Triggers and tangs

[Deavenw]

I hear many different opinions about which ones are and are not reef safe. So many now i'm not sure which are true and which are myth. Any input?

 

[Tat2demon]

All tangs are reef safe. For triggers you're looking at the sargassum, blue throat, crosshatch, usually the Niger, and a couple much more rare and very expensive ones.

 

[El richie]

I had a yellow tang eat an acan and a clam.

 

[Deavenw]

I had a yellow tang eat an acan and a clam.

That is my paranoia with the tangs I know generally they are considered reef safe but at the same time ive heard just as many stories of them getting a little too curious. And i've thought a lot about a bluejaw and a niger, however a friend of mine told me he had a niger take out shrimp crabs and pieces of sps. Guess it depends on the individual as much as the species.

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

had a blue hippo shred my favorite red open brain ...and eat only my blue zoa's . Well he started with the blues. was gone as fast as I could catch him.

 

[twiggyb]

My purple occasionally eats some polyps off my gorgonian.

 

[Deavenw]

So I guess I will always be at risk. If I add either they are just going to need to be after all of my colonies are pretty well established.

 

[flfireman1]

There is a big misconception with reef fish eating a healthy coral or going after an already dying coral. I believe that angels and tangs may eat dying or damaged corals. Kind of like natures clean up crew. I have friends with huge sps tanks with a lot of non reef safe angels and they don't bother their corals.

 

[Deavenw]

There is a big misconception with reef fish eating a healthy coral or going after an already dying coral. I believe that angels and tangs may eat dying or damaged corals. Kind of like natures clean up crew

That makes since. You do have to wonder though if they eat something dead or alive they would develop a "taste" for coral, and if it were dead could that lead to eating live coral or polyps?

 

[aleonn]

Although tangs are considered reef safe, each fish is its own individual. Having said that, my yellow tang has eaten my dying brain corals, but still doesn't touch my healthy brain and LPS corals.

FWIW, the blue jaw trigger is one of the "most reef-safe triggers." I had one in QT intending to add to my livestock, but learned that they can go after smaller fish. So I decided to sell it instead of risk him eating my clown fish and wrasses.

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

There is a big misconception with reef fish eating a healthy coral or going after an already dying coral. I believe that angels and tangs may eat dying or damaged corals. Kind of like natures clean up crew. I have friends with huge sps tanks with a lot of non reef safe angels and they don't bother their corals.

both corals and zos's were healthy and established for many years as was the hippo . I'm not saying fish (Tangs) don't eat sick and dying corals. what I am saying is , Some Will eat healthy ones.

 

[Prospec1]

I have a Regal Tang, Blonde Naso Tang, and a Blue Throat Trigger. Have not had any problems.

 

[FNDsalt]

I think sometimes it comes down to how well fed a fish is. My opinion is that most of the time with reef safe fish eating corals comes down to reefers not feeding fish enough in order to keep their water parameters in check. Just to be clear I am not saying that in all instances this is the case.

 

[Deavenw]

So essentially every fish has its own personality and you will never truly know until you add it to you tank. I have also heard that lps and zoas/palys are a lot more likely to be eaten than most sps.

 

[Flame_Angel]

I think sometimes it comes down to how well fed a fish is. My opinion is that most of the time with reef safe fish eating corals comes down to reefers not feeding fish enough in order to keep their water parameters in check. Just to be clear I am not saying that in all instances this is the case.

I find this to be true in a lot of cases. I have a female Lamarcki in my 400g that, if not fed three times a day, will continually harass my wellsos and clam. If she's kept fat and happy though, she tends to leave them alone.

Not sure which is cheaper, keeping her fed or not having to tear my hair out trying to catch her out of the tank. :jester:

 

[Deavenw]

So has nobody had luck with another trigger besides a blue jaw? I have always heard nigers were reef safe but I continue to hear more and more people tell me they arent. Could your results be effected by when you add them or what size they are? There are so many variables that could effect what you get.

 

[reefergeorge]

I got my sailfin tang for cheap because he was nipping corals, but he has never nipped in my tank. I believe as stated above that well fed fish are less likely to nip.

I have a picasso trigger in my softie reef. I just can't have inverts, but he doesn't bother corals. A buddy of mine had a niger in a full reef for about a year without any problems, but it outgrew his tank. The cleaner shrimp would even clean the trigger.

 

[Deavenw]

Oh wow should have been around for that trigger. I would like to get one would just hate to add something expensive and it tear it up. Maybe it would be easier to add a baby to an established tank.

 

[cwinn]

ive never had a problem with any tangs messing with healthy corals. i have a bluethroat trigger in a reef and hes been a model citizen

 

[Deavenw]

I love the bluethroats just unfortunate they are primarily the only one you can do safely.