Hey all. Want to add a trigger to my 6 foot tank. 125 gallons, reef. Ive heard that the niger and blue throat triggers are the best bet for “reef safe” will have an eel in there too so no shrimp or anything. Anyone have any ideas?
Triggers… reef safe?
- Thread starter littlefoxx
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As with all things you add, keep a watch and intervene when needed. Nothing is going to give you 100% safe addition. Have a backup plan for the fish if it doesn't work out.
Edit: I should add, you'll want to figure out if capturing the fish will be pausable without destroying the rock work.
Edit: I should add, you'll want to figure out if capturing the fish will be pausable without destroying the rock work.
OP
OP
For sure! Just wondering if anyone has experience with either of them in a reef tank
This is where you apply "with caution" to the end of "reef safe". Would love a Niger Trigger myself, but with inverts and clams, it's a dodgy proposition at best. Agree with the other poster... have a backup plan to rdhome if things go sideways.
OP
OP
Yeah Ive got a LFS that buys them for store credit if they dont work out. I plan on having brittle starts, halloween hermits, urchins, and big turbo snails as my CUC in that take cause of the eel. Eel is good with hermits surprisingly and doesnt mess with snails
Theres several members who have a blue throat.
@F i s h y i believe keeps one... sorry fishy, my memory is shot...
I've seen several. Never any nigers.
I keep a blue throat. Never had any issues with it. It leaves my inverts alone as well. It dies however hunt down and eat any new little fish I put in like firefish...
I believe any of the Xanthichthys will be your best bet, followed by the red-toothed triggerfish. Some have also had success with Melichthys species. Other than that, coral will be safe if the fish are well fed and the rocks secured, but any inverts will be eaten and the bioload will get to be too high for delicate corals. Most triggers are technically "coral safe" (as in they won't go around taking bites like an angel or butterfly would), but they tend not to be so invert safe. Good luck!
OP
OP
Oh okay, so the bioload could potentially be too big for some corals? I also have the snowflake eel that has a big bioload too so maybe Ill need to pass on the trigger
Reef safe Yes, good idea NO! They are pigs. They will pile sand every where. Mine was a nightmare. I had to remove him and put him in a fowlr
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OP
Huh okay, I think I will pass on a trigger then!
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Triggers in the Xanthicthys genus are the safest, as nearly all of them (bluethroat included) are planktonic feeders. Niger triggers are more opportunistic, and will pick at inverts like shrimp and crabs. Unless you have a mated pair, you don't need to worry about a bluethroat blowing sand around. I would highly recommend one, I love Xanthicthys triggers to death and wish more people had them!
I got a line spot trigger, it’s definitely something. My cleaner wrasse has been missing since yesterday however, ever since I added him.
I do really like the golden back trigger, I agree the xanthicthys triggers are much more attractive than the others IMO. I’ve never really liked the niger trigger which are more common.
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I had a female blue throat for a few years that was fine. Had a picaso that was fine for a brief period. The picaso was only about 3 inches but it started pestering and nipping at my 30 inch zebra moray to the point the moray stopped eating. I rehomed the trigger but the moray never started eating and passed 
I had a Niger for over six years. Beautiful fish with the red teeth and long streamers. Never bothered anything, not even snails. Then one day it started taking chunks out of my large lps colonies. Out he came and off to the LFS.
Blue throat would be the best choice from my limited experience.
I had a Niger for over six years. Beautiful fish with the red teeth and long streamers. Never bothered anything, not even snails. Then one day it started taking chunks out of my large lps colonies. Out he came and off to the LFS.Blue throat would be the best choice from my limited experience.
I would probably not put him in a reef tank. FOWLR system would be the safest way.
Some are/. Ive had success with Niger-blue throat and crosshatch. They do however eat their way into structure for hiding
OP
OP
Yeah I think I might have to pass on a trigger. The guy Im getting the tank from has some very expensive corals in there and I dont want them damaged! Also that story about the trigger biting the eel is nuts! Im excited to get the snowflake and dont want him bullied like that! And he is a little guy, maybe 10 inches max at the moment
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