Trigger Happy

[basscyn]

<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">I want to add a trigger fish to my reef tank. I have done a little research and while there are no guarantees there do appear to be some species I can keep. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Seems "coral safe" is a better bet than "invert safe" as they <u>all</u> appear to enjoy a little escargot on occasion.:yuk:</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">My primary target is the Sargassum Trigger. To me this is the prettiest of the reef safe models. Also like the Blue Throat Trigger.</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Anyone have any first-hand experience with triggerfish in a reef tank?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Are there any other species I could consider?</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Thanks!</span></span>

 

[jmaneyapanda]

BASSCYN;724003 wrote: <span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">I want to add a trigger fish to my reef tank. I have done a little research and while there are no guarantees there do appear to be some species I can keep. </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Seems "coral safe" is a better bet than "invert safe" as they <u>all</u> appear to enjoy a little escargot on occasion.:yuk:</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">My primary target is the Sargassum Trigger. To me this is the prettiest of the reef safe models. Also like the Blue Throat Trigger.</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Anyone have any first-hand experience with triggerfish in a reef tank?</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Are there any other species I could consider?</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Thanks!</span></span>

Both would surely be fine. Bear in mind, they are active fish and need a lot of swimming room, although they are routinely collected smaller alleviating some of this worry. Any trigger in the genus Xanthichtys would be fine

 

[mph84]

I've kept blue throats before. Very cool fish!! Never had any problems with mine

 

[thanh386]

I owned both blue throat and sargassum. They are not finger tip safe. I had so many bite marks when I had them

 

[basscyn]

This is great news!

...now I gotta find one :yes:

 

[cr500_af]

Sargassums are $$$ aren't they? I would love one of those eventually but I don't think my wallet nor my wife would take it.

 

[thanh386]

Tall to nemo , they usually have blue throats in stock. Bill at aviarium has sargassum in alot. Both places on those species respectively.

 

[basscyn]

cr500_af;724060 wrote: Sargassums are $$$ aren't they? I would love one of those eventually but I don't think my wallet nor my wife would take it.

Are they??
I was so busy researching if I could have one, I hadn't looked into whether or not I could afford one.

Off to market!:yes:

 

[thanh386]

Blue jaws are about 30-40
Sag are 89-135

 

[cr500_af]

Oh, not as bad as I'd heard then.

 

[thanh386]

I paid 99 from Tim at keen when he was open. I am a bargain hunter tho.

 

[dawgface]

Crosshatch are "Reef Safe" as well... Just not pocket safe.

 

[stacy22]

I used to have a sargassum in my reef. He was a gorgeous fish and a model citizen. I will have another.

 

[grouper therapy]

I have a sargassum, been the perfect fish for several years. Mine is very personable as well. Seems to prefer pellets and nori over other foods.

 

[basscyn]

Sounds like a great fish.

Yeah...on-line pricing is pretty high on the Sargassum. $120ish plus shipping. More than I thought.
If I could find one local for south of $100.00...Id "pull the trigger"
It would still be the most I ever paid for a fish.
Get it?:doh:...pull the trigger? I crack myself up.

 

[rodasphoto]

BASSCYN;724122 wrote: Sounds like a great fish.

Yeah...on-line pricing is pretty high on the Sargassum. $120ish plus shipping. More than I thought.
If I could find one local for south of $100.00...Id "pull the trigger"
It would still be the most I ever paid for a fish.
Get it?:doh:...pull the trigger? I crack myself up.

:lol2:

 

[cr500_af]

To those with "reef safe" triggers... do they coexist with stuff like cleaner shrimp? My hunch is no.

I use Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes" as a reference guide, but TONS of fish say "May eat small ornamental shrimps"... I don't know if he means "tiny ones" or "anything short of a Mantis".

 

[basscyn]

cr500_af;724126 wrote: To those with "reef safe" triggers... do they coexist with stuff like cleaner shrimp? My hunch is no.

I use Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes" as a reference guide, but TONS of fish say "May eat small ornamental shrimps"... I don't know if he means "tiny ones" or "anything short of a Mantis".

My guess is this is the gray area of trigger keeping. My plan is to keep him well fed and hope my shrimp can evade him.

 

[stacy22]

I think you have better luck with having the shrimp in the tank first. Shrimp added after the trigger may be perceived as "food".

I believe the trick is to keep them well fed with "intended foods" and they will be less likely to eat the unintended variety.

 

[grouper therapy]

here ya go.

Edit: Here ya go