Adding a trigger in a reef system

[Thunderstruck]

I am setting up my 180 reef tank, and have been putting together a list of fish for the tank. I want to have some good size fish in their. I plan on putting in a foxface and a tang, a few wrasses, but was thinking of putting a triggerfish in their as well, either a Bluethroat or Crosshatch. I have heard varouis reports on how reef safe they really are. I plan on having a wide variety of inverts in the tanks, several snails and crabs. I did want to have some cleaner shrimps as well, but didn't know if that would be pushign my luck. Does anyone here have a bluethroat or crosshatch in their reefs?

 

[rnelson]

I used to have a BlueThroat.....it never showed much interest in the corals. It did bite the live rock some though....don't know whether it was just filing down its teeth or whether it thought the LR was edible....

I've heard that Pinktails and Nigers are somewhat reef-safe also.....

 

[clekchau]

i am also setting up a mixed reef which will concentrate mainly on fish with some softies and lps thrown in. i am considering the niger, black durgen, and blue throat. cross hatch would be awesome but out of my price range at the moment.

 

[clekchau]

oh i also read the pink tailed was ok for a reef too

 

[JeffK95Z]

we have a pink tail in our reef tank at work (120 gallon)... He also bites the live rock on occasion, but has yet to pick at any corals...

We are a little hesitant to put in a clam or shrimp however...

The clam, we've just heard bad stories on... the shrimp, we know all too well as we also have a shameface crab that we feed weekly.

The trigger goes NUTS for the fresh shrimp we attempt to feed the crab with

 

[Thunderstruck]

I really have been leaning towards the crosshatch, they look really sweet. My main cocern was them destorying my hermit crabs/snails, and also my LPS and SPS. So far, from what I am hearing, that is not a major concern (correct me if I'm wrong), just avoid adding shrimp (which sucks). Those with the Xanthichthys triggers, do they tend to be fin nippers? That was my other concern. I know the piccaso trigger I had in my Fish only system was a fin nipper, was not sure if the same was for the crosshatch. I would hate to get some nice fish, only to have them be missing parts of their tails

 

[bcordill]

Found these pics on the net.

How about a little clown trigger like this guy .

Here is a full shot of the tank looks the he knows what he is doing

I had a picasso trigger for a while did fine until I added snails and a clam.

Here is a website for more shots of the tank.
http://www.cowfish.info/

 

[Tex007]

triggers will not eat corals so technically all triggers are "reef safe", its when you add inverts is when problems arise. they are natural predators and will eat meaty foods, injured fish and watever else they eat in the wild, even sea urchins arent safe!

one thing I have heard is when making the gamble is to choose a species with an "upward pointing jaw", kind of like an under bite like the cross hatch, blue throat and niger. they are SUPPOSEDLY, less aggressive, plantonic feeders.

 

[Tex007]

*planktonic feeders

 

[steve the plumb]

I had a small niger,bluethroat male and female,and a pinktail all of the fish were very calm.

 

[slovan]

I have a pair of crosshatches in mine. They get along well with the others but they're a little clumsy by knocking over some corals.

I also have a cleaner shrimp and a cleanup crew in the tank as well. I haven't seen any signs of them snacking on the crew.

 

[mateo lopez]

I have a juvi Niger and he is going bye bye very soon. My wife caught him nipping at some zoas and he seems to be pretty aggressive towards my other fish. The only good thing is that he has never went after my cleaner shrimp.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I guess it depnds on the fish itself. I was planning on adding the trigger at the end. BTW, slovan those are a beautiful pair of crosshatches you have! I am def going to get a crosshatch if I put a trigger in.

 

[steve the plumb]

In general I found most triggers are shy fish.Mine were more affraid of the other fish in the tank.The first few days all they did was hide.It does depend on the fish itself but I found most triggers are smart and they know when you feed thats the food to eat they never bothered other fish or inverts.I would sujest you buy them when they are small.This will get them used to the tank and eating pellets or frozen.Once the fish is trianed to eat the food they generaly will eat whats known to them as food.I am not sure about adding a clown trigger to a reef tank.They aren't a reef safe fish.You can see in the pic its a small clown but I would worry about the fish when it gets larger.Like I said most fish eat the fish food because thats what they know to be food,but an animal is still an animal so who knows whats imprinted in its mind it may eat a snail or hermit.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I know the picasso I had was shy when he was young, but the older he got, the more havick he caused. They are still cool as hell though...

 

[Capt_Cully]

got a pink tail here. read on marine depot live he was least likely trigger to rearrange and nip at corals.

I must have gotten a lemon, because it he loves to nip monti caps and no matter where i put certain frags it doesn't jove with his feng shui (sp?) cause he move it.

 

[jtemple42000]

I have a blue chin and a niger in my 210. They leave everything alone.....but like above I think a lot depends on the fish....

IMO, any fish may nip at corals and inverts if it is not feed.

 

[pitbullpooch]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9608180#post9608180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bcordill
Found these pics on the net.

How about a little clown trigger like this guy .

Here is a full shot of the tank looks the he knows what he is doing

I had a picasso trigger for a while did fine until I added snails and a clam.

Here is a website for more shots of the tank.
http://www.cowfish.info/

I wouldnt go off from just looking at pics on deciding what is safe in a reef. heres the link to the same tank here on rc http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1077390 and if you read down through the thread this is what the owner of the tank had said to the people asking about the clown trigger being in his reef "The clown trigger is 3 inches long. Im aware of that its a ticking bomb ready to explode without a warning, so it will be moved to a more suitable tank once it gets bigger" clown triggers are one of the most agressive fish and ive yet to find someone who tries one in there reef without the trigger tearing the tank apart. They are one of my favorite fish but i would never trust one in a reef because they can be ok as babies but they will turn on you overnight.

 

[mflamb]

I am considering a pair of Crosshatch for my 390.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I don't know if I would go with a clown in my reef, but that looks cool as hell. I def want a crosshatch now, I think I will put it in near the end, want to get my tang in their first...