Is my Niger Trigger blind?

[shine~on]

I just got him and he cannot get the food into his mouth! He will bite at it and it will be next to him instead of in front of him. It is really frustrating to watch him try to eat. He tries to bite at it and misses every time! I don't get it...
Has anyone seen this before? He's lucky to get one piece of food for every feeding and that doesn't even happen often anymore. This is painful to watch! He also wedges himself in between rocks and hides a lot, which I've read is somewhat normal. But, if he cannot eat, I'm afraid he's going to die on me

 

[shine~on]

Ok, lol. I just hand fed him some krill! It's difficult and sometimes he'll spit it back out
But, it's an improvement I suppose. How many pieces of krill should I be aiming for per day?

 

[v-lioness]

Try some mysis, small chopped Raw Shrimp soaked in vitamins for your trigger, you can also hang Nori on a clip.
How large is the trigger?
How long have you had it?
What does this triggers diet consist of?
What type of krill are your feeding frozen or Freeze dried?
Kaye

 

[shine~on]

He misses the mysis also (soaked in vitamins and garlic). I didn't know about the seaweed, but he needs more in his diet than that right?
The trigger is about 2-3 inches long. I've been feeding mysis soaked in vitamins/garlic and the krill. The krill comes in one big frozen package that you break parts off of. So, I assume the krill is frozen.

 

[v-lioness]

Yes it needs more than Nori it also needs a variety of meaty foods, soak all the food in vitamins and try to feed this trigger Raw fresh Shrimp from the grocery store soaked in vitamins. You can try placing the raw shrimp chunk on a feeder stick.
If possible try to avoid the krill, if this triggers diet has consisted mainly of krill it is possible it has dietary deficiencies. It is still trying to eat that is a good sign, but it needs fed 3-4 times a day right now with a variety of foods.
I have seen this more in Puffers & Lions than triggers, when these fish are lacking the proper nutrition they can have vision failure, be unable to swallow or develop lockjaw.
Kaye

 

[shine~on]

Ok, thanks. I've almost had him for 2 weeks now so I'll try my best.
For a feeder stick, can I use a chopstick or does it have to be special?

 

[shine~on]

What do you mean by "soaked" in vitamins? Do you mean get the raw shrimp, put it in water and add Zoecon to it?

 

[v-lioness]

Yes, you can use tank water add the foods and vitamins to it, I start soaking my foods either before I go to bed or when I wake up. I leave my frozen foods to thaw in the fridge in the vitamin soaked water. What ever is convenient for you.
Kaye

 

[v-lioness]

How is your trigger today?
Kaye

 

[teaggs]

Originally Posted by V-Lioness
How is your trigger today?
Kaye
My Niger is also blind so it seems he just swims around trying to get food but he rarely does. I have had him for like two years and he always ate very well but not recently. My LFS said that he could have gotten stung by the lion or the foxface and it caused some blindness. I used to be able to put my finger on the glass and he would try to bite it but now he doesnt even see it also he just swims around bumping in to stuff andsometimes biting at other fish when senses that it is feeding time in the tank. I am probably going to give him to the guy that runs my LFS and he said he would take care of him cause I know that he will get unhealthy or get hurt by one of ny other fish if he tries to bite them. I am going to replace him with a aussie tarlequin husk