Triggerfish

[daveverdo]

Hi All,

I am considering going FOWLR. I have never had a trigger and I considering getting a Picasso. I read everywhere that they eat snails and other small inverts.

Those of you that have triggers, what do you use as a clean up crew?

Also, do Picassos eat ALL types of corals? Can I have any softies, LPS, mushrooms?

Current residents of my 90g:
Foxface
2 false percs
sixline
flame angel

Dave

 

[twelvebeer]

I have a picasso. He has wiped out my small snail, asternia starfish and pod population. I have large turbo snails in the DT that still do some clean up work. I also have a peppermint shrimp that he does not bother. I have no corals in that tank so I can not comment about that.

 

[MJB1224]

I'd stay away from the Picasso if you're going to keep him long term because when they get large they get mean. I wouldn't trust them with any coral and say goodbye to your inverts. If you want to get a trigger that will be pretty good with inverts and coral along with smaller tankmates then I'd go with a small blue throat or a Niger.

 

[DEEP BLUE SIX]

Bluechin(throat) or Niger Triggers are ok. People definitely keep them in reefs.

A much better one is the Pink Tail Trigger. It's much more attractive. Also, very reef safe with corals and most fish (as long as they are not really small fish)

It does get fairly large. But has a real good temperment for a trigger. Gets along with most reef fish(again as long as they are not like pencil long/thin- very small) It ignores corals with no interest in them. Many people have had success keeping Cleaner or coral banded shrimp in the same tank as them as well. As long as the Shrimp was added first. For a time.. before the trigger.

A friend of mine kept a very large one(pink tail) in a 150 with a coral banded Shrimp, 2 Clowns w/ Anemone, 2-3 Cardinal fish, and 3 tangs(Yellow, Blue Hippo, and a "Small"-not grown out much yet- lined or "clown" Tang) There were a few turbo snails in the tank too and numerous Corals.

Even in a smaller tank with less fish it would do excellent.
The main deal as with any specimen, keep it well fed.
It won't develop any bad habits then.

Most other Triggers are No good for reef. Except a very few exceptions.
I'd avoid any other than the 3 mentioned, if you want some corals with it.

Otherwise, the rest are best for aggressive FO.

Pic of a pink Tail included...

 

[johno4]

I have had a picasso trigger for years in my 120 and have had them in the past aswell. I have some large turbo snails that seem to last a few months before they get eaten. They are extremely slow growers so I really would not worry about it getting to large. I have had mine for two years in my 120 and it has barely grown at all (not a noticable amount). As long as he is the last fish added you will be fine, but adding anything after he/she is in there is going to be difficult. Inverts will def. get eaten. They are great fish and I do recommend getting one for your fowlr tank.

 

[jsteele]

I got a Niger in my 125g reef the only problem I have had is when adding fish he has to show him who's boss and then he leaves them alone. The only thing he has ate is a feather dusted other than that he is great.

 

[thepircs]

Hi All,

I am considering going FOWLR. I have never had a trigger and I considering getting a Picasso. I read everywhere that they eat snails and other small inverts.

Those of you that have triggers, what do you use as a clean up crew?

Also, do Picassos eat ALL types of corals? Can I have any softies, LPS, mushrooms?

Current residents of my 90g:
Foxface
2 false percs
sixline
flame angel

Dave

Dave,

I currently have a very aggressive 150 gallon setup with a picasso, an undulated, a niger, a white tail, a mean maroon clown, a mean xlarge blue damsel, a dwarf lion, an engineer goby, and three yellow tangs. I have placed several SPS, mushrooms, and zoanthids in the setup and they don't eat any of it. the undulated will move frags and rocks around that bother him. the clown has 4 bublbe tip anemones that aren't bothered. There is some purple gorgonian and cabbage leather (all fine). They ate all of my xenia and anthellia as well as anything that resembles a crab or snail. Any small fish is food so the six-line could be in danger as well as the percs. My clean-up crew consists of the three tangs constantly grazing and I only illuminate the tank with VHO flourescent lights. Of the 3 systems that are centrally filtered, this system has the least amount of light and virtually no algae. When my SPS from my small tank gets algae on it I move it in the agressive setup for a couple of days and the tangs clean up the algae. Every fish is different and you might be OK, but I would give it serious thought before I added a bully into the mix.

 

[jaybfresh]

I had a bluethroat trigger in a reef tank with no problems. The sargassum trigger is nice looking and one of the most "reef-safe" triggers (but expensive). I believe they feed from the water column, so are less likely to bother the inverts