My new Crosshatch!!

[alrha]

A dream has come true yesterday for me.
I walked into Fish Expo to see if Niki can somehow one day try to keep an eye out for me to possibly attempt find my dream fish, the Crosshatch Trigger (Xanthichthys mento) - if anyone could get one its him, he get the most beautiful show-fish.
Behold, he had one in a bucket right behind the counter that he just brought in from his brother's tank who had it in his reef for 6 months (but now decided to go with small schools of fish rather than large show fish). I have never in my life seen such a spectacular fish. It is from Caledonia and has the most amazing color to it. At about 6" it is the most impressive thing you can imagine.
My rather large red-sea sailfin tried smacking him with his tail a couple of times for the first few hours, but compared to this fish, the sailfin is a baby. he seems to have given up trying to attack him and will have to accept the new King of the reef.
And now, for the photo....

 

[marrone]

Nice trigger the line on the face are really nice. It seem fish from Caledonia look darker than from other areas. Fish Town had them about 2 years or so ago for really cheap, I think $59. I was temped to get one. What size tank is he going to be in? The old problem that I see with triggers in a reef tank is if you have a DSB as trigger like to move around the sand and will even push it away around and in between rocks so they can widge themselves in.

 

[alrha]

he's in a 187 gal (60x24x30).

 

[marrone]

Should be ok for while not sure how large they get, I know they don't get anywhere near as large as Queesn, Titan or Clown triggers. They then to be longer rather just big like some of the other triggers.

 

[jcurry]

That's a beautiful fish and is also my dream fish. I've been looking for one for a while. Absolutely Fish in Clifton NJ has them semi regularly but @ $499 I can't justify it. Good Luck with him.

What has it been eating the colors are great?

 

[heuerfan]

Sweet butt trigger Albert, congrats its a beauty!

 

[Barnacle_Blenny]

Very nice! no triggers for my reef though

 

[alrha]

he eats just about everything.
Barnacle, the crosshatch trigger is reef safe.
jcurry, they are indeed expensive fish (but was less than $500)

 

[House of Laughter]

Alrha,

Man, what a sweet lookig fish - and realtively reef friendly by the way.

I saqw these at Absolutely Fish for 3-400 bucks.

Gook luck with it and give it good food to keep up those colors.

Congrats

Jim

 

[alrha]

is there any particular food you guys reccommend?
so far he eats about 6-8 cubes a day (3-4 morning + 3-4 night) i've only had him since sunday, so those colors are not thanks to me. I've been feeding him the Ocean Nutrition frozen foods (and an assortment of flakes, but i think it would be impossible to feed him enough in flakes). So far he is eating the
"Brine Shrimp Plus"
"Special Formula VHP (Very High Protein)"
"Angel Formula"
"Prime Reef"
"Formula One"
"Formula Two"
he gobbles up the entire cube in just a bite or two.

 

[marrone]

You should feed him Formula I & II and piece of shrimp, squid and clam. Be careful as you don't want to over feed as your nitrates will go up, which in a reef tank is a problem. Here is a good link on CrossHatch Trigger.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/Fish.htm

 

[Barnacle_Blenny]

I'm sure he'd have my shrimps as a cocktail for starters. Then maybe a firefish or two as the entree.

Very nice looking fish but no thanks too much invested in my tank to put an aggressive trigger in.

Hehe

 

[alrha]

barnacle, he's not aggressive, read the article above about it.

 

[marrone]

The trigger that are in this family are very timid. Alot of them are shy to the point where they hide and some wouldn't even eat. They're actually more like file fish than the trigger. When people think of triggers they think of the Clown, Queens which are very aggressive.

 

[Barnacle_Blenny]

damn it now you made me want one. Evil you are evil!!!

 

[4angel]

Hay Al how is Fish Expo is it Fish Only?

 

[alrha]

Nope, it has fish and corals. its my favorite store in brooklyn (they have the most beautiful fish). they recently opened a second floor just as a show room full of tank set-ups (dry set ups)