Kinda worried about my BlueThroat Trigger?

[Psyire]

I've had my Blue Throat for 2 days now. I've read all about them being timid and that they usually hide for up to a week.

Mine however seems to be doing well, socially. He swims around in the 'caves' of my tank and occasionally comes out in the open. He looks like he's in good health and has a decent 'weight' to him.

BUT

He hasn't ate anything yet. I've tried pellets, mysis, brine shrimp, squid, plankton, and seaweed. He just lets stuff float by him and shows no interest in eating.

My tangs seem to intimidate him alittle, but he's been holding his ground and hasn't really backed down.

How many days can he go without eating before it becomes a serious problem? Is it normal for them to not eat for a few days?

Anyone that has had experience with these fish and can respond, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[kingtoad]

I had the same problem with my Black Cap Basslet. I soaked mysis shrimp in garlic extract and he came out to eat it. However, after grabbing a shrimp or two, he'll quickly swim back in the cave. He'll do that until the food is gone.

 

[Psyire]

I'm hoping he starts eating soon. I have some garlic, I'll give that a try tomorrow.

He was out swimming in the water column more today than yesterday, so I think he's coming around.

 

[dhoch]

Psyire,

I had the same experience... I actually tried feeding him some meaty foods (shrimp/silversides/mussells) on tongs and he took to that once he realized it was food (I put it close to wher he would hide).

After that he started coming out more when the food was being fed and now he eats everything (including nori).

Dave

 

[rkehockey16]

i am thinking about adding a blue throat, Psyire
is your tank a reef tank or a reef?

 

[Psyire]

dhoch, how many days did it take for him to eat?

rke, yeah he's in my 180g reef.

 

[dhoch]

Wow hard to remember that... Probably about a week...(give or take a day or two).

I'm pretty persistant with my trying to get newcomer to eat (you should see my copperband's setup

Dave

 

[Psyire]

Well this is day 3 for him in the tank. I'll keep trying the turkey baster method I think. My other fish keep away and I'm able to concentrate the food on him. I just had plankton sitting on his lips and he still wouldn't eat it. I'm going to try krill next, I haven't tried that yet.

 

[Psyire]

He is pretty active though, he swims around the tank quite abit. I'm just alittle worried as his belly is starting to shrink..

 

[dhoch]

Do you have tongs?

Try holding some food for him with tongs... That's what got mine to eat...

Dave

 

[Psyire]

Well I tried Krill but that didn't work either.

I have a feeding stick and I was able to hold the krill (chopped peices) right on his mouth. No go...

 

[Psyire]

He's doing a fair bit more swimming today... perhaps he'll eat once he gets more used to his tankmates and surroundings? (I'm just not sure how many days he can go without eating...)

 

[cweder]

Had mine for over a month now. He only ate Aqaudine flakes and frozen krill and fresh raw shrimp (stinky) the first few weeks. Now I can't feed him enough, he eats everything greedily, including nori, green and brown algae sheets. My other fish (Tangs) hardly get a chance. You can have mine. He's about 5-6 inches of pig.

 

[Z-ReefKeeper]

Was the trigger store bought or an online purchase? If store bought how long did they have him?

 

[Psyire]

I'm going to try flakes tomorrow, that's one thing I haven't tried.

He was store bought and they had him for 4 days, in which he was eating.

 

[cweder]

What was he eating at the store?

 

[RobbyG]

Pysire he can go a long time with eating, I would not start to worry until about day 10. Dont spike your tank with too much uneaten food.

 

[Bax]

Yhe watch out for over feeding, it's hard not to when you can't seem to get a new comer to eat. Good luck I hope you and the BTT work through it. Beautiful fish!

Good Luck

 

[Psyire]

10 days?? I sure hope you are right as he wouldn't eat again today.

I'm trying not to over feed, but I've definately been feeding more than usual. He's still actively swimming around. Probably spending half the day swimming and half the day hiding in caves.

This is getting alittle nerve wracking...

 

[Psyire]

I had limited success today with a turkey baster and mysis/krill/plankton/cyclopeeze.

It almost looked like he was 'drinking' the water/cyclopeeze but I'm not too sure. He would take the bigger stuff into his mouth now and then but would spit it out. He's still swimming around so he's being fairly active... but I'm definately still worried.