Undulated trigger

[cjvolitan]

Hello fellow aquarist i have a question for u i was at the local pet shop and i saw an undulated trigger for sale i really like theses triggers and want to setup a tank dedicated to its care what size tank will i need as well as i know there tempermant is aggresive but are there any fish or inverts what i could keep with one ?
Also do i really have to fear it will bite me!
it is a really attractive fish and i want one.
thanks for the help

[cjvolitan]

also i read that u can keep corals and anemones with powerful stings with triggers is that rrue or will the stings tkill the trigger and give the anemone an expensive dinner.

[billsreef]

They are one of the smaller triggers, however they make up for that by having one of the worst attitudes. They would be good in a 75 as far as tank size. Tank mates are another story. Perhaps carpet anemones might be safe, but they could indeed make a meal of the trigger instead ;) Any other inverts will be on the menu for the trigger. Fish friends, well undulates don't tend to have friends :eek2: Best bets IME are large dottybacks, small groupers and eels.

[cjvolitan]

thanks bill
so a 75 gal is okay for life thanks great exactly along the lines of what i wanted. Hum i wonder if large dotty backs could cut it maybe a buldog dotty back ?

[mitzel]

I would have to say to go bigger than a 75. just because you'll want to put other fish in there. and at that point it would be to small.
Other triggers as well as groupers and other very aggressive fish would work. But no inverts

[cjvolitan]

hey arn't grouper just predatory not really aggresive ?
i tihnk a trigger would kill a grouper of same or slightly larger size.
But thatks for the advice though will think about that maybe go for like a 125 or something.

[Sugarblossom]

I had an Undulated in a 75 with a Queen Trigger and two hermit crabs. You may have to go through a few hermits before you find a few smart ones, and just make sure you have bigger shells for them.

[Titan*69]

Red Starry hermit crab could hang with Undy with a chance of it being eaten.They are tough and will not back down. As far as being bitten there is a high possibilty of it happening until the Undy gets compfortable with you.Once recognized as the source of food I wouldn't think he/she would bite.A 75GL tank will be good for life as they are not a hyper active, energetic fish,and are more lurky and sneaky. If you get one try to keep it as the only fish in your tank.

[cjvolitan]

cool well when i get it i will try one of our local caribean giant hermits i had one, about 3 inch, in my tank which was an eating machine went after food and fish like no ones business think it will keep the trigger at bay.
thanks for all the help guys
hopefully i will post some picks when i get it

[DrChristianTroy]

Undulate will eat bot of these creatures it looks shy but when the lights goes off the devil inside undulate reveal and try to bite anything ;it is really really nasty and worst than bad; i had one living in 40 gallon tank lonely and after 4 years still try to beat me during periodic tank cleaning..............

[cjvolitan]

damn but u still like it though don't u ?
lol so i guess my bright idea or putting in some blue devils and humbugs was dither fish would be a bad i dea.
I want to see the guy i mean i don't want him lurking all the time i want to see it's nice colurs

[TTU_Reefer]

I have one and i tell all my friends that they can pet it...haha....man....its funny every time. My FAV fish of all time...i love my undulated

[cjvolitan]

lol i will have to try that one.
is he alone

[jcopp24]

I love my undulate... but... I have invested more money into trying to find tank mates than any of the friends have finding a girl friend.
To give you an idea... I first started out with the concept of small very fast fish... that have a bad disposition. Here I tried a Blue Damsel, a large Domino Damsel, and a small ( Clark's II I think ). All dead.
Crabs, a Pink Lobster, a Giant Clam, two urchins, 10 snails... maybe more
All dead.
The conclusion I have is AWESOME fish... if it fits your personality... if you dont mind asking why it is the only fish in your tank go for it.
Quick Question for the original poster... Did you see the Trigger yourself? Did it have a faded snout or did the lines cover the whole body? ( nose ) and how big was it?
If you check out my gallery you can see mine is covered in stripes including the nose which is a big deal

[cjvolitan]

hey well the one i saw was about 3 inchs long had the orange all over it's body and face which i have read would make it a female.
thanks for all your help guys.
So small fast won't work either aye oh well wonce the fish has personality to back up it's bad attitude i don't mind it by it self though i will try a giant hermit.
:bum:

[LRS078]

Undulated Trigger's friends tend to live on the other side of the glass....

[jcopp24]

If you do go with the female keep in mind that it will hide more than the male for sure... so if you put a dump load of live rock in the fish will hide a bunch... I changed up the live rock in my tank to show him even when she is hiding. All of the stories so far that I have read about these triggers have happened to me...
They will and do try to break pumps, but heaters are the favorite for my trigger... I have been through two different heaters, because he wedges his body between the heater and the side of the glass, breaks it free and then hits it into the glass to break it... then he will swim around like normal until you see him get volted... it was actually quite funny until I figured out what it was...

[warren4066]

I would put him in last if you decide to get other tankmates. Try going with the smallest Undy you can find, but in time they will terrorize other tank mates, its like a bad horror flick.

[TTU_Reefer]

yea mine is alone in the 20L till my stand is done being built for my new tank. 2" long right now. I had a Blue damsal in their but one night he acciently killed him self by running into the undulated mouth a lot. :)

[cjvolitan]

lol thanks again guys it has all been very help full
i don't want the fish to hide so i will try to get a male.

[jcopp24]

My A O L screen name is jcoppah24 if you ever have questions on the undulated trigger... If you go with a male then the odds of you needing a bigger tank will happen quicker... and they are less colorful with no stripes on the nose... What about getting a male and a female?

[cjvolitan]

is that possible arn't they loners bu nature or do you mean two different tanks.

[jcopp24]

I am talking in the same tank... from what I have learned on here... and I repeat I have yet to try this myself... I have been told that if you purchase them at the same time, and place them in the tank at the same time... and make sure that the male is smaller than the female... everything should be ok.

I already had my undulated before I knew what she was... otherwise this would have been my first attempt.

All I can honestly vouch for and say is my experience is what my Trigger has done to his tank mates, equipment, ect... in my tank.

[cjvolitan]

cool thanks
i looked at your pics really nice tanks.