Saying goodbye

godspeed23 · 02/22/2018, 07:44 PM

One of my absolute favorite fish is the clown trigger. For me, it's just one of the fish I had to have. I've read dozens of articles about them... and they all end badly. I've had mine for a little over a year. I've watched it grow from 2 inches to 5 inches. It demonstrates plenty of enthusiasm in my 250 gallon tank. It's exotic shape and colors are always attention grabbers. Unfortunately, as most experts predict, just as it has reached the 5-6 inch mark, this trigger has become very unneighborly. Now I'm forced to consider putting it up for adoption at my LFS. I'm completely disheartened. Has anyone had long term success keeping a clown trigger in a large community aquarium? Is this a hopeless cause?

sethd12 · 02/27/2018, 02:05 PM

I would give it some time unless he is absolutely beating the snot out of his tank mates. I have heard of people actually having clown triggers in reef tanks sometimes. I would personally never try it, but never know. Maybe he just needs a "sump" timeout.

slief · 02/27/2018, 02:28 PM

I’ve kept clown triggers for several years without issue in other fish systems of mine. I have a friend who has one in a customers tank and it’s been in there for almost 10 years.

Bent · 02/27/2018, 03:03 PM

What are his tank mates?

I’d evict the tank mates before I evicted him.

Kevin Guthrie · 02/27/2018, 06:51 PM

Try the following. Idea being that new fish are not aggressive.

Exile the trigger somewhere.
Rearrange the rock etc in your tank; as much as possible make it look like a different place.
Wait a few days for the other inhabitants to get un-freaked out and used to the place.
Reintroduce the trigger as new kid on the block.

moondoggy4 · 02/27/2018, 10:13 PM

Are you feeding him a lot? A full lion is a safe lion.

rocklobster1 · 03/03/2018, 06:22 PM

You just better have some real badasses for tank mates.

02/22/2018, 07:44 PM	#1
godspeed23 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 7	Saying goodbye One of my absolute favorite fish is the clown trigger. For me, it's just one of the fish I had to have. I've read dozens of articles about them... and they all end badly. I've had mine for a little over a year. I've watched it grow from 2 inches to 5 inches. It demonstrates plenty of enthusiasm in my 250 gallon tank. It's exotic shape and colors are always attention grabbers. Unfortunately, as most experts predict, just as it has reached the 5-6 inch mark, this trigger has become very unneighborly. Now I'm forced to consider putting it up for adoption at my LFS. I'm completely disheartened. Has anyone had long term success keeping a clown trigger in a large community aquarium? Is this a hopeless cause?

02/27/2018, 02:05 PM	#2
sethd12 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 941	I would give it some time unless he is absolutely beating the snot out of his tank mates. I have heard of people actually having clown triggers in reef tanks sometimes. I would personally never try it, but never know. Maybe he just needs a "sump" timeout. __________________ -500 gallon mixed reef

02/27/2018, 02:28 PM	#3
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	I’ve kept clown triggers for several years without issue in other fish systems of mine. I have a friend who has one in a customers tank and it’s been in there for almost 10 years. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

02/27/2018, 03:03 PM	#4
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	What are his tank mates? I’d evict the tank mates before I evicted him. __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

02/27/2018, 06:51 PM	#5
Kevin Guthrie Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 506	Try the following. Idea being that new fish are not aggressive. Exile the trigger somewhere. Rearrange the rock etc in your tank; as much as possible make it look like a different place. Wait a few days for the other inhabitants to get un-freaked out and used to the place. Reintroduce the trigger as new kid on the block.

02/27/2018, 10:13 PM	#6
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Are you feeding him a lot? A full lion is a safe lion.

03/03/2018, 06:22 PM	#7
rocklobster1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 57	You just better have some real badasses for tank mates.