Blue Throats Reef Safe ????

assassinco97 · 07/06/2005, 02:19 PM

http://www.acropora.net/fish.htm

According to this website blue throat triggers are reef safe, which seems to be contradictory to everything I've ever read......But now after seeing this I want to add a trigger to my reef (mainly because I've always wanted one)

Does anyone here see a problem with this ----> please give as many feedbacks as possible as I truly want to make an informed decision.

Thanks
Ed

blackwagon · 07/06/2005, 02:23 PM

No real experience with them but i've read on here people have had sucess with them and also nigers in a reef.

JENnKerry · 07/06/2005, 02:48 PM

No trigger is reef safe. People just get lucky with them.

Julio · 07/06/2005, 03:12 PM

Blue Throat triggers are reef safe to a big extent, i know a lot of people who have them in theri reefs, the only thing they would eat would just be ornamental crabs.

floridareefs · 07/06/2005, 03:15 PM

I had one for about 6 months, never bothered a thing. Like any saltwater fish or invert, theres always a chance when introducing it. If it does cause probs, dig er out .

Wayner2 · 07/06/2005, 03:45 PM

I have 1 in my reef, about 4 months, it has never touched a thing, It certainly has an appetite for Mysis, I can actually here is teeth chattering through the glass when he's devouring a chunk of mysis, he's a bottomless pitt.

B Pierce · 07/06/2005, 04:21 PM

IMO blue throats are reef safe(along with sargassum and crosshatch trigggers)

These triggers feed mainly on zooplankton and do not feed on sessil inverts. You coudn't keep them with small fish, shirmps and crabs; but you could keep them with coral.

Some other people do sussesfully keep niger and pink tail triggers in a reef too.

Bill

JENnKerry · 07/06/2005, 05:12 PM

Quote:

You coudn't keep them with small fish, shirmps and crabs; but you could keep them with coral.

IMO, crabs, snails and shrimps help make up a reef just as much as corals do. Alot of people think when they hear the word "reef", it's mainly about corals, but really it isn't.

VolitanLioness · 07/06/2005, 05:19 PM

IMO - Reef safe is a term that is used to loose in this hobby & a term I try to stay away from.

There is a Pinktail in TOTM, check it out http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/totm/index.htm

Kaye

COreefer · 07/06/2005, 06:58 PM

They are hit or miss...I had a Sargassum that took a liking to cleaner shrimp. The fish was so tame though, when I went to catch him I didn't need a net. I just picked him up with my hand.

assassinco97 · 07/06/2005, 08:18 PM

OK well the person from reef exotics is stating that this fish won't bother my chromis or damsels...anyone have a say about that?? thanks for all the info so far I really appreciate it.....I leaning towards getting it if you guys don't think it will touch my damsels or chromis

Ed

JENnKerry · 07/06/2005, 08:36 PM

I wouldn't trust it.

COreefer · 07/06/2005, 08:49 PM

I think your damsels and chromis will be fine...

assassinco97 · 07/06/2005, 08:57 PM

Ok so we have a tie......Anyone have damsels or chromis with a blue throat in their reef. I'll defer to those that have experience, but please chime in with your thoughts too

Ed

COreefer · 07/06/2005, 09:14 PM

Right now I have one in a 55 with a hawkfish, dwarfs lions and a solar wrasse. No problems. I kept a Sargassum with green chromis, no problem. If these fish develop a taste for any live organism in the tank it will be crustacean.

stank · 07/07/2005, 12:38 AM

I have a pair of them along with chromis, false percs, 2blood shrimp, 2 skunks and a few peppermint, purple linkia starfish and plenty of cleanup crew. Never seen them look at anything other than frozen and flake food. They are the most shy fish in there. I also have some tangs and a pair of cardinals. Its a 175 bowfront by the way.

VolitanLioness · 07/07/2005, 07:13 AM

I had cardinals & chromis with my pinktail before and no problems, they are a little more aggressive than the blue throat.

Kaye

assassinco97 · 07/07/2005, 09:07 AM

Just curious guys how big were your chromis and or cardinals/damsels?

Keep giving thoughts people this is really informative....Thank You

jda · 07/07/2005, 09:19 AM

I currently have a crosshatch in my reef. I have kept bluethroats and pinktails in reef and they bothered nothing. Nigers are riskier - they can become invert eaters as they grow. It is cool to watch a cleaner climb into a triggers mouth and then come back out.

If anybody can supply a good home (and afford) a pair of crosshatch triggers, they are some of the best fish that you can own.

MiddletonMark · 07/07/2005, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JENnKerry
No trigger is reef safe. People just get lucky with them.

Have you had one in your reef?

Some are reef-safe.
A friend has a blue-throat trigger, which seems to only hassle some shrimp/crabs.

Given many other `reef safe' fish also eat snails, shrimp, etc ... IMO as reef safe as many of our creatures.

And given many [like Dr. Ron] do not recommend all the shrimp, crabs that many put in our tank ... IMO, many shrimp, crabs aren't completely `reef safe' either.

Ereefic · 07/07/2005, 10:24 AM

I love trigger threads.

We had a bluethroat trigger in our 120 long with a variety of fish, small and large as well as corals and a medium sized clean up crew of a wide variety as well as different shrimp. The trigger never bothered anything in the tank while it was in there for 6+ months. Unfortunately, the fish jumped out and perished.

The only problem I had was when I floated a bag with a new shrimp in it. The trigger attacked the floating bag trying to get at the shrimp. After floating the bag elsewhere, I turned off the lights and added the shrimp at the opposite end of the tank and the trigger never bothered it again.

----

We now have a new bluethroat trigger in our 110 gal. BB SPS tank. There are cerith, nassarius and turbo snails as well as a couple of peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp. A clam and over 60 different SPS frags as well. The trigger has a nice little spot he spends time when not swimming about. This trigger has been in this tank for about 1 year now and the ONLY critter it eats are the stometella snails, it loves them. This doesn't bother me as they reproduce like crazy and they are still visible grazing the rocks.

----

IME and IMO, a bluethroat is a great choice as far as triggers go to put in a reef system. As long as you understand the possibility that the fish may reek havoc. But that can be said about any critter we put in our tanks.

If you were to do a search about bluethroat or bluejaw triggers, I am betting that 98% of the people keeping them in a reef environment have no problems at all.

What bugs me about this topic, and many others is that people will respond with no actual experience on the topic. Please don't say that 'they will eat this and that' or other statement like that unless you have first hand experience with a bluethroat trigger.

-----

With all that said, I would never hesitate about adding a bluethroat trigger to another reef of mine. I understand that the possibility of the fish causing problems is there, but IME chances are that won't happen.

I must go now and enjoy watching my trigger swim.

JENnKerry · 07/07/2005, 10:27 AM

No I have never owned one, but when an informative website says "with caution" that steers me away. That's saying that you have just as much of a chance keeping a dwarf angel in your reef as a trigger. Anything that is considered "with caution" for a reef is not truly reef safe. As I said in an earlier post, inverts are just as important and vital to a reef as corals are.

I guess I'm not one of those people that would take a chance with something like this. I like knowing that all of my animals are safe with each other.

VolitanLioness · 07/07/2005, 10:29 AM

Beautiful trigger! I added my chromis after the trigger (Pinktail) and had no problems, the trigger was 4 1/2 inches and the chromis were tiny, the cardinals I had before the trigger.

Kaye

Triggerfish · 07/07/2005, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JENnKerry
No trigger is reef safe. People just get lucky with them.

this makes no sense.
planktovores are reef safe.. if you want to keep a bunch of shrimp in a tank, then get a separate tank for them.

jda · 07/07/2005, 10:57 AM

What informative site says "with caution"?

All tangs can be coral eaters, even the "reef safe" ones. All angels (except for maybe genicanthus) can eat coral. Hermits, snails and shrimp can all eat coral too on occasion... not to mention each other. Even damsels and clowns eat baby snails, coral and shrimp. ...so is nothing "reef safe"?

Bluethroat, sargassm and crosshatch are more reef safe than any tang or angel IMO. These triggers will eat dead fish and shrimp, but don't think that they were the ones that killed them.

Here are pics of my crosshatch that has never bothered anything and my bluejaw that never bothered anything either:

07/06/2005, 02:19 PM	#1
assassinco97 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 527	Blue Throats Reef Safe ???? http://www.acropora.net/fish.htm According to this website blue throat triggers are reef safe, which seems to be contradictory to everything I've ever read......But now after seeing this I want to add a trigger to my reef (mainly because I've always wanted one) Does anyone here see a problem with this ----> please give as many feedbacks as possible as I truly want to make an informed decision. Thanks Ed __________________ So I'm thinking that it would just be cheaper to build a glass house at the bottom of the ocean !!! Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef

07/06/2005, 02:48 PM	#3
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	No trigger is reef safe. People just get lucky with them. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

07/06/2005, 03:12 PM	#4
Julio Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New york Posts: 7,978	Blue Throat triggers are reef safe to a big extent, i know a lot of people who have them in theri reefs, the only thing they would eat would just be ornamental crabs. __________________ Thanks, Have a nice day. Julio Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef w/ 250 watt SE XM10Ks and AP1003, 12 gallon reef, 40 gallon reef

07/06/2005, 03:15 PM	#5
floridareefs Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: OUt there Posts: 1,165	reef I had one for about 6 months, never bothered a thing. Like any saltwater fish or invert, theres always a chance when introducing it. If it does cause probs, dig er out .

07/06/2005, 04:21 PM	#7
B Pierce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY, USA Posts: 1,550	IMO blue throats are reef safe(along with sargassum and crosshatch trigggers) These triggers feed mainly on zooplankton and do not feed on sessil inverts. You coudn't keep them with small fish, shirmps and crabs; but you could keep them with coral. Some other people do sussesfully keep niger and pink tail triggers in a reef too. Bill __________________ "In this great future, you can't forget your past" -Bob Marley Current Tank Info: 29 gallon reef tank

07/06/2005, 02:23 PM	#2
blackwagon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Largo, FL Posts: 555	No real experience with them but i've read on here people have had sucess with them and also nigers in a reef.

07/06/2005, 03:45 PM	#6
Wayner2 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 270	I have 1 in my reef, about 4 months, it has never touched a thing, It certainly has an appetite for Mysis, I can actually here is teeth chattering through the glass when he's devouring a chunk of mysis, he's a bottomless pitt.

07/06/2005, 05:19 PM	#9
VolitanLioness Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: OC MI Posts: 1,528	IMO - Reef safe is a term that is used to loose in this hobby & a term I try to stay away from. There is a Pinktail in TOTM, check it out http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/totm/index.htm Kaye __________________ The Last Thing Many Fish Will Ever See . . .

07/06/2005, 06:58 PM	#10
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	They are hit or miss...I had a Sargassum that took a liking to cleaner shrimp. The fish was so tame though, when I went to catch him I didn't need a net. I just picked him up with my hand. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

07/06/2005, 08:18 PM	#11
assassinco97 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 527	OK well the person from reef exotics is stating that this fish won't bother my chromis or damsels...anyone have a say about that?? thanks for all the info so far I really appreciate it.....I leaning towards getting it if you guys don't think it will touch my damsels or chromis Ed __________________ So I'm thinking that it would just be cheaper to build a glass house at the bottom of the ocean !!! Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef

07/06/2005, 08:36 PM	#12
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	I wouldn't trust it. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

07/06/2005, 08:49 PM	#13
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	I think your damsels and chromis will be fine... __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

07/06/2005, 08:57 PM	#14
assassinco97 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 527	Ok so we have a tie......Anyone have damsels or chromis with a blue throat in their reef. I'll defer to those that have experience, but please chime in with your thoughts too Ed __________________ So I'm thinking that it would just be cheaper to build a glass house at the bottom of the ocean !!! Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef

07/06/2005, 09:14 PM	#15
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	Right now I have one in a 55 with a hawkfish, dwarfs lions and a solar wrasse. No problems. I kept a Sargassum with green chromis, no problem. If these fish develop a taste for any live organism in the tank it will be crustacean. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

07/07/2005, 12:38 AM	#16
stank Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Pasadena, MD Posts: 249	I have a pair of them along with chromis, false percs, 2blood shrimp, 2 skunks and a few peppermint, purple linkia starfish and plenty of cleanup crew. Never seen them look at anything other than frozen and flake food. They are the most shy fish in there. I also have some tangs and a pair of cardinals. Its a 175 bowfront by the way. __________________ As real as it gets! Current Tank Info: 240 rimless cube

07/07/2005, 07:13 AM	#17
VolitanLioness Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: OC MI Posts: 1,528	I had cardinals & chromis with my pinktail before and no problems, they are a little more aggressive than the blue throat. Kaye __________________ The Last Thing Many Fish Will Ever See . . .

07/07/2005, 09:07 AM	#18
assassinco97 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 527	Just curious guys how big were your chromis and or cardinals/damsels? Keep giving thoughts people this is really informative....Thank You __________________ So I'm thinking that it would just be cheaper to build a glass house at the bottom of the ocean !!! Current Tank Info: 75 gal reef

07/07/2005, 09:19 AM	#19
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	I currently have a crosshatch in my reef. I have kept bluethroats and pinktails in reef and they bothered nothing. Nigers are riskier - they can become invert eaters as they grow. It is cool to watch a cleaner climb into a triggers mouth and then come back out. If anybody can supply a good home (and afford) a pair of crosshatch triggers, they are some of the best fish that you can own.

07/07/2005, 10:24 AM	#21
Ereefic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 5,821	I love trigger threads. We had a bluethroat trigger in our 120 long with a variety of fish, small and large as well as corals and a medium sized clean up crew of a wide variety as well as different shrimp. The trigger never bothered anything in the tank while it was in there for 6+ months. Unfortunately, the fish jumped out and perished. The only problem I had was when I floated a bag with a new shrimp in it. The trigger attacked the floating bag trying to get at the shrimp. After floating the bag elsewhere, I turned off the lights and added the shrimp at the opposite end of the tank and the trigger never bothered it again. ---- We now have a new bluethroat trigger in our 110 gal. BB SPS tank. There are cerith, nassarius and turbo snails as well as a couple of peppermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp. A clam and over 60 different SPS frags as well. The trigger has a nice little spot he spends time when not swimming about. This trigger has been in this tank for about 1 year now and the ONLY critter it eats are the stometella snails, it loves them. This doesn't bother me as they reproduce like crazy and they are still visible grazing the rocks. ---- IME and IMO, a bluethroat is a great choice as far as triggers go to put in a reef system. As long as you understand the possibility that the fish may reek havoc. But that can be said about any critter we put in our tanks. If you were to do a search about bluethroat or bluejaw triggers, I am betting that 98% of the people keeping them in a reef environment have no problems at all. What bugs me about this topic, and many others is that people will respond with no actual experience on the topic. Please don't say that 'they will eat this and that' or other statement like that unless you have first hand experience with a bluethroat trigger. ----- With all that said, I would never hesitate about adding a bluethroat trigger to another reef of mine. I understand that the possibility of the fish causing problems is there, but IME chances are that won't happen. I must go now and enjoy watching my trigger swim.

07/07/2005, 10:27 AM	#22
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	No I have never owned one, but when an informative website says "with caution" that steers me away. That's saying that you have just as much of a chance keeping a dwarf angel in your reef as a trigger. Anything that is considered "with caution" for a reef is not truly reef safe. As I said in an earlier post, inverts are just as important and vital to a reef as corals are. I guess I'm not one of those people that would take a chance with something like this. I like knowing that all of my animals are safe with each other. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

07/07/2005, 10:29 AM	#23
VolitanLioness Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: OC MI Posts: 1,528	Beautiful trigger! I added my chromis after the trigger (Pinktail) and had no problems, the trigger was 4 1/2 inches and the chromis were tiny, the cardinals I had before the trigger. Kaye __________________ The Last Thing Many Fish Will Ever See . . .

07/07/2005, 10:57 AM	#25
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	What informative site says "with caution"? All tangs can be coral eaters, even the "reef safe" ones. All angels (except for maybe genicanthus) can eat coral. Hermits, snails and shrimp can all eat coral too on occasion... not to mention each other. Even damsels and clowns eat baby snails, coral and shrimp. ...so is nothing "reef safe"? Bluethroat, sargassm and crosshatch are more reef safe than any tang or angel IMO. These triggers will eat dead fish and shrimp, but don't think that they were the ones that killed them. Here are pics of my crosshatch that has never bothered anything and my bluejaw that never bothered anything either: