Blue throat trigger just laying around.. help!

Racecars&reeftanks · May 20, 2019

So...
I have a Male bluethroat in my display tank. Hes been in there almost two weeks. And before that in qt for a month. About a week I to qt. He stopped actively going after food. And since going on the display he just lays around in the sand. Occassionally swims for a minute then lays back down. I assume hes eating since it's been 5 weeks since I last saw him eat. Any idea why he is just laying in the sand and not being more active?

The tank is about 18 months old. I have a pair of small clownfish in the tank, a small flame angel, and a small fox face.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

EmdeReef · May 20, 2019

It could be a number of issues, including stress. Internal parasites are pretty common in triggers and can lead to this. Was it QT'd? Any signs of internal parasites - white stringy poop?

Racecars&reeftanks · May 20, 2019

EmdeReef said:
It could be a number of issues, including stress. Internal parasites are pretty common in triggers and can lead to this. Was it QT'd? Any signs of internal parasites - white stringy poop?[/Q

It was quarantined for a month. 3 weeks of cupramine, and 1 week prazipro before going in the display. no signs of stress. And I haven't seen him poop.

HB AL · May 20, 2019

Safe to assume if he isn’t eating and you don’t know what’s wrong with it, it will surely die soon.

Racecars&reeftanks · May 20, 2019

HB AL said:
Safe to assume if he isn’t eating and you don’t know what’s wrong with it, it will surely die soon.

That's what I'm afraid of. But its been 5 weeks since I have seen him eat. I assume he would have died by now if he wasn't eating something.

HB AL · May 21, 2019

Not eating, laying on bottom is not normal for a trigger. He will die any day now since he’s not acting normal, it’s not the end of the world. If you noticed some disease early on treating it might have help.

Hemmdog · May 21, 2019

How big is your display?

Racecars&reeftanks · May 21, 2019

HB AL said:
Not eating, laying on bottom is not normal for a trigger. He will die any day now since he’s not acting normal, it’s not the end of the world. If you noticed some disease early on treating it might have help.

yeah, it really weird since he was QT'd.

EmdeReef · May 21, 2019

Not much I can think of doing. You could try separating it back and leaving in methylene blue which sometimes helps.

5ml per 10gal

Racecars&reeftanks · May 21, 2019

Hemmdog said:
How big is your display?

75 gallons, but very lightly stocked as far as fish go.

Racecars&reeftanks · May 21, 2019

EmdeReef said:
Not much I can think of doing. You could try separating it back and leaving in methylene blue which sometimes helps.

5ml per 10gal

My QT, is full of other fish at the moment. I will see if I can put something together to try this.

Hemmdog · May 21, 2019

Racecars&reeftanks said:
75 gallons, but very lightly stocked as far as fish go.

It might feel to cramped, mine didn’t swim at all until it was in my 90, 48’’ long. Just a thought.

Racecars&reeftanks · May 21, 2019

Hemmdog said:
It might feel to cramped, mine didn’t swim at all until it was in my 90, 48’’ long. Just a thought.

a 75 is the same dimensions except the height. I only have 4 other fish in the tank. 2 small clowns, a small foxface, and a small flame angel. I'm so puzzled by this. And none of the fish pay any attention to the trigger.

HB AL · May 21, 2019

I doubt it’s acting like that cuz it’s feeling cramped. My tank is cramped, and all 14 fish are as healthy as can be especially considering they came from a large ocean. Although I haven’t had a fish die in over 5 years( a wrasse that jumped out and my lab grabbed it and chomped it) in 30+ years sometimes you wake up in the morning and a fish has passed for no apparent reason. And I don’t quarantine.

HB AL · May 21, 2019

Racecars&reeftanks said:
yeah, it really weird since he was QT'd.

Not really, I don’t quarantine and don’t lose fish. Maybe meds in quarantine caused the problem with the fish. I read so many threads on here where people kill so many fish while in quarantine it’s kinda crazy. Probably more in a week than I’ve lost in a decade+

Hemmdog · May 21, 2019

HB AL said:
Not really, I don’t quarantine and don’t lose fish. Maybe meds in quarantine caused the problem with the fish. I read so many threads on here where people kill so many fish while in quarantine it’s kinda crazy. Probably more in a week than I’ve lost in a decade+

+1

Racecars&reeftanks · May 21, 2019

I set up an emergency qt tank today and moved him over. Currently running a prazipro bath. Ast about 5 days will switch the methylene blue. Thanks guys!!! Wish me luck.

dcotten49 · Apr 1, 2023

Racecars&reeftanks said:
So...
I have a Male bluethroat in my display tank. Hes been in there almost two weeks. And before that in qt for a month. About a week I to qt. He stopped actively going after food. And since going on the display he just lays around in the sand. Occassionally swims for a minute then lays back down. I assume hes eating since it's been 5 weeks since I last saw him eat. Any idea why he is just laying in the sand and not being more active?

The tank is about 18 months old. I have a pair of small clownfish in the tank, a small flame angel, and a small fox face.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

I am having the same issue now. Were you able to help him? if so what did you do to treat it? Thanks!