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Posted by Barry Miller on July 25, 2001 at 23:49:37: I have a Picasso Trigger, approx 2 1/2 - 3 years old, in a 65 gal tank with 5 other community fish. It appears he no longer has his teeth or at least is unable to use them. All other characteristics are normal. I have had him for most of his life. I purchased him in March 1999, when he was about 1 1/2 inches long. He is now almost 4 inches long and his growth seems to have stabilized. He's always been a very strong eater (as most triggers are). His diet has consisted mostly of thawed silversides and flake food. He's not agressive towards other fish in the tank, even when they're first introduced. His situation now is an apparent inability to eat the silversides. He trys, but is unable to do it, and immediately goes for the flake food instead. In the past, he never hesitated to rip the silversides right out of my fingers. I first noticed this situation within a day or two after my Mexican Wrasse died in the tank of natural causes. I knew the Wrasse was on his last leg as I was going to bed one night, but he was still alive, so I elected to keep him alive and hope for a reversal in his situation. To make a long story short, when I returned home from work the following night, the wrasse was no where to be found (I know all his hiding spots). I can only determine the wrasse died and was consumed by the trigger. It was at this time that I noticed something that looked like a single "buck tooth" sticking out of the trigger's upper "lip". I tried hard to visualize what the trigger's teeth looked like before (you'd think I'd know considering the times he's nipped me over the years!) But I couldn't remember if I've even seen his teeth. I did know the single "Tooth looking" thing sticking out of his upper "lip" wasn't normal. It was late, so I went to bed. When I examined him the following night, the "buck tooth thing" was gone. He looked, and still does look absolutely normal, both in physical appearance, and in behavior. He just can't eat the silversides anymore. So I wonder if he's naturally lost his teeth? Perhaps, he did eat the wrasse and got a bone lodged in his lip and that's what I saw? And it's causing after-effect problems now? I really don't know what to make of it. I know he wants to eat the silversides, but he just can't. It'salmost pathetic to watch him try. It's almost like he gives me this look. Any advice would be appreciated. Barry Miller
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