Goodbye clown trigger

[Recty]

It has come time for me to get rid of the clown trigger. Too bad, he was a gorgeous fish, a really pretty example of the species. He didnt have the red on this fins is my only complaint, but I liked him anyway

He and the emperor angel just do not get along. Every time I looked at the tank, the clown was "shoving" the emperor around. Tail slapping a lot. The emperor didnt just get beat up though, he fought back and actually neither fish has shown any damage yet, but the nonstop stress cant be good. I waited 2 full weeks to see if the behavior would stop and it didnt, I changed the rock structure around and nothing seemed to fix it. I'm not one to let fish just keep fighting and fighting, even if they arent actually damaging each other. I'd like my fish to be "happy" so to speak, and these two definitely werent.

Anyway, between the clown and the emperor angel, I choose the clown to have to get rid of.

Someone want a 5.5" clown trigger, cheap?

Just kidding, I think I'll just drop him off at the LFS, there is a rose bulb anemone I wouldnt mind trading for.

So now I'm down to 4 triggers, sigh. I'm actually probably going to get rid of the pinktail and possibly the humu a couple months down the road, I think I'm going to go with an asfur and scribbled angel and I'll need to make room for them. As much as I like the humu, he is a jerk to new fish for sure and all around just adds stress to the tank.

I can hear the clown trigger now There is one giant hermit crab down in the sump where I stuck him and he is taking his aggression out on the crab. Whack whack whack.

Anyway, here is probably the last picture I'll ever take of him! And yes, the water is disgusting down there but that's because I just scraped about 6 months worth of algae growth off the side of the sump so I could see in. It will clear up with a little water flow through there and get filtered.

And then just because I like taking pictures... here are the next two fish I'm probably removing! Cant see the pinktail very well, but he is there!

 

[OceanLover2]

Wow, the Clown Trigger is a real stunner. He is very nice looking so I can see why you are sad to see him go. Does he grunt like some triggers?

You are making the right decision not to keep the two fish together constantly at odds with each other. Stress really depletes fish.

 

[LukFox]

I agree that one probably has to go. ): I tried an emperor angel once and it just would not get along with my tusk. Both fish wanted the boss position and they eventually stressed each other to the point of getting ick. I tried time outs, rearranging the rocks, and the mirror trick and they still wouldn't get along. For these two as well it was mostly posturing, but it was nearly constant. The emperor was the one who went for me. Can't let go of my tusk!

It's sad that the picasso has to go because of aggression, too. Sometimes I try to reason with myself about getting a trigger, but this helps me remember why I don't have any. Thanks for your post.

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14619437#post14619437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OceanLover2
Wow, the Clown Trigger is a real stunner. He is very nice looking so I can see why you are sad to see him go. Does he grunt like some triggers?

You are making the right decision not to keep the two fish together constantly at odds with each other. Stress really depletes fish.

He only ever grunts when I have him out of the water, which has only been three times now. He grunts a lot for the 5 seconds he is in the net Yeah, I want this emperor angel to get big and amazing colored, I don't want him stressed like he has been lately.

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14619478#post14619478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LukFox
It's sad that the picasso has to go because of aggression, too. Sometimes I try to reason with myself about getting a trigger, but this helps me remember why I don't have any. Thanks for your post.

Well I'm not 100% committing to moving the humu yet I'm just saying probably down the road he's going to continue being a jerk and he will end up getting the boot. We will see though. I'd like to add two more angels and I cant see there being enough room in the tank right now for those.

As it stands, I probably wont buy the angels for a couple more months at least, so the humu has a lot of time left to enjoy good food and spacious living quarters

 

[WuHT]

tough decision, a big clown trigger or a big emperor angel... yikes

I suppose in with the new, out with the old

 

[jmccown]

I don't blame you recty. My blueline didn't get along with my big annularis angel, so my angel won as well. I have my blueline in my sump till I can figure out what I'm going to do with him. He has plenty of room in the sump till then.

 

[barbianj]

Over time, it's either a bigger tank or replace fish. Even though your tank is a 210, an eight footer would better suit your needs. I would keep the Emperor as well. Do we see an angel dominant tank in your future?

 

[Recty]

Depends what you consider dominant! I'm considering 2 and POSSIBLY 3 more angels and removing two triggers So I'll have 3-4 angels, 2 triggers, a wrasse and a tang. Eight fish has always seemed to be a good number, of course it all depends on size.

I do agree, I'd like an eight footer, but why stop there... I'm renting right now so I dont want a huge tank plus I'm not sure the 2nd floor I'm on can handle anything bigger.

When I move next, it will be either into a house I've bought or else rent in a house where I can do some bracing to the floor beneath my tank. Ideally, I'll get a 120" x 36" x 24", possibly even 48" wide instead of the 36". It would be either a ~450g or a ~600g, depending on which width I went with. I really like the idea of a 4 foot wide tank and it would be great if I decide to go with it as a room divider.

 

[fender4string]

Oh man sorry to hear you have to give him up. That is one sweet clown trigger.

I veto your getting rid of the humu so that means you have to keep it .

Either way that's cool you'll be getting new fish so I'll be looking forward to seeing them down the line here.

 

[danorth]

Sorry to hear man. But nothing is killed at least....

 

[Recty]

Yeah, I'm glad I made it out of it without any fish deaths.

When I was trying to catch the clown, he was tail smacking the end of a long plastic spoon I was using to herd him into the net. Holy crap, he hits HARD. I'm not sure how the angel doesnt have damage from that, they would both go tail to tail and smash away, grunting like pigs. I would think one or both would be beat up big time due to the force.

He was also biting the spoon, it has some damage done. Crazy teeth on that guy.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Sorry to see your getting rid of the clown, and maybe the other triggers. Seems to be your moving over to angels now more. Didn't see that coming but with a gorgeous emperor I can see why your hooked! Goodluck with everything.

 

[LisaD]

sounds like you need an angel tank AND a trigger tank. just call me the great enabler.

 

[HOBrien]

Sorry to see it go but I would have done the same thing.

 

[saltyguy51]

The pinktail is fine in there is'nt it ?

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14622315#post14622315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DamnPepShrimp
Sorry to see your getting rid of the clown, and maybe the other triggers. Seems to be your moving over to angels now more. Didn't see that coming but with a gorgeous emperor I can see why your hooked! Goodluck with everything.

Yeah, angels are a different experience than triggers. Truth be told, I like triggers but I was getting tired of the same type of fish. I think a little more variety will make me enjoy the hobby more.

1/3 triggers, 1/3 angels and 1/3 misc other fish seems to be a good ratio to shoot for

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14623377#post14623377 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LisaD
sounds like you need an angel tank AND a trigger tank. just call me the great enabler.

I would call you that, but my wife would call you something completely different and you better hope she doesnt find out where you live

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14624376#post14624376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyguy51
The pinktail is fine in there is'nt it ?

Fine, yeah, but boring, I dont really like it. It's an OK fish but nothing special. I've got a good LFS around town that takes in my "strays" and sells them off, so it isnt like I flush them or anything if I decide I dont want it.

I did get a couple last pictures of the clown trigger, giving me one final sad goodbye look.

He was just starting to get some nice pink on his tail, I hate to see him go.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Very sad I am in the same boat you are Recty, I might have to get rid of my eel and possibly wrasse, it's either that or the little angels, since both more then likely cant co-exist.