Erratic swimming and behavior blue throat trigger

[mping2496]

First post here, but have been a lurker for a long time. I have had a blue throat trigger for about a year in my 100g reef, he has been doing great and has been a model citizen up until about 4 weeks ago. I noticed that he didnt come out for food which was weird and he was just hiding in his cave. Well over the coming weeks he never left his cave so I would target feed him and he was able to eat. I did catch him on a few occasions come out of his cave but the way he was swimming made me think he was having a panic attack. So knowing that blue throats are giant balls of anxiety I figured maybe my hippo tang was giving him a hard time (even tho they have been together for a year) and was bullying. After much trial and error I was able to remove the hippo tang and she's currently in the sump. Well the blue throat finally came out (might have been a bullying issue), but when he tried to swim the best way I could describe it was like he was out of control, doing somersaults and crashing into rocks and the glass, he finally wedged himself behind some rocks and thats where he has been since. I tried to get a video but I was too slow. I am thinking its a swim bladder issue, and from reading it seems like I am not supposed to feed him, however I have barely been feeding him over the past 4 weeks and it hasn't gotten any better. I am out of ideas. Picture of my set up with mu blue jaw in the top left when he was able to swim

 

[mping2496]

As soon as a I posted i was able to get a video I just don’t know how to post it

 

[vetteguy53081]

As soon as a I posted i was able to get a video I just don’t know how to post it

Do a you tube post, then attach the link

 

[vetteguy53081]

The erratic behavior you describe sounds like flukes or Something affecting gills but video will help form an assessment

 

[mping2496]

The erratic behavior you describe sounds like flukes or Something affecting gills but video will help form an assessment

 

[mping2496]

The erratic behavior you describe sounds like flukes or Something affecting gills but video will help form an assessment

I was able to catch him (not exactly a great swimmer at the moment) and got him in an acclimation box, got all my fish through dr reef quarantined fish, I’d be lying if I said I QT’d all my corals and inverts tho…

 

[vetteguy53081]

I was able to catch him (not exactly a great swimmer at the moment) and got him in an acclimation box, got all my fish through dr reef quarantined fish, I’d be lying if I said I QT’d all my corals and inverts tho…

You dont really need to quarantine coral or inverts but at least - acclimate them

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes, this is an irritation which he is trying to shake off and if I had a suspect cause, it would be flukes. With flukes, you will see loss of appetite, gills will be red or swollen with rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.

 

[mping2496]

Yes, this is an irritation which he is trying to shake off and if I had a suspect cause, it would be flukes. With flukes, you will see loss of appetite, gills will be red or swollen with rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.

Man I had no clue it could present with such erratic swimming. Guess I’ll dose the DT with prazipro and hope for the best

 

[mping2496]

Yes, this is an irritation which he is trying to shake off and if I had a suspect cause, it would be flukes. With flukes, you will see loss of appetite, gills will be red or swollen with rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color.

Before I go dosing the whole tank, I just wanna be doubly sure. Do you think flukes could cause the “balance” issues he’s having, like I watched him do a full blown loop while swimming and in the acclimation box he’s having a real tough time staying upright. I’m worried about a spinal cord injury at this point too, he’s really skittish at baseline and might have crashed into something while going to hide which would also explain the lack of symptom improvement over 4 weeks. But I’ll defer to your opinion as I don’t have a lot of experience with fish disease. Thanks again

 

[vetteguy53081]

Before I go dosing the whole tank, I just wanna be doubly sure. Do you think flukes could cause the “balance” issues he’s having, like I watched him do a full blown loop while swimming and in the acclimation box he’s having a real tough time staying upright. I’m worried about a spinal cord injury at this point too, he’s really skittish at baseline and might have crashed into something while going to hide which would also explain the lack of symptom improvement over 4 weeks. But I’ll defer to your opinion as I don’t have a lot of experience with fish disease. Thanks again

These guys have been known to crash into glass. You would see bruising, impact marks on it mouth or facial area.
Will chime Jay in for a second opinion
@Jay Hemdal

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My thought after seeing the video is that the trigger is either blind, or has some other neurological issue. I've never seen flukes do that to a fish. A fish that is actively dying may crash around like this, but then it wouldn't be eating at all once it reaches that point.

Still eating, yet bumping around the tank leads me to think blindness......

Jay

 

[mping2496]

My thought after seeing the video is that the trigger is either blind, or has some other neurological issue. I've never seen flukes do that to a fish. A fish that is actively dying may crash around like this, but then it wouldn't be eating at all once it reaches that point.

Still eating, yet bumping around the tank leads me to think blindness......

Jay

Just a little update, appreciate the responses, but I guess I was too late woke up this morning and he was dead. RIP Jeffrey

 

[OrionN]

You dont really need to quarantine coral or inverts but at least - acclimate them

I definitely disagree here. All kind of diseases that can devastate your tank without QT. Clams, anemones or corals.