How many of you have Triggerfish in your REEF tank?

[Regric25]

I heard it was possible and I would love to have one but I want to make sure! So who here has a Triggerfish in their REEF tank? Are there any issues with it picking at corals? Also if you can provide pics I like pics :bigsmile:

[Mike]

A lot of people say the niger, pink tail, or blue throat are reef safe, in that they won't hurt the corals. Bear in mind, they may eat your invertebrates, snails/hermits/starfish or smaller fish.

Andrew (Sinner) told us a story of his niger trigger slamming his yellow tang up against the glass and eating his eye out. Sort of never know their temperment. Also, remember they have teeth and some may bite the hand that feeds them.

I have a picasso trigger in my FOWLR and think they are cool, but not sure about them in the reef tank. I am sure others will chime in either way...

[Europhyllia]

Andrew (Sinner) told us a story of his niger trigger slamming his yellow tang up against the glass and eating his eye out. Sort of never know their temperment. Also, remember they have teeth and some may bite the hand that feeds them.

Woah, that's horrific!

[Regric25]

A lot of people say the niger, pink tail, or blue throat are reef safe, in that they won't hurt the corals. Bear in mind, they may eat your invertebrates, snails/hermits/starfish or smaller fish.

Andrew (Sinner) told us a story of his niger trigger slamming his yellow tang up against the glass and eating his eye out. Sort of never know their temperment. Also, remember they have teeth and some may bite the hand that feeds them.

I have a picasso trigger in my FOWLR and think they are cool, but not sure about them in the reef tank. I am sure others will chime in either way...

LOL Mike im picturing Jaws in Andrews tank. If I get one I really like the Niger or the Red tail.

[Mr Cob]

I kept a Niger Trigger for over a year in my old 120. Never had any problems and it was peaceful....sold all the livestock when I broke it down.

With that said.... I won't ever chance adding any fish with the possibility that they might go rogue. I had a Purple Tang recently that went rogue and started eating weak zoas and all of my acans....was not worth the trouble of removing her. IT WAS A PAIN!

So, I say don't chance it....it's not worth it.

[alton]

I have kept a baby clown trigger in a reef with brain corals and never had a problen for a year until he out grew the tank and I sold him. I kept a large 6" clown trigger in a reef with no problems. He would just pack the crabs around and drop them here and there. The problem you would run into is what fish you would try to keep with your trigger? A trigger is a trigger and sooner or later they will revert back to nature and harrass other fish. If you try it get a baby.

[Regric25]

If I do it ill get a baby one like alton said. I am known for learning the hard way lol. I just heard that some are okay. I hope I get lucky. If not ill sell it.

[Mr Cob]

I'm the same way....always have to learn the hard way. LOL! Good luck.

The one that I had was a small one and I got it from another reefer who said it was doing fine in their nano reef....so perhaps that's the best place to start....from another reefer....or a LFS that has had it with corals....and definitely get a small one if you do decide to chance it.

[d3rryc]

I've had a blue jaw in my tank for a little over a year now. He's up to about 6" or so, and my only complaint is that he'll frag stuff for me every once in a while by running into it as he zooms around the tank. I watched him snap off a branch of my Pavona cactus that way, klutzy thing... I've not had any trouble with him eating things he shouldn't, though, and I've got all kinds of feather dusters, half a dozen peppermint shrimp, two skunk cleaners, hermits, LPS, SPS, zoas, etc.

FWIW, I've talked to a good handful of people over the years who've had their nigers go rogue on them, which is what steered me to the blue jaw. I'll admit, he's not as pretty as the niger, but he's a much safer long-term bet for an active, bigger fish IMHO.

[ErikH]

Anything is possible, but it's just easier to not lose your corals over a dumb fish. :D

[ballardjr2000]

well i have seen the picasso trigger in the wild eating corals so that one is a NO for sure. as for the others you have to ask yourself if the risk worth it. ME i love my corals too much and fishes eye balls as well.

[Europhyllia]

ME i love my corals too much and fishes eye balls as well.
No kidding. I love all of my critters. Fish probably a little more than corals. I'd be freaking out at anything being so savage towards my babies (or even the potential). I buy fish to keep long term though. If it's not going to fit in my tank when it grows up I am not going to buy it.