Reef safe trigger?

[coolingeffect]

I keep reading that blue jaw and niger triggers may be ok in a tank with corals. Anyone have any experience with this, im sure it is case to case but if anyone can give me some odds id like it. I used to have a niger and there is no way that destructive fish could have been kept in a reef system, as it killed everything not a fish while staying very peaceful and indifferent to other fish.

 

[Levito]

It's usually not the corals that are in danger with triggers, but the other inverts. Shrimp, crabs, clams, etc are going to be eaten.

 

[LisaD]

many triggers, like many puffers, will use corals as chew toys. so it's not true, IME, that triggers are safe with corals, in general. SOME triggers are known to be generally safe with corals, like blue throat and sargassum triggers. I had a young niger trigger in a reef tank and it never bothered my corals - don't know if it would change as it got older (it jumped out of the tank).

unfortunately, the term reef safe doesn't distinguish between corals and invert crustaceans or clams. more descriptive terms would be more useful.

 

[coolingeffect]

i dont really have much in the way of other inverts, a couple turbos and some brittlestars. If i got one and he killed the snails and stars i would get over it as long as it didnt eat the corals. I used to have a trigger and really enjoyed it. I loved how active it was and had real cool personality.

 

[John Blaze]

Pink tail triggers are supposed to be safe, they are also pretty cool looking.

 

[Wolverine]

Pinktails are not as reliably safe as the Xanthichthys triggers, but are moreso than nigers.

 

[sitandwatch]

I bought a Niger and a pink tail about 3weeks ago, all my inverts are still around including my cleaner shrimp and clam.

I am hesitant about adding in more as they know food comes from my hand.

They have not touched any lps or sps in my tank that I have seen yet

 

[tozzi]

I have a 5" bluethroat in my reef, he never bothers anything since i put him in. I think it helps to get them small. Go for a bluejaw or pink tail

 

[thor32766]

My pink tail is very very passive, with small fish, brittle stars, hermits snails and shrimp all have been safe. Hes a very relaxed fish. love him!

 

[Wolverine]

I bought a Niger and a pink tail about 3weeks ago, all my inverts are still around including my cleaner shrimp and clam.

Let us know in about 2 years how they're doing.

 

[a.stebel]

Had my 4 inch blue throat in my reef for about a year. He has never bothered a coral or touched a shrimp. I have about 10 shrimp in the tank. Usually stays in the upper 1/3 of the tank and makes constant laps around the tank. Loves to swim.

 

[maynardjames]

my red tail (sargassum) has been great so far

 

[Wolverine]

Had my 4 inch blue throat in my reef for about a year. He has never bothered a coral or touched a shrimp. I have about 10 shrimp in the tank.

Sooooooo, just to quibble with language a little bit: If you have "about 10 shrimp", how can you be sure he hasn't taken a sample, or how will you know if he does in the future?

 

[srfnsport]

Reef Safe Trigger

Reef Safe Trigger

I have had a pinktail for over a year now, and he's grown to over 5" long, and become an amazing part of my reef tank. He has never bothered any of my corals! But do be careful when adding new inverts to your tank- triggers are very curious (I lost a porcelain crab once) But I have 8 different kinds of shrimp and crabs and the trigger never messes with them. He actually sleeps with the fire shrimp under a large rock
If you're gonna try it, start with a small trigger so he will grow up in the tank not knowing to eat other than what you feed it!

 

[Wolverine]

But do be careful when adding new inverts to your tank- triggers are very curious (I lost a porcelain crab once

That's definitely true. Established inverts have a much better chance.

 

[coolingeffect]

i think i will try it as my last stocking for this tank. Im adding a hippo tang and a cardinal tuesday then i might get a friend for my clown then add a trigger after the fact and see what happens. I will do my best to find one about the size of a quarter or so to lessen the chance. I just think they are super cool fish and feel like my tank is lacking without one.....

 

[b2d2t]

i have a sargassum in a 125 reef and its doing great no problems and very social !

 

[dkirchoff]

funny no one has mentioned the destructive behavior when it comes to burrowing and remodeling the landscape...the exact reason i swayed away from trying the trigger experiment

 

[lisafoster]

I have a blue throat for 6 months I have not seen him eat any hermits or snails however I would not put any shrimp in with him. Like people said there is no guarantee he will not eat cuc. He never bothers any of muy fish he is about 6 inches I have him in a 125 I would never put him in a smaller tank he constantly cruises back and forth and make sure rockwork is secure he is always dive bombing in and out of the crevices has never ran into any rocks. I would say be sure you don't care if he may possibly eat cuc before putting him in also my fish get two small meals a day

 

[kirkaz]

I would say Sargassum is the best option, someone mentioned digging in the sand, I have never seen my Sargassum at the bottom of the tank. He is a very hungry fish though, I certainly wouldn't put it past him to eat a shrimp if you tried to add one.

Keep in mind we see all the "my Pinktail has been in 6 months with no problem" posts....Success with Triggers is measured in years, not months....They change substantially from juvi to adult.

I will also add that I see Crosshatch mentioned a lot as reefsafe, the problem with Crosshatch is they are not available at small sizes, you simply can't get a male under 6 or 7 inches. I've had my 7.5 inch male (w/ female) about a month, and this fish is in no way shy, my tank is full of "aggressive" fish, and he has a mean streak in him that the other fish know not to mess with.

No matter what type, a big Trigger can be a mean Trigger. Reefsafe, maybe, but "community safe" may be another story.