

Background: This fish had been living in my 75g FOWL with a 3.5" Yellow Tang. I'm starting to think this tank is cursed. TLDR version of the history: no fish has survived more than 3 years and 4 months. In nearly ever case the do fine for about 3 years, then rapidly deteriorate. I've ordered a kit from BRS for a thorough analysis of the tank water but the interim: about a week ago I decided to move the Trigger and Yellow Tang into separate quarantine tanks. The tang was looking very faded and the dorsal fin was starting to recede.

Although Trigger was acting normal, it did look a little pinched to me. At first all was good in the QT, but Trigger started refusing food after a few days and getting lethargic. Despite adding Stability to the tank and doing 25% water change ever other day with General Cure, there was an ammonia spike. Given how quickly the fish deteriorated I though moving it back into the display tank was best. I did but for 48 hours there was no improvement. Thinking it was on it's way out either way I put the Trigger back into QT figuring maybe the medication could help. In the interim I dosed with Prime to neutralize the ammonia and did another WC.

This morning, he was dead. In retrospect, moving back and forth was a bad call, but by that point I didn't expect a recovery.

I know this is long shot and sorry for gross pictures, but can anyone discern any clues from appearance?

 

[SlugSnorter]

very hard to ID from a body.

You may have to QT your DT fish now... keep very vigilant for unusual behavior

 

[lion king]

At this many years in I wouldn't suspect the common issues of disease I would see with a more recent addition. I would look at nutrition, as with this species this would around the time nutritional deficiencies would take hold. So what was their diet and feeding schedule. I would also consider their medical history, treatments and any exposures to substances unnatural to the ocean. That would include all medications, tank cleaners, and pest eradictors.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

Daily staple was Omega One Large Marine Pellets, and Spectrum Marine flakes (mostly for the tang and wrasse but he ate them too), a few times a week frozen mysis, nori (again for tang but trigger partook also), freeze dried krill soaked in Vita Chem/Selcon, and at least once a week I'd feed a chunk of frozen human seafood (clams, mussels, squid, table shrimp). I also once every two weeks dosed Vita Chem at 1 drop per gallon.

2 years ago I did dose the tank with Phosphate RX, which killed my previous Yellow Tang overnight. Threw out the rest of it. No other additives or meds.

 

[Bucs20fan]

This may be an unpopular opinion, but sounds like dormant velvet to me. The fish seem to have a really good diet, and sounds like you know what you are doing. Something happens to weaken the fishes immune system and the velvet strikes, causing death inside a week. The body looks spot on to a velvet death.

 

[vetteguy53081]

With pinched stomach, May point to internal issue but you would have seen heavy respirations, loss of appetite and lethargic behavior but looking at the mouth, this fish does startle easy and its very possible it crashed into object. I doubt velvet as you would have seen fish gasping at surface as well as swimming into water flow and itching/darting.

 

[MnFish1]

Background: This fish had been living in my 75g FOWL with a 3.5" Yellow Tang. I'm starting to think this tank is cursed. TLDR version of the history: no fish has survived more than 3 years and 4 months. In nearly ever case the do fine for about 3 years, then rapidly deteriorate. I've ordered a kit from BRS for a thorough analysis of the tank water but the interim: about a week ago I decided to move the Trigger and Yellow Tang into separate quarantine tanks. The tang was looking very faded and the dorsal fin was starting to recede.

Although Trigger was acting normal, it did look a little pinched to me. At first all was good in the QT, but Trigger started refusing food after a few days and getting lethargic. Despite adding Stability to the tank and doing 25% water change ever other day with General Cure, there was an ammonia spike. Given how quickly the fish deteriorated I though moving it back into the display tank was best. I did but for 48 hours there was no improvement. Thinking it was on it's way out either way I put the Trigger back into QT figuring maybe the medication could help. In the interim I dosed with Prime to neutralize the ammonia and did another WC.

This morning, he was dead. In retrospect, moving back and forth was a bad call, but by that point I didn't expect a recovery.

I know this is long shot and sorry for gross pictures, but can anyone discern any clues from appearance?

I agree moving back and forth was a (not bad - but inadvisable) call - it likely - IMHO - even without it - have resulted in the same result. It is nearly impossible to look at a dead fish - and say xxxxxx is the cause - So - I would ask you to wrack your brain - and see if you can think of anything happening in the tank, the house (chemicals), etc - What your filtration is. So sorry - that trigger looks relatively small - and that may be an issue as well. But its hard to tell exactly how long it was

 

[HumuhumuFan]

I appreciate the feedback everyone. I will have to think long and hard about whether or not I want to try again. Feeling like you killed your favorite fish is not a good feeling.

 

[HumuhumuFan]

I got my ATI results. No smoking gun. Tin was 30ug, but nothing else particularly noteworthy. Nitrate and Phosphorous were high for a reef, but not crazy for a FOWLR setup. Rather than risk it, I ordered all new sand and rock and chucked all the old stuff.

Decided not to get another triggerfish for a variety of reasons. Maybe someday. I plan on consolidating my 20g reef, 20g frag tank, into my 75g.