Ideas on what's wrong with my Trigger?

KSzegi · Jan 24, 2014

I have a large (8"+) male crosshatch trigger that is acting and swimming abnormally and would like any ideas on what the problem may be? About two weeks ago he began wedging himself in the rocks that he normally sleeps in - he spent almost all of two days there and then "disappeared". How a fish that large can disappear, even in a 300 gallon tank is beyond me ... but he did. After about a week I thought that somehow he had jumped out while I had the screen top off for a night .... and maybe been eaten by the dogs or something since I couldn't find his carcass anywhere either. A few days ago he reappeared - wedged into the 'normal' spot again. He stayed there for awhile and then disappeared again .... today he made an appearance in the open again several times briefly. He is swimming abnormally - definitely listing hard to his left side. He only swam for a short time - he then layed on his left side in the corner of the tank for a short time and let me look him over pretty good before wedging into the rocks again - he amazingly does not look thin, does not have any ich spots, no apparent parasites, lumps, bumps or other issues, mouth looks normal from what I can see.

No recent changes or additions to the tank other than a couple frags added in early December. He is the most recent fish addition and has been the picture of health since I added him. All other fish are normal and healthy. No unusual behavior or problems with him before this started out of the blue.

reefwiser · Jan 24, 2014

How long have you had him?

KSzegi · Jan 24, 2014

Have had him about 8 months - got him early May.

Reefing Madness · Jan 24, 2014

Only time I see this in a fish is when someone is beating them up.

KSzegi · Jan 24, 2014

Reefing Madness said:
Only time I see this in a fish is when someone is beating them up.

I thought about that - although all the fish seem to get along very well. If there is any picking going on - it always happens when I'm not around I guess - which is not impossible. The only fish that I would even think might do it is my large hippo tang - if there is any ever discord in the tank it is usually him at fault, only because he tends to have a 'crazy hour' every so often and bust around the tank like a squirrel with fleas. Even when this happens though everybody but the yellow tang just get out of his way - but I have never seen him actually pick on the trigger or any of the others. And that could explain the hiding - but the abnormal swimming?

Reefing Madness · Jan 24, 2014

Hippo Tang would be my guess also. Iv'e got one, and she is a brute.
I've seen this type of behavior before, in many a fish that have been getting picked on. Swimming and hiding, no eating, usually ends up badly.
You could remove him to his own tank, just to trouble shoot, if he returns to normal in a few days in a tank of his own, I'd say its another fish.

KSzegi · Jan 24, 2014

If I can catch him, you're right, would be worth a try. Just didn't correlate the odd swimming behavior with getting bullied! Will have to get another tank set up .... of course I recently broke down my 90 and all I have running right now other than the big tank is a 20 gallon! Thanks for the input.

Reefing Madness · Jan 24, 2014

Its worth a shot. If he's still coming out now and then, but he's on the look out, ya just never know. If all else on him looks normal, look to the bully. Especially if you haven't added anyone new fish to the tank recently.

KSzegi · Jan 27, 2014

Well, just thought I'd give the sad follow-up. Had a chance to get him out of the tank on Saturday morning so took it and put him into the 20 gallon to hold him while I got a bigger hospital tank set up. He immediately swam (on his side and not right) into the rocks and wedged himself in. Could not get him to eat and when he briefly came out of the rocks .... he just laid on his side in the corner of the tank....laid quietly, not breathing hard or looking distressed, just laying there .... then wedged back in the rocks a short time later and never came out.

When I took him out of the tank to dispose of - still nothing apparently wrong with him. My wishful thinking right now is that maybe he just died of old age.....

Small triggers · Jan 27, 2014

I was going to ask how large he was...because as fish get old they sometimes lose their swim bladder control and list to one side or the other...
Sorry to hear about his passing, does not seem to me he was being bullied...