Triggers

[Kristy]

I keep coming back to wanting to add some sort of trigger to our fairly peaceful reef tank. I know a few different types of triggers are considered reef safe. Kristy is dead set agaisnt it, but they still really appeal to me...

Anyone have good or bad reef experiences with triggers to share?

-Mike

[ACE]

I keep coming back to wanting to add some sort of trigger to our fairly peaceful reef tank. I know a few different types of triggers are considered reef safe. Kristy is dead set agaisnt it, but they still really appeal to me...

Anyone have good or bad reef experiences with triggers to share?

-Mike

I asked this question on the FOWLR forum. The overwheming suggestion was Bluethroat Trigger. HTH

-Mike

[jc]

I had a niger trigger that didn't bother any coral. He did bother me though. Any time I put my hand in the tank he would try to bite me. Sadly, he went carpet surfing.

[millerdog]

I would look into setting up a second tank if you’re dead set on a trigger. My wife started her first saltwater tank with a small 1/2" Picasso that by the time it was 1” was a full on killer, taking out some fish that were even 3 and 4 times it’s on size. After about a year he had reached 2” and was in a tank with a 3’ snowflake and nothing else. Mind you we had traded the eel to not eat live food but that trigger ****ed him off one time to many and turned with a nice hole in his stomach that was an exact match for the shape and size of the eel but not another scratch on him needless to say the eel never touched anybody else and I now have that tank set up as a butterfly, angle tank.

[ErikH]

Look at your corals and ask yourself if it's really worth it. You would be taking a major risk and would have to have great luck getting "the right fish"... Not saying it's impossible, but after I tried that route a few times, I ended up tearing down the tank and telling myself that I wouldn't do it again. The last things I need to get rid of now are my nems and my nemo. I lost a blue tort from Bill, and as soon as I saw that bicolor eating polyps I immeadiately tore down and removed it.

[Gseclipse02]

I would look into setting up a second tank if you’re dead set on a trigger. My wife started her first saltwater tank with a small 1/2" Picasso that by the time it was 1” was a full on killer, taking out some fish that were even 3 and 4 times it’s on size. After about a year he had reached 2” and was in a tank with a 3’ snowflake and nothing else. Mind you we had traded the eel to not eat live food but that trigger ****ed him off one time to many and turned with a nice hole in his stomach that was an exact match for the shape and size of the eel but not another scratch on him needless to say the eel never touched anybody else and I now have that tank set up as a butterfly, angle tank.
Its to bad that the Picasso are aggressive fish their neat looking

[alton]

I kept a baby Clown for a year until he out grew the 29 gal. he was in, I had brains, SPS and other corals in this tank. Had a larger Clown in a reef tank with Frogspawn, GSP, Xenia, and Mushrooms. Both where loners in the tanks by themselves. For long term you will need to keep triggers in a seperate aquarium. A one inch Clown Trigger will stand up to a 8" Angel. I saw my first Clown Trigger (Orange) in Polly's Pets back in 1982 and have loved triggers ever since. In 94 I set up a all trigger tank 135 gal., with a clown, niger, huma, undulated, pink tail, rectangle. Nitrates where at 80 and I kept the back wall covered in hair algae to keep the nitrates down to 80. I ended up getting bored and traded them off. Good luck on what ever you decide.

[justahobby]

Triggers are a very rewarding fish to own and mostly do not live up to their reputation. I would recommend trying a blue throat. He does need to be a little tike of course.

[d3rryc]

I've had no problems with a blue throat in my mixed reef. Left all of the inverts, including the corals, alone.

[k8edid]

I have a very small Humuhum trigger that behaves himself just fine in our peaceful reef tank. He has only been in there about a month and he is almost the smallest fish in the tank.

[alasg001]

I'm not sure if this is the Mike I met a couple months ago at your house, and also saw at the last AAF/MAAST meeting, but I agree with Kristy. Triggers from the experience of my cousin and other peoples knowledge can be quite problematic. Just remember your corals and livestock are quite a site to see, and it would be a shame if you lost some of them due to one fish. But if you do insist on getting one, can I have a frag of your Sunset Montipora, and a piece of the undercover look-a-like Garf Bonsai changling coral. You know which one that is. :lightbulb: Shoot, just cut me a frag of everything and I can grow them out and return the favor when you decide to restock. haha. If anything I gotta make a trip down and see how all your new corals are looking. I am in the market for a jada's chalice. :hypnotyized: Funny thing is my wife wants a Niger Trigger. haha I guess great minds think alike.

[labrown]

We have a blue jawed trigger in our reef tank and he leaves all of the corals alone, but has killed every other fish we had in there. He did okay with an eel, but then the eel became too agressive toward us. When we bought the trigger it was in a small tank with other small fish, and was really skiddish, but once he got used to having more room in our tank, he showed his true colors. We love our trigger but can't have any other fish in there with him now. He killed our dwarf lion in a matter of two days, and picked the pajamas off our cardinals in a week. You can buy the most peaceful seeming trigger and they can snap overnight and kill everything.

[alasg001]

Mike sorry I kinda got you mixed up with another friend. His lady has a simular name. I'm sorry for the mixup. But if you are still wanting to get a trigger just be ready to empty all the LR and have a net handy to catch it when it finally gets you mad. I am guessing it is hit or miss with finding a good one. Good luck.

[Kristy]

Thanks for all the good feedback. What I am hearing is Kristy is right, no Triggers!

[beerguy]

who needs a trigger when you can get a goatfish? but on the plus side, if you do get a trigger I will gladly take it from you after you put it in your tank and realize its a mistake. just a thought...

[papijames]

I have a picaso triger and eventhough hes the biggest fish in the tank he doesnt bother the other fish and corals. he ate all of my blue/red leg crabs and all of my snails. also i cannot leave my hand in the tank without movement cause hell come and bite me.

[RayAllen]

I have a picaso triger and eventhough hes the biggest fish in the tank he doesnt bother the other fish and corals. he ate all of my blue/red leg crabs and all of my snails. also i cannot leave my hand in the tank without movement cause hell come and bite me.

You might want to knock on wood, lol. With time you will be lucky if he doesnt start. The only 2 triggers considered remotley safe are the Pink tailed and the Niger.