Sick Triggerfish

JeffC27

New member
Hello everyone I have been fish keeping for a little over a year with saltwater and I have recently run into a bit of an issue. I currently have 2 75 gallon fish tanks as well as a 150 and a 55. The problem is with my 150 gallon fish tank. I have noticed odd behavior with my Niger triggerfish. Up until yesterday he was eating great but for the past 3 days has been hiding and breathing very heavy. Only one other fish shows symptoms which would be my blue throat trigger which seems to be okay but will not eat anything for about the past week. Both of them are fed a mix of foods throughout the week including scallops, clams, silversides, and Mysis shrimp, with the occasional live quarantined treat. I have not noticed any scratching behaviors nor have I seen any spots on them when inspecting them. All other fish ( porcupine puffer, snowflake eel ) are fine and eating very well. I thought it may be gill flukes due to the labored breathing and preformed a fresh water dip which resulted in no flukes I could see in the water as well as no change in the Niger's breathing. Since the bluethroat hasn't eaten in a while and is smaller than the other fish I have moved him to the 55 gallon qt tank to monitor any eating behavior as well as new symptoms such as labored breathing. As for the niger trigger fish I have added him back into the 150 with the puffer and snowflake. He is still not eating and is still breathing heavy. Should I treat for flukes or could it be something internal. I can start medicating food with metroplex or doing copper treatment as well but at this point I do not believe copper will be effective for what's wrong with them. I also have garlic extreme at my disposal.

150 gallon
1.023 salinity
0 ppm ammonia
0 ppm nitrite
4 ppm nitrate
7.8 ph
temperature 75F

Running 2 aquaclear 110 HOB filters
1 sicce whale 110 canister filter with sprayer bar
Coral life protein skimmer
1 current usa eflux wave pump
( I unfortunately do not have a drilled tank but got this 150 gallon brand new for $100 )

55 gallon qt
1.025 salinity
0ppm ammonia
0ppm nitrite
4ppm nitrate
7.8 ph
temperature 73F

running 1 seachem 75 surface skimmer and filter
wave maker ( unknown brand )
as well as sponge filter
 
I also want to add that I was running hypo salinity ( 1.011 ) on the 155 for about 3 days due to scratching and I suspected flukes. Over the past 3 days since I have been slowly raising the salinity back to 1.025. The labored breathing began after the salinity was raised on the first day. No other fish was affected besides the niger. The bluethroat wasn't eating before hypo treatment.
 
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