Clown Triggerfish not eating   7/11/09
Hello Bob and crew,
<Michael>
I have read all of the feeding questions and possible sickness for a Clown Triggerfish and I must say, your site (by posting people's questions) is just amazing. Kudos and you guys are a big help.
<Welcome>
This may be a little too early to tell, but 2 days ago, I purchased a Clown Trigger at a local LFS here in the Philippines and like most LFS, I had to purchase the poor thing due to the small tank he was in. I have a 50 gallon tank Fish Only
<Will be too small...>
and all I have there is just 2 tiny blue damsel, "Miracle" a single maroon clown and a 3lbs base rock and shallow sand bed, plus the Clown Trigger that's approximately 4 to 5 inches.
<Will in time harass, consume these other fishes>
I take pride in cleaning my tank every 3 weeks (50-60%) and to even make my water parameters met, I use AquaSafe NH/CL Formula that removes chlorine, chloramine and neutralizes toxic ammonia. I have a fascination with Triggers because they are just full of personality and I adore them.
<We share this interest>
I took care of a Niger, Picasso, Orange-Line, White Tailed Triggers before and had no problem about it. I just had to give them to a fellow aquarist because they are just aggressive and might hurt "Miracle". I call my maroon clown "Miracle" because she almost lost it and nearly died because my Orange-Line Trigger before started nipping her beautiful fins off and the next thing I know, she was lying helplessly at the sandbed while being bitten to death by other Triggers. I was out of town for 2 days that's why I wasn't able to see her suffering for 2 days. Imagine that!
<Don't know if I can>
I thought "Miracle" would die, moved her to a QT looking terribly injured and weak and changed water every 2 days to help maintain water parameters for her alone. Day by Day, I would actually stay beside her and yes do my paperwork at home while with her and recovered after a month or so growing her skirt like fins again and gaining strength. I never thought I could do that kind of nursing to a fish! but my boyfriend and I love her and it was a gift from him. That's the story about our little "Miracle". Sorry for the long story, I got carried away.
<No worries>
She also survived a tank cycle crash when my filter got busted. She was the only fish that survived. She's a fighter!
Anyway, she's back on the tank and after 2 months I decided to have a Clown Trigger that would not eat. Miracle and the 2 blue damsels are eating aggressively and "Miracle" would actually get the food off my hand but I am concerned with the Clown Trigger. His eyes are not cloudy, no fin rot but the fins are slightly damaged due to the overwhelming number of fish in the small tank at the LFS but I don't see the point of not eating because of that. He has brilliant colour, the black skin background where the white spot patterns are located in his belly shifts from brown to black and he swims around nipping on the sand, the rock or the filter and swims about okay. His skin is alright.
<Good signs>
I offer them crushed frozen mussel, shrimp, squid and clam, blendered.
"Miracle" and the 2 damsels go nuts on these treats but the Clown Trigger seems to just nip it and would spit it out, worse, he wouldn't eat. Very unlikely from the previous Triggers I took care of.
<Clowns are different>
I read here that we could possibly administer stick feeding and force feeding. I'm not sure on the latter. Could this be trauma from the LFS?
<Yes>
I see no signs of disease, OH! Before I forget, when I did freshwater dip the Clown Trigger with Methylene Blue for 15 minutes, he excreted these white gravel like feces. Not sure what it is. You see, I would love to actually have Selcon and the stuff you put on food for these fishes but the Philippines is just only rich in exotic marine fishes, but branded names for fish disease and other treatment medications are not readily available here.
<Yes... thank you for this input, reminder>
We have medications like that but they are just in a bottle that you could purchase with no brand name or simply put, medications that are probably made to work minimally or not even or is it because I never tried them as I'm scared to use it. I don't even know if it's safe.
<I agree with you; would not use such>
2 days being in the tank for the Clown Trigger, how can I get this guy to eat? Please help me.
Thank you very much.
Derrick Gavin Lam (Philippines)
<Really just to be patient, keep doing what you have been... perhaps offer an opened clam or shrimp every few days... in time this fish should accept food if it hasn't been cyanided. Bob Fenner>

Re: Clown Triggerfish not eating   7/12/09
Bob,
<Michael/Derrick>
Thank you for the reply. Today is his 3rd day and he nipped on some mussel but he would not eat it and would spit it afterwards.
<Time, patience...>
I will be doing what you just said and I can see that there is absolutely nothing wrong with him. He's not bloated and looks healthy swimming about and checking the places too.
I have read about Cyanide and yes they do trauma the fish heavily.
<Yes>
I will be writing to you again if something comes up, in the meantime, I would be following your advice.
More power and take care Bob. God bless and Thank YOU very much.
<Welcome my friend/mi pari jo. BobF>

- Clown Trigger Questions -
Hello,
<And hello to you, JasonC here...>
I've recently set up a semi predator tank with inhabitants including a clown trigger (3.5 in), snowflake eel, <My friend, with these two creatures alone, the word "semi" does not belong - this is a true predator tank.> formosa wrasse and a recently added Imperator Angelfish (4.5 in) and my triggers colors have been fading since his addition I am not sure if this is a sign that he is stressed out from the new arrival or if it might be related to either a feeding or disease issue. <Could be any one of those - how big is this system?>
About 6 weeks ago, I noticed spots on him and corrected by treating my tank with a mild based copper treatment (killed my cleaner wrasse) which seemed to correct the situation and regularly am checking for signs of return <Egad... this is not a correction by any means. Treating your main system with copper will likely stall your biological filter and could even lay it to waste. You should do some rudimentary water tests to make sure ammonia and nitrite are not building up...>
In regards to feeding I try a few goldfish/ghost shrimp twice a week and for the balance of the week feed the tank brine shrimp and frozen krill. At what size can I feed him crayfish and what size should they be in relation to him <I would stick with frozen foods like Prime Reef and other meaty foods, shrimp, krill, squid, etc. Live foods tend to cause too much aggression which this clown trigger doesn't need to have encouraged.>
All assistance is greatly appreciated <I would encourage you to browse and read the Wet Web Media site - all of these animals and their captive care requirements are covered there in addition to quarantine and treatment procedures for ailing fish.>
Chris
<Cheers, J -- >