Blue Throat Triggers Owners: Question

[jawwad2004]

For all you blue throat trigger owners, I have a few questions.

I am considering getting one of these guys, its a male. My tank is 90 gallons and it is lightly stocked with corals for now and moderately stocked with fish. 2 tangs, 1 angel, 2 clowns, chrmosis's a damsel and a cleaner wrasse. about 180 lbs of live rock.

Are these guys aggressive. I know they are reef safe, but I dont want him attacking my inverts because I have been told that they do attack inverts from time to time. I am getting one from a friend who is breaking down his tank. Let me know if there is anything else I should know about this fish. Thanks for your help guys!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

From what I researched through this and other boards they are the most reef safe of the trigger family however they do not recommend placing these fish with ornamental inverts. Be careful because once you get it in your tank it's a pain in the @$$ to get it out.

 

[drunktank]

reef safe or not- it may nip here and here to shave its teeth down on corals or hard shelled inverts-

in my experience triggers will eat inverts in a given amount of time- esp if they r larger then the invert. so if u wanna keep ur inverts, it mite be a good idea to pass on it.

It wont bother ur other fish, but it will probably grow pretty fast

So if u dont mind loosing a few inverts, i say go for it, beautiful fish- and if u ever wanna get rid of it, PM ME

 

[Deanos]

I have been told that they do attack inverts from time to time.

If it happens once, it MAY happen again.

:fish:+ :lobster: = :eat:

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

If you had a FO tank I would say go for it.

 

[jawwad2004]

haha, i love the new smilies. I guess I will pass on this fish then. But it's really beautiful!

 

[jhale]

I have one, I also have a good sized cleaner shrimp.

They live on different sides of the tank. I'm not sure what would happen if the trigger found the shrimp. :eat:

the trigger is peaceful and friendly to the other fish, and has never touched a coral.

 

[jawwad2004]

Oh, I didnt know you got one of those Jhale. I have a bunch of snails that my angel attacks all the time. Also 2 cleaner shrimps which only come out at night. Or Ill just wait till I upgrade to my 140 this summer.

 

[jhale]

I got one from sting, he has never bothered a snail,

he likes to eat out of your hand if you hold the food

 

[jawwad2004]

John, you think a 90 gallon would suffice for this fish? Its about 3.5 inches.

 

[druluv]

I have a niger trigger in my reef for about a year, not a problem, knock on wood. But they love to eat!!!

 

[Deanos]

John, you think a 90 gallon would suffice for this fish? Its about 3.5 inches.

Jawwad, did you read Selecting Marine Fish?

Here's an excerpt: "After determining the compatibility of the planned tankmates, the full adult size of the desired fish should be determined. Purchase only fish that can be kept in the display currently owned. In many instances, an aquarist claims that he intends to purchase a bigger tank sometime in the near future and will be housing this larger animal in the relatively small display for only the next six months to two years. Unfortunately, though, life happens. People get laid-off. They get divorced and lose their house. Any number of reasons might derail their planned upgrade. And, because of this, the fish suffer from inadequate space and, in some cases, poor water quality as a result."

Xanthichthys triggers

Another excerpt: "The Blue Throat or Gilded Triggerfish, Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Bennett 1832), true reef dwellers. Here is a female and a male off of Maui, Hawai'i. Indo-west Pacific. To about a foot total length."

 

[Deanos]

I have a niger trigger in my reef for about a year, not a problem, knock on wood. But they love to eat!!!

Odonus Sp.

 

[jhale]

John, you think a 90 gallon would suffice for this fish? Its about 3.5 inches.

my fish is the same size and I think my 120 is too small for it.

Michael Stern has a pair in his tank 430 gallons or so, that I feel is big enough to house them.

as mine grows I'll be finding it a new home, like if Frank gets his 450 done in the future...

it's a good thing the trigger is easy to catch. I think I could take him out with my hands if I had to.

 

[beyondnp]

jhale,

I also would like to get a blue trigger but have been afraid to make the plunge since I have clams. i thought you had some clams as well, no problems?

Had a niger trigger in the past but I would see him occasional nip at my corals and my inverts thus he had to go to an owner of a FOWLR tank.

 

[jhale]

my trigger has not looked at the clams, I have three.

he only eats the chopped up food I give the tank, and some flake foods, and pellets.

 

[drunktank]

My niger outgrew my tank so i gave it to a friend whos got a 500gallon tube for his 1'3'' grouper. the niger was about 10'' when i got rid of it. After a week in my friends tank it ate his hermit which was about the size of a softball- ( my friend likes big fish lol ):eat: