New trigger finally showing his face but will only eat silversides?

[myerst22]

Hello all. I got my trigger about a week and half ago and he is just starting to swim around. He only eats silversides. I have tried fresh clams on the shell, my homemade gel based food, squid, mussels, plankton, brine shrimp, mysis, krill, live ghost shrimp, live crayfish, and NLS. He will only eat silversides. I find that strange considering he's a planktivore and he only eats silversides. Will this change in time? In past experience's with planktivore triggers they usually eat everything right from the get go. I have tried the foods soaked in garlic and selcon and un-soaked. What do you think? Here are some new pics of him anyway. Thanks, Tim

 

[returnofsid]

Sorry I can't help you with the feedings...but what an amazing and beautiful trigger. I'd try posting this to Lee's forum.

 

[leebca]

The fish shows signs of having been through some bad stressors. It doesn't look 'complete' and healthy.

The silversides diet will not help improve the above. However, you should take some steps (which would be easier if the fish was in a quarantine tank).

First, lace the silversides with vitamins. Alternate between vitamins and supplemental fats, lacing the silversides.

Mix bits of silversides in with other foods, starting with a high content of silversides and gradually reducing the silverside content.

I would suggest you get some small hermit crabs and quarantine them to verify they carry no fish diseases (about 6 weeks would do). Feed them an enriched, nutritious food. Then, pull out a crab from its shell, or crack the shell and try feeding that to the trigger.

Lastly, a fish gets 'stuck' on a certain diet and may cling to that, even though it is severely stressed. Look for stressors. Check water quality frequently with a test kit. Verify the tank isn't overstocked. Review your maintenance and note any accumulation of detritus anywhere. Change mechanical filter media and keep it current. Verify skimmer is operating properly and in peak form. Change carbon (or what you use to reduce organics chemically) more frequently.

 

[myerst22]

Thanks Lee. Great news he finally has started to eat the gel based food that the Waikiki aquarium uses. He now eats like crazy. I am not feeding him too much as i don't want to all of a sudden load him up with food because his internal system is not used to large amount of food lately. Slow and steady wins the race. Thanks for the advice Lee. Regards, Tim