Have lost 2 Clown Triggers in a row

[jcfoote]

I have purchased 2 clown triggers from a LFS in the last 2 months and lost both of them within 2 weeks. Both had very good color the first was about 3 inches long the second a little larger. In both cases the fish seemed to eat but not aggressively like you would expect from triggers. I watched each for a few days prior to buying and felt OK with the purchase (I paid the same price, $64.00 each). I asked the LFS and he said this particular distributor gives him a really good deal on them (I thought the price was almost unbelievable for the apparent quality and size of the fish).

When I get them home they swim all around exploring the tank, they eat, but again not very much. As the days go by they attempt to eat but even small pieces of food like frozen mysis seem to be too much for them. They take in the morsel seem to chew and chew then spit it back out!! Both slowly wasted away and died. I was almost like their digestive tract was damaged.

Then I started reading up on the affects of cyanide collected fish from the Indo-Pacific region....internal organs, particularly the digestive tract are all symptoms of cyanide poisoning. The fish live for a while but not long term. Does anyone have similar experiences?

I have been in the marine side of the hobby for 7 years and never seen a trigger do this, have you?

JC

[baldomero]

i bought some fish from a guy who catches them in puerto rico and they all died after 1 month. later i found out that he injects something into the caves and knocks them out so he can collect them dont know if its cyanide or what.

[FishyMel]

Cyanide. I had a huge humu about 6 inches that I got and died in a week, you know its cyanide when the death is almost instant and a couple days after being shipped direct from the collection in indonesia or where ever it was from. LFSs get deals if they are direct from collection but then they have more fish die of cyanide, if they are shipped from the wholesaler the wholesaler takes liablility of cyanide death because it will die in the facility rather than the store,

[IPowderBlueTang]

I had two Naso tangs that died the sameway as you describe. The petshop did not admit they were buying cyanide caught fish from a wholesaler to me. But one of the employees later told me they suspected the cheaper fish from this one supplier was shipping them cyanide caugth fish. They are not going come right out and tell you that, or that every fish they sold that everyone complain that their fish stop eating and eventually died! I would stop shopping at that LFS and buy some where else and ask to hold the fish for several weeks and go every second day to monitor the fish appetite. Thats what I did on my third Naso and he been with me for 3 years now!

[jda]

Very common with cyanide caught fish. Spend the few extra bucks and get fish that are net caught. I would avoid this store if you can - if they suspect cyanide and don't switch suppliers, then stay away.