Niger Triggers & other "peacful" triggers

TankFabricator · 07/27/2006, 12:11 PM

Can anyone share their experiences with these fish in reef tanks or their behavior in community community tanks

Travis L. Stevens · 07/27/2006, 12:48 PM

Most people that keep them rarely have a problem. Niger, Blue Throat, Cross Hatch, and Pink Tail Triggers are the most common reef tolerant triggers around. It's pretty uncommon to hear horror stories about these guys.

TankFabricator · 07/27/2006, 02:01 PM

I'm also curious as to how well they do around smaller fish like gobys, dottybacks, clowns, etc...

TankFabricator · 07/27/2006, 02:05 PM

I know there's plenty of literature that says they're safe, but I was wondering if anybody has any first-hand accounts of these interesting fish co-existing peacefully among inverts and smaller fish.

Triggerfish · 07/27/2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TankFabricator
I'm also curious as to how well they do around smaller fish like gobys, dottybacks, clowns, etc...

very good inquiry you have there and responses will certainly vary.

but...let me tell ya about my bluethroat.. ate 8 chromis, bit tails off both my firefish and bit the entire @ss of my large bangaii.
the firefish hid for weeks even after i got the killer out of there and the bangaii didnt make it.

all triggers are capable of eating smaller fish..some perhaps are worse than others.. too bad, this bluethroat settled right in quickly and was very healthy. ended up selling it.

oh ya..almost forgot..bit half the head off my yellow sleeper..

dirtyreefer · 07/27/2006, 05:48 PM

I wouldn't consider Nigers peaceful either, although they have tonnes of personality. I had one that bit a yellowtailed damsel's tail off

brad23 · 07/27/2006, 08:52 PM

My bluethroats are doing fine in my reef. Don't show any intrest in anything in the tank.

cubuffs · 07/27/2006, 09:06 PM

My niger is a perfect reef fish. He doesn't pick at corals, fish, shrimp, snails, crabs, or starfish. Great personality, and so far, so good

Wolverine · 07/28/2006, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TankFabricator
I know there's plenty of literature that says they're safe, but I was wondering if anybody has any first-hand accounts of these interesting fish co-existing peacefully among inverts and smaller fish.

Many people here keep triggers in their reefs.

IME, nigers are the least predictable of the ones on your list. Many of us have kept them for years peacefully co-existing with everything. Others have had them be terrors as soon as they hit the water.

The Xanthichthys triggers (crosshatch, sargassum, bluejaw) are better bets. If you get one that's on the more aggressive end, there's a chance it will kill some of the other fish. It's not common, but it does happen on occasion.

Dave

TankFabricator · 07/28/2006, 11:35 AM

It's funny how every fish has a personality... I have a yellow watchman goby that's bold and enjoys attacking a velvet damsel which he shares his tank with. I'm thinking of maybe getting a pink-tail trigger, they are quite nice. I'm not much into "open water" fish, however I love how trigger fish swim. Thanks for the replys... lets see if we can keep em coming.

TankFabricator · 07/28/2006, 11:35 AM

It's funny how every fish has a personality... I have a yellow watchman goby that's bold and enjoys attacking a velvet damsel which he shares his tank with. I'm thinking of maybe getting a pink-tail trigger, they are quite nice. I'm not much into "open water" fish, however I love how trigger fish swim. Thanks for the replys... lets see if we can keep em coming.

Psyire · 07/28/2006, 12:55 PM

I tried a Niger to start with, and it didn't work out. He bit a pectoral fin clean off a flasher wrasse. (which swam funny for awhile and then died a few days later) This niger was only 2".

I sold him and went with a bluethroat, which I've had no problems with regarding any invert,coral, or fish in my tank. I've had him for about 3 months now, and he's close to 5"

cham · 07/28/2006, 09:27 PM

Another good experience with blue throats. He is almost 6" long and doesnt touch the tiny green chromis. Here they are in action along with many inverts and a croeca clam. He is very peaceful and will almost eat from my hand (altough Im not sure I like that).

triggerfish1976 · 07/29/2006, 07:16 AM

I had a pair of Crosshatch triggers for over a year and I would say they are generally reef safe but you will have a hard time keeping any kind of shrimp in the tank. I had 6 cleaner shrimp when I first introduced mine and they were all gone within a month.
I was able to keep a midas blenny, red sea mimic blenny, anthias,chromis, and some clown gobies in the tank with them w/o any problems. They only sign of agression was when I first introduced new fish to the tank. The triggers would nip at the new fishes fins and cause some extensive damage due to their sharp teeth. I added a small acylic cube with holes in it to the tank and would put any new fish in it for a few hours when I accimilated so the triggers could not pester it. This worked great and never had any problems with them after that.
I ended up losing the female when she jumped out of the tank and then recently got rid of the male when upgraded tanks.
One other thing to keep in mind is they eat a lot of food. I fed mine a mixture of frozen food and nori 2 times a day and they probably would consume over 3/4 of the food I fed the tank so I would have to constantly overfeed to allow the other fish a meal.

Wolverine · 07/29/2006, 09:41 AM

Edited to fix the picture link.

dirtyreefer · 07/29/2006, 12:16 PM

Man what a beautiful pair of crosshatches you got there. Awesome colors.

triggerfish1976 · 07/29/2006, 12:51 PM

Thanks.
They were a great pair of fish, I just wanted to seriously reduce my waste load so I decided to get rid of the male.

twon8 · 07/29/2006, 12:55 PM

My niger bit the fin off a potters leopard wrasse and my anthias were showing up with nipped fins. I netted the bastard and he's gone now.

jmaneyapanda · 07/29/2006, 02:21 PM

WOW- that female crosshatch is as big as the male! I agree with trigger1976. HUGE consumers (and producers of you know what). I think this of all triggers.

cham · 07/30/2006, 02:16 PM

How much and how often are you guys feeding your triggers? I think mine is starting to nip at corals.

jmaneyapanda · 07/30/2006, 02:29 PM

I have an auotomated feeder that drops flake in 3 times a day (which I know the triggers gorge on), and then in the evening I give them some meaty frozen (krill, prawn, mysis, squid, Formulas, etc.). Its a lot of food, but it keeps them fat and healthy, and I have a skimmer running in overdrive.

hgbarwick · 07/30/2006, 03:02 PM

I used to have a niger trigger in my old 90 FOWLR. He ate every shrimp he could get ahold of. He was also aggressive. Now my 90 gallon is a reef. IMHO I would only get a trigger in a fish only tank.

TankFabricator · 07/30/2006, 09:28 PM

What about snails? Most fish with any kind of tusk, beaks, or other modified teeth like those of triggers love to just tear snails apart.

TankFabricator · 07/30/2006, 10:25 PM

Anyone have a Pink-tailed trigger?

VolitanLioness · 07/31/2006, 04:33 AM

I have had my Pinktail about 2 1/2 years now, in the past it has been with chromis, clowns & corals, This fish has been great with everything.

Just recently, I have started noticing territorial issues at night, just before bedtime for this fish. He wants nothing to pass around the area where he sleeps. He darts out at other fish, like he is going to do something but never touches any of the other fish.

This is another trigger I have read some pretty bad stories about, but for me so far so good.

Kaye

07/27/2006, 12:11 PM	#1
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	Niger Triggers & other "peacful" triggers Can anyone share their experiences with these fish in reef tanks or their behavior in community community tanks

07/27/2006, 12:48 PM	#2
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,933	Most people that keep them rarely have a problem. Niger, Blue Throat, Cross Hatch, and Pink Tail Triggers are the most common reef tolerant triggers around. It's pretty uncommon to hear horror stories about these guys. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

07/27/2006, 08:52 PM	#7
brad23 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bloomington IL Posts: 2,989	My bluethroats are doing fine in my reef. Don't show any intrest in anything in the tank. __________________ Ye old English Current Tank Info: 75g reef

07/27/2006, 09:06 PM	#8
cubuffs Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Erie, CO Posts: 573	My niger is a perfect reef fish. He doesn't pick at corals, fish, shrimp, snails, crabs, or starfish. Great personality, and so far, so good __________________ Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can make a child look like a deer Current Tank Info: moved on

07/29/2006, 07:16 AM	#14
triggerfish1976 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: St. Pete, FL Posts: 2,984	I had a pair of Crosshatch triggers for over a year and I would say they are generally reef safe but you will have a hard time keeping any kind of shrimp in the tank. I had 6 cleaner shrimp when I first introduced mine and they were all gone within a month. I was able to keep a midas blenny, red sea mimic blenny, anthias,chromis, and some clown gobies in the tank with them w/o any problems. They only sign of agression was when I first introduced new fish to the tank. The triggers would nip at the new fishes fins and cause some extensive damage due to their sharp teeth. I added a small acylic cube with holes in it to the tank and would put any new fish in it for a few hours when I accimilated so the triggers could not pester it. This worked great and never had any problems with them after that. I ended up losing the female when she jumped out of the tank and then recently got rid of the male when upgraded tanks. One other thing to keep in mind is they eat a lot of food. I fed mine a mixture of frozen food and nori 2 times a day and they probably would consume over 3/4 of the food I fed the tank so I would have to constantly overfeed to allow the other fish a meal. Last edited by Wolverine; 07/29/2006 at 09:41 AM.

07/27/2006, 02:01 PM	#3
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	I'm also curious as to how well they do around smaller fish like gobys, dottybacks, clowns, etc...

07/27/2006, 02:05 PM	#4
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	I know there's plenty of literature that says they're safe, but I was wondering if anybody has any first-hand accounts of these interesting fish co-existing peacefully among inverts and smaller fish.

07/27/2006, 05:48 PM	#6
dirtyreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 2,377	I wouldn't consider Nigers peaceful either, although they have tonnes of personality. I had one that bit a yellowtailed damsel's tail off

07/28/2006, 11:35 AM	#10
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	It's funny how every fish has a personality... I have a yellow watchman goby that's bold and enjoys attacking a velvet damsel which he shares his tank with. I'm thinking of maybe getting a pink-tail trigger, they are quite nice. I'm not much into "open water" fish, however I love how trigger fish swim. Thanks for the replys... lets see if we can keep em coming.

07/28/2006, 12:55 PM	#12
Psyire Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,998	I tried a Niger to start with, and it didn't work out. He bit a pectoral fin clean off a flasher wrasse. (which swam funny for awhile and then died a few days later) This niger was only 2". I sold him and went with a bluethroat, which I've had no problems with regarding any invert,coral, or fish in my tank. I've had him for about 3 months now, and he's close to 5"

07/28/2006, 09:27 PM	#13
cham Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 3,326	Another good experience with blue throats. He is almost 6" long and doesnt touch the tiny green chromis. Here they are in action along with many inverts and a croeca clam. He is very peaceful and will almost eat from my hand (altough Im not sure I like that).

07/29/2006, 09:41 AM	#15
Wolverine RC Mod Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: West Bloomfield, MI Posts: 17,079	Edited to fix the picture link. __________________ Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. -Douglas Adams Current Tank Info: 14g, 29g nano reefs

07/29/2006, 12:16 PM	#16
dirtyreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 2,377	Man what a beautiful pair of crosshatches you got there. Awesome colors.

07/29/2006, 12:51 PM	#17
triggerfish1976 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: St. Pete, FL Posts: 2,984	Thanks. They were a great pair of fish, I just wanted to seriously reduce my waste load so I decided to get rid of the male.

07/29/2006, 12:55 PM	#18
twon8 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: slightly sw of richmond, va Posts: 5,421	My niger bit the fin off a potters leopard wrasse and my anthias were showing up with nipped fins. I netted the bastard and he's gone now. __________________ Anthony Richmond Reef Club "and as things fell apart, nobody paid much attention." Not building a wall but making a brick Current Tank Info: 300g DD- shutting down a 180 and 90

07/29/2006, 02:21 PM	#19
jmaneyapanda Commencing hatred Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,811	WOW- that female crosshatch is as big as the male! I agree with trigger1976. HUGE consumers (and producers of you know what). I think this of all triggers.

07/30/2006, 02:16 PM	#20
cham Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 3,326	How much and how often are you guys feeding your triggers? I think mine is starting to nip at corals.

07/30/2006, 02:29 PM	#21
jmaneyapanda Commencing hatred Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,811	I have an auotomated feeder that drops flake in 3 times a day (which I know the triggers gorge on), and then in the evening I give them some meaty frozen (krill, prawn, mysis, squid, Formulas, etc.). Its a lot of food, but it keeps them fat and healthy, and I have a skimmer running in overdrive.

07/30/2006, 03:02 PM	#22
hgbarwick Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Plant City, Florida Posts: 1,390	I used to have a niger trigger in my old 90 FOWLR. He ate every shrimp he could get ahold of. He was also aggressive. Now my 90 gallon is a reef. IMHO I would only get a trigger in a fish only tank.

07/30/2006, 09:28 PM	#23
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	What about snails? Most fish with any kind of tusk, beaks, or other modified teeth like those of triggers love to just tear snails apart.

07/30/2006, 10:25 PM	#24
TankFabricator Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 35	Anyone have a Pink-tailed trigger?

07/31/2006, 04:33 AM	#25
VolitanLioness Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: OC MI Posts: 1,528	I have had my Pinktail about 2 1/2 years now, in the past it has been with chromis, clowns & corals, This fish has been great with everything. Just recently, I have started noticing territorial issues at night, just before bedtime for this fish. He wants nothing to pass around the area where he sleeps. He darts out at other fish, like he is going to do something but never touches any of the other fish. This is another trigger I have read some pretty bad stories about, but for me so far so good. Kaye __________________ The Last Thing Many Fish Will Ever See . . .