clown trigger in a reef

[dviper150]

my family loves clown triggers and wanted to add one to our reef if possible. I have a 125 mixed reef and was thinking of adding a 1-2" clown trigger. i know these guys get aggressive as they get older and I did have a 6" clown trigger in my fowlr before I converted it to reef. My question is would it be okay to add a clown trigger that small with all the inverts I have and corals? I was planning on rehoming it as it got bigger and more aggressive. I am looking for experience from people who also have or have tried a baby clown trigger in a reef too.

 

[ace_92101]

While they're super cute, in my opinion, it's a bad idea. If you have invertebrates, they might become dinner. They also can nip at corals. I had one in a FOWLR tank and it not only became aggressive, but it toppled some live rock. Do you have the second home already set?

 

[humaguy]

It will make a mess...with the corals-what it wont/cant eat it will flip over, rearrange, carry around the tank or just destroy...the inverts will be eaten...they also grow quite fastand will def need a larger home sooner rather than later.

What livestock is in the tank?

 

[Dmorty217]

This is a receipt for disaster, they will move whatever they want around the tank at will and your inverts maybe safe one day and the next day you will come home to find them all dead because your clown decided to make a snack out of them. They are also very messy eaters which kinda goes against the whole "Reef" setup. I wouldn't do it, if you can't house the fish for life in the current system don't buy it at all

 

[roenicknewf]

I wouldn't keep a clown trigger ever again ,,period!
Got rid of mine after he decided it was "his" tank ...They almost never play nice with others after awhile..

 

[alton]

I once had a tiny one (-1") in a 29, he used one of my Welsophyllia's to hide under. He lasted about six months before I sold him because he out grew my 29. Never bothered a thing. I also had a 6" that I grew from a baby, in a reef and was fine except he overloaded my nitrates. The common denominator is you will have to sell him in time.

 

[pinnatus]

I had a small one too. 1" or so. It grew quickly. At 2" it bit the head off of my eel. Then sliced a butterfly in half. Back to the store it went.

 

[humaguy]

yeah, they are brutal fish and must be kept alone...it will always end in disaster, just a matter of when it occurs...

 

[dviper150]

even when they are that tiny, they are still destructive?

 

[humaguy]

yeah, they will turn things over, carry them around the tank in their mouths, pick them up and drop them...will nip at and try to eat most anything...
though they are insanely cute- they are can be real destructive at any size...

 

[roenicknewf]

The thing is ,,you never know when they will snap..
You could literally go to bed one night then wake up in the morning to a big fat CT and a few fish missing..Not worth the risk IMO

 

[OSTguy]

But they look so nice.....I'll be sure to post when this one kills another fish. I don't subscribe to the instant murderer scenario.

 

[dviper150]

They look very beautiful. I had 4 different clown triggers in my fowlr at different times and only 1 of them turned out to be a psycho. It actually ended up killing itself by bitting into a powerhead wire and shocking himself to death.

I would love to try one in my reef but knowing that they CAN be very aggressive/destructive, I won't be taking that chance. We just wanted some unique and beautiful in the reef that you don't see everyday.

 

[OSTguy]

Yep, heard this funny sound in the middle of the night, walked to the tank and saw the electricity arcing from one end to the other, about 1/2" in the water. Dumbo bit through the wire. So, I have thick clear tubing over all of the power cords now. You can barely see it the picture above on the right with a green zip tie.

 

[dviper150]

I see that lol. I have mp40s now so no wires going into my tank anymore.

 

[Wolverine]

I've seen a few people get away with them in reefs, but only in huge tanks. I wouldn't keep a CT alone in a tank that small.

 

[dviper150]

Yea, I am not planning on it anymore. Don't want to rish any of my inhabitants, especially my corals.

 

[SUP]

The other thing not mentioned, is that they do come to you for feeding and attention and therefore become quite a pet. It is hard to get rid of them after a while.


SUP

 

[mikem101]

This is totally off topic but i have a good friend who has a 220G mixed reef and has a pair blue throat triggers and they are awesome dont pick on fish the CUC or the coral! Although seeing any trigger in a reef tank was a shock to me at first his are pretty cool!

 

[humaguy]

Chingchai just got the mated pair of Outriggers from Koji and has added to his large reef...
http://youtu.be/SXwRGmAnJcA
http://youtu.be/y-x9LI6xFxU