Picasso Triggerfish

[claire2373]

Can any one help? four days ago my picasso started going round in circles all the time he cant seem to stop he usually hides under a rock to stop himself i've asked advice from petshops but no one seems to know why hes doing this one says he sounds like hes dying which did upset me and i just dont know what to do for him so if anyone has any advice please help

[kaybee]

Can you provide more specifics?

How long has the tank been set up, what is the tank size, what other lifeforms are in the tank, what diet is the trigger on, water parameters (ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, temperature), what size is the trigger, how long have you had the trigger, etc.

It's it perpetually swimming in circles, has it retained or lost its equalibriuum?

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I agree, all those things that Kaybee asked are going to have to be provided in order to make an educated proposal of the problem. Provide those and hopefully we can help you.

Welcome to the site.

[ladyoutlaw50]

Welcome and good luck!!!!

[cocoa_pleco]

agreed, more info is needed

[claire2373]

hi i,ve had the tank for 8 months but it was set up for about 2 years previous i've had my picasso for 7 months and hes been fine up until a few days ago no one bothers him and he doesnt bother anyone hes about 7 cm in length and feeds well on anything you give him brine shrimp ,flake ,lance fish etc. hes in a 4 foot tank with a seabae a few damsels,moon wrasse, percula clown, tested water everything ok so dont know whats happened

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

How often are you doing water changes on the tank? Do you give him live feeder fish? That could be a problem. I suspect there may be something lacking in his diet. You really need to increase the variety you are feeding him. Mysis shrimp, a good carniverous blend and a definite plus. For having that fish for 7 months it should be larger than 7cm. This also is an indication of something lacking in the diet.

Just as a side note, a 4ft tank is not near big enough for a Picasso Trigger. Picasso Triggers need a minimum 6x2 tank to survive longterm. They are a large high bioload fish.

[kaybee]

Can you describe the circling pattern it does, and does it appear to be off balance or just overly active?

Small (4" or less) picasso's can be very hyperactive (non-stop bundles of energy). I would have actually thought it strange that in the previous months all it did was hide under a rock most of the time.

Is it possible for you to video tape and post this activity?

[claire2373]

The water is changed usually every 3-4 weeks as we were told when we got the tank and we did think it was strange that he hadnt grown but he does have mysis as well he always used to come to the front of the tank when you came near now he either spins as though hes chasing his tail then he swims a bit then spins again then usually hides which is so unlike him

[cocoa_pleco]

The water is changed usually every 3-4 weeks as we were told when we got the tank and we did think it was strange that he hadnt grown but he does have mysis as well he always used to come to the front of the tank when you came near now he either spins as though hes chasing his tail then he swims a bit then spins again then usually hides which is so unlike him

you should be doing a 10%-20% weekly water change

[claire2373]

Not sure how to post video tried but it said file not supported !

[unleashed]

post it on youtube and give us the link

[claire2373]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxHJl3zkaRk

[kaybee]

[I'll caveat this reply as being pure speculation]:

It does not appear to be an equalibriuum affliction. I'd wager it might be a quirky behavioral characteristic.

The LFS I purchased my small picasso trigger from kept it solitary in a small 10" x10" x 10" acrylic compartment. It was highly active, and in fact the most active of all the tiny triggers they had, so we selected that one.

Once in my tank it commenced (to the point of appearing overly-occupied with) manically pacing back and forth, rapidly and perpetually. Interestingly it would only veer 10" in either direction as if it were still contained in the compartment it had been it. It did that for 2 weeks straight (pacing back and forth as if it were mentally trapped in a invisible 10" x 10" x 10" cube at the top of the tank, and would only veer from those set 'mental boundaries' during feeding or sleeping time).

After two weeks it gradually stopped doing that and began actively exploring the rest of the tank, and now actively swims throughout the entire tank, and behaves normally.

From what I've seen in the video, your trigger is behaving as if it is in a very confined space, perhaps perceiving it cannot go more than a body's length in either direction, and "circling" is the only way to go the other direction.

It seemed that the proximity of other fish to that small area 'triggered' it to commence circling, and that it also seems prone to remaining in that one small area, even though there's more space in the tank it can venture into.

Excluding feeding time, does the trigger predominantly stay in that one small area of the tank?

You could try rearranging the trigger's area and see what affect that has.

Can you post another video of this behavior?

As a precautionary measure, please post your nitrate levels.

[claire2373]

Hes been acting like this for a week now, before he used to go all around the tank and not stick to one spot and was the first there when food came on the scene now it seems as though he cant be bothered

Did nitrate test today and it was about 20mg so that that was ok

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

20 is not ok in a marine tank. 20 is about 4 times too much for a marine tank, you should be down around 5ppm.

[claire2373]

oh thought that was ok cos in the test kit it says as long as it isnt above 50 will sort it thanx

[claire2373]

as long as it isnt above 20 i meant will do a water change that should sort it wont it?

[claire2373]

Have put in some nitrate minus and thats lowered the nitrates loads so not sure if that was something to do with my picasso acting strange so shall just have to wait and see

[claire2373]

Hes stopped spinning now hes still not 100% but is better than what he was

[Gemini]

Have put in some nitrate minus and thats lowered the nitrates loads so not sure if that was something to do with my picasso acting strange so shall just have to wait and see
I will put in a preword here - I dont' have saltwater at home. However, I have always used water changes to reduce nitrates as opposed to adding chemicals. I like to keep the chemicals I use to an absolute minimum and think that if you reduce the nitrates using water changes you will see benefits.
Also - is the test kit you are using specific for saltwater? Or is it a freshwater test kit?

[claire2373]

I did do a water change first put didnt lower it that much so then i tried the nitrate minus. I have 2 test kits 1 for just saltwater and the other for both and they came out the same

[claire2373]

Sadly i my picasso has vanished he kept getting himself stuck between rocks and i had to keep rescuing him but he has been missing for about a week now and i fear he has got stuck again but i couldn't see him to rescue him Im devastated he was my favourite