Help with my blue throat triggerfish

[CanadianReefer]

Hi folks,
I'm making a last ditch effort to save my blue throat triggerfish. I haven't the slightest clue what's wrong with him.

I've had him for about 3 months. He's never looked all that healthy - always looked underweight, but had no overt issues otherwise. He was eating well, so I figured it was a matter of time before he started looking a little healthier.

Initially I thought it was an internal parasite of some sort, so he's been treated twice with prazipro (once during QT, and once more recently) to no avail. He also received a combination of metro and kanaplex in his food when he was initially being QT'd.

Then last week, he started anchoring himself in the rockwork for a large part of the day, thought he was eating up until 3 days ago. At that point, he wasn't coming out at all.

I was lucky that he anchored himself on an outer part of the reef so I was able to get him out and into a QT. He was so weak he was barely latched on.

The only thing he hasn't been treated with was copper, so I thought it was worth a try in case there was something blocking his gills I simply couldn't see. He also had a few grey patches at one point and though I can't recall the name of the disease (costia, maybe?) the treatment was copper.

He's been in the treatment for 3 days and still no change. He's not eating and is super weak. I had to help him into a pvc pipe because he didn't have the strength to fight the current coming off of the HOB filter.

Any suggestions on what else I could try ? It's hard to fight an unknown disease

 

[Humblefish]

What does his poop look like? See anything white or stringy coming out?

 

[CanadianReefer]

What does his poop look like? See anything white or stringy coming out?

I haven't seen him poop - he's not likely doing much of it these days - he hasn't eaten in a while.

If it is an internal parasite, 2x prazipro didn't work. Is there something else I could try? I know some internal parasites don't respond to prazipro, but they are few and far between

 

[Humblefish]

If it is an internal parasite, 2x prazipro didn't work. Is there something else I could try? I know some internal parasites don't respond to prazipro, but they are few and far between

Did you food soak the Prazipro or just dose the water with it?

 

[CanadianReefer]

Did you food soak the Prazipro or just dose the water with it?

I dosed the water. He's not eating so I can't dose the food. When he was in QT when he first arrived, I had dosed his food with metro and kanaplex... He hasn't eaten in 4 or 5 days now

 

[Humblefish]

I dosed the water. He's not eating so I can't dose the food. When he was in QT when he first arrived, I had dosed his food with metro and kanaplex... He hasn't eaten in 4 or 5 days now

The problem with dosing the water is you are relying upon the water he drinks to deliver the medication into his system. Food soaking is typically more effective for treating internal problems. But if he has stopped eating, then you have a real problem...

Your best shot would be to QT him and dose API General Cure (a prazi/metro mix). If he resumes eating immediately start soaking General Cure in his food.

 

[CanadianReefer]

The problem with dosing the water is you are relying upon the water he drinks to deliver the medication into his system. Food soaking is typically more effective for treating internal problems. But if he has stopped eating, then you have a real problem...

Your best shot would be to QT him and dose API General Cure (a prazi/metro mix). If he resumes eating immediately start soaking General Cure in his food.

I'm homebound right now with a broken foot. I don't have general cure on hand. I do have prazipro and metroplex though. My QT is 20g. Should I mix it using the directions on the back (as if i were dosing them separately) or is there a better dose when mixing the two?

 

[Humblefish]

Should I mix it using the directions on the back (as if i were dosing them separately) or is there a better dose when mixing the two?

You can mix them following the directions on the back, but Prazipro contains Oxybispropanol and that can cause a bacterial bloom (cloudy water) when mixed with other medications. This is why General Cure is the safer choice for combining prazi + metro, because both medications are in powder form.

 

[gorg_lishous]

What happened to the fish mine is going through the same and I’ve soaked the food

 

[CanadianReefer]

Unfortunately he didn't make it. I have since pulled out the other fish in my DT and they were QTd with copper only. Many of them have survived this ordeal. My tank will be fallow for quite a while.