Adding two triggers....

[lietz06]

....I have been wanting to try out a couple of 'reef safe'(I know it's not guarenteed) triggers. I was wondering if I want to get to different types does it matter if I add them at the same time? Also...do I need to add them last since they're considered more aggresive? thanks

[Blown 346]

That all depends on the triggers at hand, and what other fish you have, the size of the tank, and what type of inverts you might have.

Triggers are aggressive and only get worse as they mature. They will eat any shrimp,snails,hermit crabs, and may pick on corals.

[kylie d]

Before I say anything, I want you to know that I have never had a trigger myself and am still very new to saltwater and reefing. However, my mother-in-law had a young trigger in a 75g with other "equally" aggressive fish and it did not end up well. The trigger was so aggressive and spazzy, it killed a grouper, puffer, and itself all in the matter of a month. As for coral, she only had some extra kenya tree attached to the rock for her urchin and none of her fish (including the trigger) touched it. I would be extremely nervous putting a trigger in a tank with any fish, but that may just be based on bad experience.

Either way, I hope whatever you decide goes well! Good luck!

[lietz06]

Originally Posted by Blown 346

That all depends on the triggers at hand, and what other fish you have, the size of the tank, and what type of inverts you might have.

Triggers are aggressive and only get worse as they mature. They will eat any shrimp,snails,hermit crabs, and may pick on corals.

I'm thinking of either getting a bluejaw pair or a male bluejaw and a pink tail trigger. I have a 200 gallon tank with a hawkfish, 2 ocellaris clowns, midas blenny, purple tang, yellow tang, & a blue hippo tang. As far as inverts go I have a sea urchin and a few snails and hermits...they're slowly killing each other though, lol.

[Blown 346]

Triggers would not go well in your setup. They will kill the clowns, hawkfish,blenny and anything else in your tank. You have a community tank, triggers should be kept in a aggressive only tank for best results.

People have kepy triggers with tangs, but it is a hit or miss. I myself wouldnt want to risk my other fishes lifes for a trigger.

[lietz06]

PS the future fish I'm planning on getting is a couple of anthias, maybe a psuedochromis, and a wrasse or two.

[Blown 346]

Triggers definetly wont work.

[pmrossetti]

"when in doubt, do without"

[OkR33Fer]

There are exceptions to every 'rule' .

I currently have not one, not two but 3 triggers in my tank. One is a Niger, One a Picasso and the last is a male Blue Jaw. The blue jaw was in the tank well before the other two who were adopted from a local reefer who was down sizing and wanted to find a new home for his triggers. My tank still houses 2 cleaner shrimp, a pair of coral banded shrimp and 3 peppermint shrimp. All live in harmony.

Other occupants in the same tank include 2 regal tangs, a scopas tang, a melanarus wrasse, a sixline wrasse, chromis, a scooter blenny and a few straggler damsels that I haven't cought yet.

None of my coral has ever been bothered by the fish.

[Blown 346]

Like said, people have kept them without issue but isnt a for sure thing. I wouldnt risk it with the community fish you have and want to add.

[OkR33Fer]

There's also a coral beauty in there.

[precko]

I think people are generalising triggers here, we are not talking about queen or clown triggers, members of the Xanthichthys group of triggers are fine with fish and coral, these include blue throats, crosshatch, sargassum. Only thing they may have a go at is inverts like your shrimps, crabs and snails. Pink tails are a member of the Melichthys sp. and normally fine in a mixed reef tank.

I would stick to 1 trigger or if you got 2 a pair of blue throats, or better pair of crosshatch $$$.

Obviously there are exceptions to the rules. 200gal would be a great size for a trigger or 2. Good luck.

[lietz06]

I wish I could afford a pair of crosshatches. In my dreams. The only reason was thinking of going with a pinktail and a bluejaw is bc the female bluejaws look like they lack a lot in color.

[lietz06]

Originally Posted by precko

I think people are generalising triggers here, we are not talking about queen or clown triggers, members of the Xanthichthys group of triggers are fine with fish and coral, these include blue throats, crosshatch, sargassum. Only thing they may have a go at is inverts like your shrimps, crabs and snails. Pink tails are a member of the Melichthys sp. and normally fine in a mixed reef tank.

I would stick to 1 trigger or if you got 2 a pair of blue throats, or better pair of crosshatch $$$.

Obviously there are exceptions to the rules. 200gal would be a great size for a trigger or 2. Good luck.

That was the way I understood them too...not as aggresive as normal triggers. Do you think that they are aggresive enough that they should be my final additions to the tank?

[precko]

Take a look at the Sargassum triggers, sometimes go by the name of red tail trigger, they are my favourite, cost more than blue throats but not as pricey as crosshatches.

I think the order you add them would depend on what else you plan to keep, I would consider blue throats as pretty docile for a big fish with sharp teeth If you are planning on adding some certain species of tangs I think these would be more aggressive than blue throats, and would add these after the trigger.

[Blown 346]

The Pinktail Trigger can be housed in a reef aquarium, but will eat any crustacean and small fish.
It also needs to be fed a varied diet of meaty foods including; squid, krill, clams, small fish and hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth.

The blue jaw would be the best suited for a reff tank but will pick at clam mantles and inverts. Small reef fish shouldnt be kept with it

[OkR33Fer]

And he loves the camera.



With a 200g tank, it would be worth giving a trigger or two a chance.

As with any fish different ones can have very different personalities. I have a friend who got a very pretty pick tail that had a nasty habbit of rearranging coral in thier tank. They ended up removeing the trigger for that reason.

[Zebodog]

There's a few Triggers that have a higher probability of being reef safe than others. One may be able to house a Trigger with no problems while someone else may have another from the same species that is a holy terror - each fish has a distinct personality.

Sargassums, Blue Throats and Crosshatches are probably your safest choice. A Niger may do well but has a higher likely hood of snacking on your shrimps, snails and crabs.

The bottom line? It's a crap shoot. You may have success but remember it is in their nature to eat anything they can get in their mouths. Don't be surprised or shocked if one day you find the "reef safe" Trigger munching on something that you'd rather it didn't - it's not the Trigger's fault; it's doing what has been hard wired into its DNA.

[lougotzz]

Originally Posted by kylie d

Before I say anything, I want you to know that I have never had a trigger myself and am still very new to saltwater and reefing. However, my mother-in-law had a young trigger in a 75g with other "equally" aggressive fish and it did not end up well. The trigger was so aggressive and spazzy, it killed a grouper, puffer, and itself all in the matter of a month. As for coral, she only had some extra kenya tree attached to the rock for her urchin and none of her fish (including the trigger) touched it. I would be extremely nervous putting a trigger in a tank with any fish, but that may just be based on bad experience.

Either way, I hope whatever you decide goes well! Good luck!

How does a trigger kill itself?

[gradth]

Originally Posted by Blown 346

Triggers would not go well in your setup. They will kill the clowns, hawkfish,blenny and anything else in your tank. You have a community tank, triggers should be kept in a aggressive only tank for best results.

People have kepy triggers with tangs, but it is a hit or miss. I myself wouldnt want to risk my other fishes lifes for a trigger.

I have a blue jaw pair in my tank with 3 clowns, lawn mower blenny, firefish, Hippo tang, kole tang, diamond goby, multiple shrimp, crabs, yada yada. All are fine and none are harrassed.

They are spazzy, but just in there own way. My little kole tang is the awnry one.

So saying that triggers will not go is incorrect, sorry. It depends on the fish, the type of trigger. There are a ton of factors.

[Blown 346]

According to the information out there on them, that is what I have not only read but have had first hand experience in.

Like said, the majority of triggers arent totally reef safe and should be added with caution. But there are cases just like with other fish that it can slid by with no issues.

I was just stating the usual info on how these fish are classified.

[reefrf]

There are several triggers that are considered reef safe. That is it's always a risk, but no more or less than any other "reef" safe fish. I have had my Sargassum Trigger for a year with the most common reef fish without any issues.

Here's a picture!!

[Eric the half-bee]

I've kept upto 5 triggers in my community reef at one time. The sargassum and blue throats were very gentle and seemed to bother no one. The 4" niger was well behaved but the 7" niger was a problem. Now, I'm sans triggers.

[nikon187]

My buddies pair of blue throats have neve touched a thing ( Coral, fish or invert) In the 6 yrs he has had them. We also house all of out blue throats at the store with smaller fish without issue. ( Anthias and wrasses included) In fact we have a 8" male blue throat with 15 green chromis, 2 sandsifters, and a couple tangs in the 350g