Blue Jaw Trigger?

[jasert39]

anyone keep one in their reef? Really would love a trigger in my tank...or is there another that is better suited?

thanks in advance.

 

[Patrick12]

I have not had one in a reef, but three of my friends do and have had no problems....it is a handomse fish...FWIW. I have only ever had a Niger trigger in a reef and he would only eat shrimps, left the hermits and snails alone.

 

[Gwynhidwy]

Possibly the safest of the triggers, a good choice.

 

[reef_doug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12412649#post12412649 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gwynhidwy
Possibly the safest of the triggers, a good choice.

Agree. Blue Jaw, Pink Tail and Crosshatch are generally considered reefsafe. Only inverts at risk, even then if the shrimp are in before the trigger they will generally leave them alone. Infact some triggers will allow cleaner shrimp to do their duty.

 

[R.W.]

I have a blue jaw in my reef and no problems. The funny thing is that the trigger actually allows my 3 cleaners to clean inside his mouth and they live in the same cave together. So much for be a predator haha. They all sleep together which is pretty funny to watch because the trigger will lie down and the shrimp sit on top of him to sleep.

 

[benf]

I have had a male blue throat in my tank for ~8mos with not a single issue...only thing he has nipped at is me!

 

[jasert39]

are they generally fish that adapt well to tank life as far as eating prepared foods go?

 

[benf]

yes, mine eats pellets, frozen, flake, Nori(both green and purple)

Only issue with the fish was the first week i had him he was hiding and never came out.

 

[jasert39]

cool thanks ben, i guess I'll have to keep my eye out for one now...anyone have pictures of one in their reef?

 

[bdif]

I know these various triggers are "reef safe", but how bout destructive. Do they dig and kick up lots of sand etc.? I had a niger years ago and he was "reef safe" but completly nuts and caused mucho destruction.

 

[Untamed12]

Reef safe? - In my experience..yes

Peaceful with other fish? - In my experience...yes

Suitable for aquariums? - In my experience...no

As my male and female Blue Throats grew to over 6", they both began to display behaviour called "stereotypy". This term describes any behaviour that his repeated constantly. You've probably seen this in caged bears/cats in old zoos. In this case, it was repetitive swimming pattern back and forth along the wall of the tank. This behaviour would only be interrupted at feeding time.

In my case, the male Trigger actually began to wear through the acrylic of the tank wall.

Even in my 400 gallon tank, it was just too cruel to watch this fish pace and I have donated him to the local public aquarium. I am hoping that his behaviour will change in their 12,000 gallon system.

 

[sean48183]

My blue hippo just started doing this about a week ago. I hope it goes away. He is only about 5" now and is pretty annoying to watch him do all day except at feeding times like you stated.

 

[thor32766]

I have pair in my tank and have been by far model citizens.

 

[EpidemicScuzzy]

Mine was my favorite fish in the tank (full-blown reef). Had to sell him due to tank change, but I wouldn't hesitate to get another based on the experience I had with the first.

 

[falconut]

I love mine. He's in with Cleaner Shrimp, CBS, Various Snails & BL Hermits and hasn't bothered any of them. Also, never bothers any other fish or corals. Mine hasn't flipped rocks or stirred sand either, I wish I could say the same of my Pinkspot Goby.

Definitely, my favorite fish in my tank.

 

[spamin76]

I kept a Sargassum trigger in a reef tank at one point, and never had any problems. The Sargassum is farily closely related to the blue jaw.

Unfortunately the fish ended up diseased at one point and didn't make it through treatment, but he did well in the reef for quite some time before he got sick(which was largely my fault)