Blue Throats Reef Safe ????

[Ereefic]

I love trigger threads.

We had a bluethroat trigger in our 120 long with a variety of fish, small and large as well as corals and a medium sized clean up crew of a wide variety as well as different shrimp. The trigger never bothered anything in the tank while it was in there for 6+ months. Unfortunately, the fish jumped out and perished.

The only problem I had was when I floated a bag with a new shrimp in it. The trigger attacked the floating bag trying to get at the shrimp. After floating the bag elsewhere, I turned off the lights and added the shrimp at the opposite end of the tank and the trigger never bothered it again.

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We now have a new bluethroat trigger in our 110 gal. BB SPS tank. There are cerith, nassarius and turbo snails as well as a couple of peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp. A clam and over 60 different SPS frags as well. The trigger has a nice little spot he spends time when not swimming about. This trigger has been in this tank for about 1 year now and the ONLY critter it eats are the stometella snails, it loves them. This doesn't bother me as they reproduce like crazy and they are still visible grazing the rocks.

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IME and IMO, a bluethroat is a great choice as far as triggers go to put in a reef system. As long as you understand the possibility that the fish may reek havoc. But that can be said about any critter we put in our tanks.

If you were to do a search about bluethroat or bluejaw triggers, I am betting that 98% of the people keeping them in a reef environment have no problems at all.

What bugs me about this topic, and many others is that people will respond with no actual experience on the topic. Please don't say that 'they will eat this and that' or other statement like that unless you have first hand experience with a bluethroat trigger.

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With all that said, I would never hesitate about adding a bluethroat trigger to another reef of mine. I understand that the possibility of the fish causing problems is there, but IME chances are that won't happen.

I must go now and enjoy watching my trigger swim.

 

[JENnKerry]

No I have never owned one, but when an informative website says "with caution" that steers me away. That's saying that you have just as much of a chance keeping a dwarf angel in your reef as a trigger. Anything that is considered "with caution" for a reef is not truly reef safe. As I said in an earlier post, inverts are just as important and vital to a reef as corals are.

I guess I'm not one of those people that would take a chance with something like this. I like knowing that all of my animals are safe with each other.

 

[VolitanLioness]

Beautiful trigger! I added my chromis after the trigger (Pinktail) and had no problems, the trigger was 4 1/2 inches and the chromis were tiny, the cardinals I had before the trigger.

Kaye

 

[Triggerfish]

No trigger is reef safe. People just get lucky with them.

this makes no sense.
planktovores are reef safe.. if you want to keep a bunch of shrimp in a tank, then get a separate tank for them.

 

[jda]

What informative site says "with caution"?

All tangs can be coral eaters, even the "reef safe" ones. All angels (except for maybe genicanthus) can eat coral. Hermits, snails and shrimp can all eat coral too on occasion... not to mention each other. Even damsels and clowns eat baby snails, coral and shrimp. ...so is nothing "reef safe"?

Bluethroat, sargassm and crosshatch are more reef safe than any tang or angel IMO. These triggers will eat dead fish and shrimp, but don't think that they were the ones that killed them.

Here are pics of my crosshatch that has never bothered anything and my bluejaw that never bothered anything either:

 

[MiddletonMark]

I dunno what site, Scott Michael's book seems to suggest they're reef-safe too.

 

[Triggerfish]

Here are pics of my crosshatch that has never bothered anything and my bluejaw that never bothered anything either:

you must be one of the "lucky" people then...

same with me with my niger..oh wait..i do not have a shrimp in my reef just snails and crabs..guess it cannot be considered "reef" safe then.

 

[VolitanLioness]

jda you know I just love that crosshatch ........

Kaye

 

[JENnKerry]

you must be one of the "lucky" people then...

same with me with my niger..oh wait..i do not have a shrimp in my reef just snails and crabs..guess it cannot be considered "reef" safe then.

For your information, it was Live Aquaria that said it. Maybe they're not the most accurate with their information. From what I have always understood, triggers are not really reef safe. I guess I have some learning to do when it comes to them. In the meantime I would appreciate it if everyone would please keep the sarcasim to a minimum. Let's not make fun of the person who is trying to learn something Triggerfish.

 

[Triggerfish]

ya,,you sure did seem pretty adamant about it,,even though you have never actually attempted it...
regardless of what any single source says or recommends,,i have always found the consesus of this board to prevail.

there may always be that "one in a million" situation,,however keep in mind there will always be a "rule' and an "exception".

 

[Julio]

Hey Guys,
i know Tony from Reef Exotics personally and he has sold manny blue throat triggers to friends of mine and to this date none have touched a single fish nor bothered any corals, the only thing they will most likely go after is ornamental shrimps and crabs. He even has a pair in his personal tank.

 

[floridareefs]

Look a ereef suggestions. Forget about so called people that think they know it all about "reef" tanks. learn and listen to people that had had them. I have had both the niger and the blue throat without problems. You cant base your decisions on "liveaquaria" They are not the know all on reef tanks. Im sorry to say. so just go for it. they are great fish and you will enjoy it

 

[COreefer]

I guess someone needs to identify reef safe. To me it is the capacity to keep an organism in a reef geared enviroment, even if that means some species may be threatened. If all a trigger or another fishmay eat is a shrimp, then it is reef safe because one does not need shrimp to accomplish a reef.

 

[jda]

COreefer, that is true. In that definition, all triggers are reef safe... they just might not be fish and invert safe.

SpecialK, I just got another small xhatch for my SPS tank. It is just now converting to a male and is about 3" long. One of my faves for sure. If anybody can afford one and give it a good home, I highly recommend them. They have excellent personalities and are extremely hardy. They get even more colorful in the presence of a female.

 

[assassinco97]

Ok guys this thread is actually getting me very excited about owning one of these "reef safe" triggers....can anyone tell me what prices I should expect to pay for a sargassum, X-hatch, or blue throat...Also please keep pouring in the info it's really helpful

Ed

 

[Triggerfish]

around here in the north east both sarg and hatches are a rare find..and would think they would be $100+
2.5 - 4" bluethroats usually go for around $50-70.

it's very important that you make certain that the fish is eating prior to purchase.

 

[Wayner2]

Great fish, Reef Safe, I've had one for 4 months now, he's a puss!eats like a horse - since were on the topic, would anyone know why the Yellow trim on its fins seems to be fading?., I feed a variety of foods, but the yellow isn't as vibrant as when I first got him, the Blue on his throat is still nice.

 

[jda]

In KC, a male bluethroat is around $50. Xhatches are around $150-250 depending on the time of year... and are usually a special order. Females are cool too and are a LOT cheaper, but not as colorful. Pairs are neat if you have a tank big enough. The male really gets colorful with a female around.

I have found that they are shy for 4-7 days, but then are good eaters and hardy fish that rarely ever hide.

Both are the kind of fish that you can have for many, many years... which makes the price tag of a xhatch very reasonable for a serious hobbist.

 

[jda]

Wayner2 - sometimes their color is not as good without a female around. You might consider ordering a female to join him - they are usually resonably priced.

 

[Julio]

the prices on these guys are pretty surprising for such a nice fish, but they are so abundant that rare they are not.