sick niger trigger

Kliner77 · 09/07/2007, 05:39 PM

I've had a niger trigger for 6 years. Now he's not eating and mostly layes on the bottom. I haven't seen him eat in several day's. I've tested the water and all is well. He has very large upper teeth. Could his teeth be the problem and if so what are my options or do niger triggers only live 6 years? Please help! I don't think he'll last much longer.

Andrew · 09/07/2007, 06:58 PM

To Reef Central

Please post your water levels. Have you changed anythig in your tank in the past week? Are any of your other fish acting this way? Have you added any new fish to the tank recently?

mhurley · 09/07/2007, 07:05 PM

This thread has been moved to the current forum.

redox · 09/08/2007, 09:47 AM

they can live alot longer than that. They are a very hardy trigger and it unusual for one to just die or get sick. Andrew has some good ?s . I would try to put some food in his face, something like clams should get his attention. If he turns his nose up to it then you have issues. Quarantine and medication, but you must first try to find out what you are medicating for. Are there other fish in with him?

Kliner77 · 09/08/2007, 06:10 PM

These are the levels as of Sat. morning. Ph 8.2, Ammonia 0.0 , nitrite .10, nitrate 60-70 milligrams/liter, Water Temp 78 F and the salinity is 1.025. Tank size 90 gallons

I haven't added any new fish in a couple years. There is a niger trigger, huma huma trigger, snowflake eel and tomato clown.

The only thing I've recently done is reposition the rocks.

redox · 09/08/2007, 06:49 PM

the huma might be terrorizeing him/herand or you might have smashed the niger if it was in the tank when you repositioned the rocks.

Kliner77 · 09/09/2007, 12:45 PM

He may have got smashed when I repositioned the rocks. He's not laying on the bottom as much today but I noticed he's not moving his tail when he swims. Do you have any ideas about how to nurse him back to health?

redox · 09/09/2007, 02:51 PM

tlc is about all you can do for him now .Make sure he is eating .If you have to you can hand feed if he wont swim out and eat.Also make sure the huma isnt messing with him.If he is you might want to break them up.Id move the huma out as not to stress the niger any more.I did the same thing to a very large 5" domino damsel. He died that night

Accidents happen thats why a stable rock mound is important and get it like you like it and leave it

Here a pic of my niger that jumped out and perished.Thats why I dont name my fish anymore

[IMG]

[/IMG]

wooden_reefer · 09/09/2007, 02:58 PM

Long ago a hepatus tang of mine hit itself against rock. It laid down on its side for three long days before finally recovering.

It was strange that the other fish did not bother it for the duration.

loosecannon · 09/09/2007, 10:08 PM

Kliner77, Thay like to be called triggers of color now.

AaronKelly · 09/09/2007, 10:22 PM

can we get a pic of your trigger? if the teeth are large try and get some snails or something that it can bite on. thats how they keep their teeth small, they eat snails and bite the shells... i dont really know if the teeth being to large would be a problem

LukFox · 09/10/2007, 12:43 AM

Why is no one saying anything about the .1 nitrite and high nitrate? By moving around your rocks, if you haven't done so in a long while, you may have stirred up some stuff that caused an ammonia spike. This would be enough to do this to the fish. Right now you need to be doing water changes to bring the nitrite to 0 and the nitrates to 20 or less.

09/07/2007, 05:39 PM	#1
Kliner77 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3	sick niger trigger I've had a niger trigger for 6 years. Now he's not eating and mostly layes on the bottom. I haven't seen him eat in several day's. I've tested the water and all is well. He has very large upper teeth. Could his teeth be the problem and if so what are my options or do niger triggers only live 6 years? Please help! I don't think he'll last much longer.

09/07/2007, 07:05 PM	#3
mhurley RC Staff Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Illinois'ish Posts: 38,805	This thread has been moved to the current forum. __________________ Mike Current Tank Info: 60G Cube

09/08/2007, 09:47 AM	#4
redox Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SOBX Posts: 2,091	they can live alot longer than that. They are a very hardy trigger and it unusual for one to just die or get sick. Andrew has some good ?s . I would try to put some food in his face, something like clams should get his attention. If he turns his nose up to it then you have issues. Quarantine and medication, but you must first try to find out what you are medicating for. Are there other fish in with him? __________________ There is something we can all do about it Current Tank Info: starting fresh with new ideas

09/08/2007, 06:10 PM	#5
Kliner77 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3	water levels These are the levels as of Sat. morning. Ph 8.2, Ammonia 0.0 , nitrite .10, nitrate 60-70 milligrams/liter, Water Temp 78 F and the salinity is 1.025. Tank size 90 gallons I haven't added any new fish in a couple years. There is a niger trigger, huma huma trigger, snowflake eel and tomato clown. The only thing I've recently done is reposition the rocks.

09/08/2007, 06:49 PM	#6
redox Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SOBX Posts: 2,091	the huma might be terrorizeing him/herand or you might have smashed the niger if it was in the tank when you repositioned the rocks. __________________ There is something we can all do about it Current Tank Info: starting fresh with new ideas

09/07/2007, 06:58 PM	#2
Andrew Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 13,640	*To Reef Central* Please post your water levels. Have you changed anythig in your tank in the past week? Are any of your other fish acting this way? Have you added any new fish to the tank recently?

09/09/2007, 12:45 PM	#7
Kliner77 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3	He may have got smashed when I repositioned the rocks. He's not laying on the bottom as much today but I noticed he's not moving his tail when he swims. Do you have any ideas about how to nurse him back to health?

09/09/2007, 02:51 PM	#8
redox Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SOBX Posts: 2,091	tlc is about all you can do for him now .Make sure he is eating .If you have to you can hand feed if he wont swim out and eat.Also make sure the huma isnt messing with him.If he is you might want to break them up.Id move the huma out as not to stress the niger any more.I did the same thing to a very large 5" domino damsel. He died that night Accidents happen thats why a stable rock mound is important and get it like you like it and leave it Here a pic of my niger that jumped out and perished.Thats why I dont name my fish anymore [IMG][/IMG] __________________ There is something we can all do about it Current Tank Info: starting fresh with new ideas

09/09/2007, 02:58 PM	#9
wooden_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4,670	Long ago a hepatus tang of mine hit itself against rock. It laid down on its side for three long days before finally recovering. It was strange that the other fish did not bother it for the duration.

09/09/2007, 10:08 PM	#10
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Kliner77, Thay like to be called triggers of color now. __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

09/09/2007, 10:22 PM	#11
AaronKelly Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New York Posts: 164	can we get a pic of your trigger? if the teeth are large try and get some snails or something that it can bite on. thats how they keep their teeth small, they eat snails and bite the shells... i dont really know if the teeth being to large would be a problem

09/10/2007, 12:43 AM	#12
LukFox Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Los Gatos, CA Posts: 3,502	Why is no one saying anything about the .1 nitrite and high nitrate? By moving around your rocks, if you haven't done so in a long while, you may have stirred up some stuff that caused an ammonia spike. This would be enough to do this to the fish. Right now you need to be doing water changes to bring the nitrite to 0 and the nitrates to 20 or less.