Blue Throat Trigger alive but on his side

[Hemmdog]

Hello!
Any help would be greatly appreciated. This morning I received a male Blue Throat Trigger in the mail(same day shipping from Florida to California). When I received it the water was very very cold, I’m guessing 60 and he wasn’t moving very much. I temp acclimated him and he began moving more still in the bag. I then checked the bags salinity and it was really low, 1.020 whilst I keep my tanks at 1.025. Did a drip and after 25 mins got him out of the bag, he was breathing heavy so I put him in my qt which I dropped the salinity to 1.023 since the bags were so low, with no lights then dim lights for a few hours.
All day and still he has just been laying on his side kind of diagonally, still right side up, but more side ways than vertical. He is breathing heavy still, not quite as bad as before. Lights are off now and I’m really worried I’m going to lose him. He’s a beautiful trigger I really want to do anything possible to help him out so he can enjoy life in my big display one day !
Any advice would be helpful! My first trigger!

 

[Reefahholic]

Sounds like he's suffering from the extreme change in temp. The salinity of 1.020 is pretty normal for fish only systems or QT's/holding tanks in a store. I would keep him in a stable environment with the temp at 78 and leave him alone as much as possible. Turn the light off and just let him recover from that stress event. Hopefully he'll pull through. Triggers are tough. Best of luck with him!

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

The cold water is concerning. I think you did what you could do.

If it's going to make it, just reduce your interaction with it until it's better. Keep the bright light out and make sure the water quality remains consistant.

 

[sdcosta]

I agree with the shock of the cold temps. Triggers are tough, just give him some time.

 

[Hemmdog]

Thank you all your for comments! He’s still breathing today, but still hasn’t moved, I hope he gets better he’s such a pretty fish !

 

[Hemmdog]

Update: He is more vertical today and his fins are moving more and his “trigger fins” are doing their flowly cool thing triggers do. It seems like a good sign!

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

That's a good sign when normal behavior returns. That particular reef safe trigger is beautiful as I have one of my own.

 

[Wowkuh]

My thought ammonia burn. You said you drip acclimated, once you open the bag and expose the water to oxygen its crucial to get them out of that water. Or at least once you open the bag, add some seachem prime to buffer the ammonia that accumulated during shipping. When buying from a LFS its ok to drip because the fish wasn't in the bag for that long.

 

[Hemmdog]

My thought ammonia burn. You said you drip acclimated, once you open the bag and expose the water to oxygen its crucial to get them out of that water. Or at least once you open the bag, add some seachem prime to buffer the ammonia that accumulated during shipping. When buying from a LFS its ok to drip because the fish wasn't in the bag for that long.

Yea that’s why I tried to do it quickly and get them out of the bags once open in under 30 mins. But not to quick so they got more shocked. Either way he seems to be getting better and better, still not eating or swimming but he hovers now and repositions himself to look different directions under the rock he’s been calling home. The other fish(wrasse) I got in my order had similar issues but bounced back quick, now he’s eatting a bunch and very social, I just wish the trigger would do a few laps around the tank, that would give me some peace of mind.

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

Keep us updated. How's it doing this morning?

 

[Reefahholic]

That’s great news that he’s doing better. Soon he’ll eat like a pig.

The first trigger I had was a niger. A few months later I bought myself a nice blood red shrimp. When that shrimp touched the water that trigger came up and nailed him like a piece of popcorn. :p

Last time I spent $30 on a shrimp. :)

 

[Hemmdog]

Keep us updated. How's it doing this morning?

He’s doing about the same as yesterday a little bit better and a little more curious. He still hasn’t eaten or come out from under my rock work. Ideally I would like to put him in my display ASAP so he can have room to swim. He came much larger than the size I ordered and is to large for my qt to be able to swim freely for more than a few seconds. He looks perfect I don’t see any signs of ick or any injuries. I haven’t freshwater dipped him so I’m not sure if he has flukes.

-How soon could I put him in my display?
-Will he be ok in the smaller 35 gal qt if I must wait to add him to my display?
-What is a food triggers find irresistible?, he needs to eat. I’ve tried Pe mysis, Hakari mysis, spurlina brine, pe cyclops, PE mysis pellets. No interest in any of it.

He’s a fighter for sure. I’ve really grown quite fond of the little guy!

 

[Hemmdog]

That’s great news that he’s doing better. Soon he’ll eat like a pig.

The first trigger I had was a niger. A few months later I bought myself a nice blood red shrimp. When that shrimp touched the water that trigger came up and nailed him like a piece of popcorn. :p

Last time I spent $30 on a shrimp. :)

Omg ! Lol that sounds intense! Haha yea thank god I don’t have any invertebrates that are pricy like that! Not sure if they like snails but my trochus just made about 2000 babies in my display he can munch on lol

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

When I ran my blue throat through qt, I had it in roughly 22.5 gallons of water, 12" front to back and 30" wide, along with a pair of clowns and 4 blue reef chromis for more than a month. Was totally happy but would clearly be better off in a 6 foot tank. Remember, qt is short term.

Mine was quite shy before I added the 6 other fish. The additional fishies brought the trigger out into the water column instead of hiding all day. Otherwise, I'd never see it unless I fed the tank.

 

[Hemmdog]

When I ran my blue throat through qt, I had it in roughly 22.5 gallons of water, 12" front to back and 30" wide, along with a pair of clowns and 4 blue reef chromis for more than a month. Was totally happy but would clearly be better off in a 6 foot tank. Remember, qt is short term.

Mine was quite shy before I added the 6 other fish. The additional fishies brought the trigger out into the water column instead of hiding all day. Otherwise, I'd never see it unless I fed the tank.

Interesting, what did you get him to eat? Also how long can he go without eating? It’s coming up on 3 days since he’s arrived here, who knows when he’s eaten last.

 

[SPR1968]

They can go a fair while without eating and I would just sit back for a while and wait, offer him food etc

I have a mated pair of Blue Throat Triggers and although they can be very dominant in the system, the first sight of anything they don’t like and there off into there den which is within my rock work. And they stay there ‘peeking out’ until their happy it’s safe again.

What I’m saying is, he probably just needs a little time to get used to the new surroundings and could be a little nervous after his journey, especially if it got a little cold

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

Mine ate after a few days, I dont exactly remember how many days as I didnt need to leave myself notes with that fish. If the fish was already well fed and not emaciated before shipment, I wouldn't really begin to worry for about a week.

Keep offering small samples of food until it bites, pun intended. Maybe offer live blackworms or brine? Add a little garlic to frozen, pellets or flakes to entice?

 

[Hemmdog]

Mine ate after a few days, I dont exactly remember how many days as I didnt need to leave myself notes with that fish. If the fish was already well fed and not emaciated before shipment, I wouldn't really begin to worry for about a week.

Keep offering small samples of food until it bites, pun intended. Maybe offer live blackworms or brine? Add a little garlic to frozen, pellets or flakes to entice?

Good ideas I like it. I won’t worry to much if he can go around a week.I think I may try some fresh clam from the grocery store today, I’ve never used that for food before, worth a shot.

 

[AquaLifeStudio]

although they can be very dominant in the system, the first sight of anything they don’t like and there off into there den which is within my rock work. And they stay there ‘peeking out’ until their happy it’s safe again.

Mine does the very same thing, its kinda cute seeing it peek out.

I fed mine flakes, and a whole bunch of frozen mixes. You name it, mine would eat it.

 

[Hemmdog]

Mine does the very same thing, its kinda cute seeing it peek out.

I fed mine flakes, and a whole bunch of frozen mixes. You name it, mine would eat it.

Nice, he didn’t eat the clam I gave him. I’m not sure what his deal is. Hopefully tomorrow he will be feeling better. I brought the salinity in my qt up to match my display(1.025) today. He seemed to react fine to that. My gut is telling me now he feels anxious due to being in a small tank and not having free swimming space.
I also do not want to be wrong and have him die of exhaustion in my main display if he’s not ready to keep up with powerheads 24/7.
I’m really not sure what to do.