Niger Trigger?

[fishfreak2009]

Thinking about adding a niger trigger to my 187 gallon tank (60"x24"x30"). I currently have:
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Breeding pair that regularly lay eggs)
3 Yellow Tail Blue Damsels (A breeding pair and the odd man out)
1 Blue Devil (Not really worried about him, he's pretty tough and fast)
1 Seagrass Filefish (Would the trigger pick on him?)
1 Blue Head Wrasse (The Thalassoma species)
1 Melanurus Wrasse (A supermale)
2 Yellow Tang (who get along pretty well)
1 Bariene Tang (Who I'm either going to upgrade for eventually or will be going in a friend's tank who already wants him)

Should I be worried about adding a 2-3 inch niger with the damsels, clowns, and filefish?

 

[Ambition]

A Niger trigger will be too big for your tank. They need more than a 5' long tank as triggers are active swimmers that big like tangs.

 

[fishfreak2009]

I know all about how big it gets. I used to have one when I kept predatory fish. I was just curious about it being safe with the smaller fish and the files.

 

[gunlocators]

I am not sure about agression towards other fish but would say your tanks a ok size I seen them in 4ft tanks of my buddy

 

[justjosh012]

My niger is the largest and longest established fish in my 125g, and the only agression i see from him is for about a day with new additions, i think he is just making sure everyone knows he is in charge. if hes really small he may even get picked on by damsels if they are particularly nasty.

 

[brookers]

from my experience i think you will be ok. all the ones i've owned have not bothered damsels.

 

[fishfreak2009]

I had one back when my tank was a predator tank. The only reason I was concerned is because I purchased him as a 10 inch adult. He left the blue devils I had back then alone, as well as a clarki clown pair I had back then, but he ate the yellow half of all the yellow tailed blue damsels, killed yellow tangs, and ate the tail off a purple tang (the tail was yellow). He just hated yellow.

If I buy a juvenile without any bad habits it should be okay though, right?

 

[fishfreak2009]

I'm not going to add a niger. I don't want to risk it.

 

[lclark209]

Niger trigger was my first fish. Got him as a little guy...less than 3". He was in my 120g mixed reef. Never bothered fish, coral, or inverts...it's me he didn't like. Every time my hands went in the tank he came after me. The last straw was taking a chunck out my hand in between my thumb and first finger. So now he lives in a FOWLR tank (not mine) where the guy doesn't need to stick his hands in the tank very often.

If you do get one, get him little. That give you the best chance at success I would think. They really are great fish...tons of personality. Mine would beg and squirt water at me.

 

[fish042099]

Niger triggers only get 1', some other people think they get 20''

 

[fishfreak2009]

I'm going to have quite a few other large fish in the tank already though, so I'm not going to bother with the niger (unless I really fall in love with one when I visit the store).

 

[crobattt]

A fish is a fish, they all are different. Size i think you would be fine. but temperament that's your guess. i'd say try to find one that's in a tank with smaller fish already.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Nigers are fast growers and can turn out fairly civilized. But they are still big carnivores. Mine would eat most small clowns and similar sized fish----by attacking the belly area first. These fish don't stay the timid little triggers that you see at every LFS. Any inverts are lunch to a grown Niger too.

 

[fishfreak2009]

Nigers are fast growers and can turn out fairly civilized. But they are still big carnivores. Mine would eat most small clowns and similar sized fish----by attacking the belly area first. These fish don't stay the timid little triggers that you see at every LFS. Any inverts are lunch to a grown Niger too.

Ya, I'm pretty sure I'm going to skip on the niger. I don't have any inverts though. My bluehead wrasse pretty much wiped them all out.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Ya, I'm pretty sure I'm going to skip on the niger. I don't have any inverts though. My bluehead wrasse pretty much wiped them all out.

Good idea, I'm a fan of bluehead wrasse too----and most fish of that genus.