Help! Spot on Blue Throat Triggerfish

Storm

New Member
Just got this fish Wednesday. Strictly followed acclamation with drip in provided styrofoam container. Hes beautiful and very active but... hes got a single spot on his body. It looks like a white head pimple and not like salt. I've included a picture. Should I be concerned? I'm nervous. I get attached really quick to my fish. Other fish I got at the same time seem fine.

Thank you for helping
 

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Storm

New Member
Thank you, Jay. I have noticed another one on top by his trigger has come up. Does that change the concern?
Ph 8.3
Am 0
Ni 0
Na 5.0
Temp 78
RO/DI
Tank was fishless cycled before getting the fish w/ Dr Tim's One & Only
Just got a Red Oct 100 Protein Skimmer and have UV San on the way.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Did you quarantine the fish? It could be a parasitic infection, commonly found in the wholesalers systems especially if it appears to be spreading.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t waste your money on a UV sterilizer. They won’t prevent or cure disease and they can kill beneficial life that helps keep the tank balanced.
 

Storm

New Member
Thank yall for helping me. I really appreciate yall. We got nervous after the second and third spot showed up last night and dosed half strength Paraguard. All but the one on his side are gone this morning. The one on his side looks better also.
Good to know on the uv. If it's not needed, we would rather spend the money on future friends for the aquarium and a hospital tank.
 

Storm

New Member
UPDATE: HE'S GETTING WORSE

I got up this morning and he's got more patches, labored breathing, wont eat, color is pale and he's sluggish. He looked like he was getting better yesterday and was swimming fine. Parameters are the same. And I've been following the directions for the Paraguard to the T. I've added new pics. Hes in a 20g w/ only PVC, no carbon and a filter pad that was from the another tank for bacteria.
 

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lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Definitely looks like ich. I’d start treating ASAP. Either copper or hyposalinity. I preferred hyposalinity. Has he been in the hospital tank since you got him or was he in your display tank.
 

Storm

New Member
He was in the display with the other fish we ordered... clownfish, foxface, coral beauty... I mistakenly though since he was going into a fishless tank and looked healthy, that it would be safe. Newbie mistake. I knew better. Hes in a hospital tank and has been there since my post the other day. All the others seem fine. I think I stupidly just walked into a infection cycle now and really worried I wont get out of it
 

Storm

New Member
He died 10 mins ago. I dont understand.. he was looking so much better until I got up this morning and he looked horrible. It happened so fast. And right in the middle of a bad thunderstorm
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
This is a common mistake many noobs make. Unfortunately it can be devistating. You will now need to treat all your other fish as well. They are also affected even if they do t show signs. The display tank needs to be left fallow for 72 days to make sure the parasite has bees eradicated. This is a must or every fish that goes in there will get sick and likely die.
Unfortunately the parasites get in their gills which prevents good oxygen exchange so they often suffocate.
Moving forward, one fish at a time and quarantine at least 30 days to make sure they are healthy.
 

Storm

New Member
Thank you for your help. I'm really upset with myself cuz I knew better. I have transferred all my other fish to the 20g QT tank and started treatment.
I have crushed coral in my display, suggested by the LFS, and was thinking about getting sand cuz I've seen so many comments in the forums about using sand and not crushed coral. Guess this would be a good time to make that change if it would be beneficial to my babies health and future happiness after I get them through this.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
Absolutely the perfect time to make any changes you want.
General rule is don’t listen to the guy at the fish store. They are there to make a sale.
There are exceptions but not many.
 

Storm

New Member
Awesome! I love the look of sand. I wasnt too tickled with how the crushed looked... not what i expected... but I'd already bought it
100g

I understand about the LFS. I watched them take trade in fish directly from a customer recently and put them directly into the sales tanks with all their other fish. They also told me to just ride out diseases and feed garlic with my freshwater... but I've been doing freshwater for 30 yrs and knew better That is why I'm buying my saltwater online from this site after reading hundreds of reviews. But.... I got too excited and broke my rules about new fish in my display tank.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I think almost everybody has done that in the beginning. I’ve been in this over 20 years. Disease wasn’t as much of an issue back then, now it is everywhere. No matter where you buy your fish always quarantine.

For future reference, your 100 gal is really too small for a trigger. They are beautiful but I wouldn’t do one in smaller than a 220. Even a 125 would be better because of the 6 foot length and not with small docile fish like clowns and dwarf angels. Initially they are fine then a switch can flip and they go crazy and kill everybody else.
 

Storm

New Member
Wow! That's good to know about the trigger. I must have misread the size. Thank you.
I'm doing hypo with the others that are now in the 20g hospital tank.
I'm slowly taking it down to 1.009 over a day or two, keeping them there for 6 weeks and slowly bringing them back up to 1.022 over a week and a half. Does that sound right?
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
It does. It absolutely needs to stay at 1.009 or the clock starts over, I usually shoot for 1.008 to play it safe. Make sure you use a refractometer not a hydrometer to measure it. Be sure to calibrate it every day.

SWF says 75 gallon. That is too small. Live Aquaria says 125 which is more reasonable. 220 is better. It is the dimensions not the gallons that matter.
I have a 120 but because it is only 5’ long there are some fish I can’t keep but could in a 125 which only 5 gallons more but is 6’ long.
 
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