Blue jaw trigger in a reef?????

jennmac415 · #1 01/08/2008, 11:07 AM

I have been thinking about what my next fish will be...considered some and decided against...Coral Beauty, dragon goby, and a few others... anyway, I have ALWAYS loved Blue jaw triggers and I know that some have had them in their reefs successfully...I just hadn't thought about one for my tank...UNTIL yesterday. I went to a new LFS, just to see it, he has a great setup going on, stock was low after the holidays, but it will be a really nice place once it is all up and going. Anyway... walked around, just looking at the tanks and then I saw it...a little blue jaw, about 3-4 inches.. it was in a tank with only one other fish, and lo and behold if that other fish was not the last fish I added, a Lavender Tang!!! I walked around some more, but kept going back to the blue jaw... all the while thinking that maybe this is the fish I should get. I asked about him, and the guy said that he has had him for at least 2 months, he eats well and is very healthy, just a little timid and no one seems to notice him. That is exactly how I got my lavender Tang, she would hide and no one else could see her beauty. the LFS had had her for about 6 months...I fell in love with her, brought her home and she is a GREAT tank addition.,... swims all over, eats Nori like it is going out of style and gets along with everyone! She and my Foxface are in love!!

OK, so to my question.......how are Blue Jaws in a reef tank? How do you all think it would fit into my tank and would I be able to add just a couple more fish (maybe a chromis school or something like that) or would he be the last???

here are my current fish...180 gallon, 75 gallon sump

2 false percs, that live in their 3-anemone condo
3 bow tie DAMsels, that surprisingly don't do any harm to anything
1 lawnmower blenny
I Foxface
I lavender Tang

all get along great... the foxface and Lavender even get the same piece of Nori in their mouths and share it... it is so funny to watch.

So please help me with my decision... I really like him and like the fact that he has been there awhile... he must be hardy and healthy....but want to make the right choices for the long term of my tank.

Thanks for reading and for helping me out!

smm607 · #2 01/08/2008, 11:19 AM

Anyone that thinks they know everything about reefing is going to hear "trigger" and have a fit, they will all tell you no way... I'll tell you that every fish has it's own personality... I have a niger that everyone had recently had a fit about because i have him in my reef tank with clowns chromi and blenny... He has been great.. A little aggressive during feeding time but even then has never made a move to where i thought he was going after another fish. He has no fear and eats right out of my hand now...Point being every trigger has the chance of being overyl aggressive and picking on the other fish but as long as he isn't the largest going into the tank right now i think all the other fish would keep him in check. In my case it my pair of clowns... As for your "more fish" question, In a 180 i think you would be fine if you wanted to add 2 or 3 more smaller fish down the road once you get a feel of your bio-load

jennmac415 · #3 01/08/2008, 11:27 AM

thanks! I know that Blue-jaws are supposed to be the more "reef-safe" of the triggers.... do you have crabs or shrimp... I think they leave corals alone, just wondering about inverts...

jpitts101 · #4 01/08/2008, 11:30 AM

I have a blue jaw with cleaner shrimp, snails and some pepermint shrimp with no problem at all. He has never even showed a want to snack on anything but what i feed the tank.

jennmac415 · #5 01/08/2008, 11:35 AM

Oh... this is sounding good!!!

DT's_Reef · #6 01/08/2008, 11:47 AM

Someone mentioned to me once that bluejaw triggers need cooler water to do well....any truth to this?

jennmac415 · #7 01/08/2008, 11:56 AM

I keep my water around 78.5-79.8...... I have never heard this though...will check it out.

WWodyz · #8 01/08/2008, 12:14 PM

I too have a blue jaw that leaves corals alone. i have cleaner shrimps, cucs, clam, and also 7 green chromis that schools. My water temp is on 80. here is a pic of mine.

jennmac415 · #9 01/08/2008, 12:43 PM

thanks for your input! what size tank do you have yours in?

jab502 · #10 01/08/2008, 04:17 PM

I have a Niger in a 180 with over a dozen ornamental shrimp and crabs and he has never touched any of them or bothered any of the fish. With one exception. He has never bothered anything that was added to the tank before he was. But I added a small fish after he was established and he nailed it immediately. I think the blue jaw would probably work just fine in your tank, but adding smaller fish after he is established may not work. Several friends of mine in the hobby have had the same experience.

Pmolan · #11 01/08/2008, 04:31 PM

I have a blue jaw in a 210 with 2 blood and 2 cleaner shrimp. No issues at all.. Maybe if he went a few days of no food, it would be a different story.

jennmac415 · #12 01/08/2008, 05:12 PM

this is awesome! Now, tell me, what do you all feed your triggers to keep them fat and happy???

purebullet417 · #13 01/08/2008, 05:18 PM

my uncle has a smal (2.5"-3") one is his 210. dosent pick at anything including shrimp and all sorts of coral and eats anything put in the tank.(mysis, brine, formula 1,2 pelets ect.)

Dvon0605 · #14 01/08/2008, 05:59 PM

I have a blue jaw in a 70 with two cleaners, a fire, and a peppermint shrimp. He's the least aggressive fish in my tank. He's about 4 inches and he gets spooked by my small fish

Pmolan · #15 01/08/2008, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jennmac415
this is awesome! Now, tell me, what do you all feed your triggers to keep them fat and happy???

95% formula1 and formula2 pellets believe it or not. Maybe 5% brine/mysys if I'm feeling generous.

DamnPepShrimp · #16 01/08/2008, 06:17 PM

I had a 4" male blue jaw in a 75g tank, he left all my corals alone, no problems. I say go for it.

jennmac415 · #17 01/08/2008, 11:17 PM

Thanks everyone for all your help today.... I finally went and got him!!!! He is so cute... only about 3 1/2 inches.... I am so excited. I have always loved these... I drip acclimated him for a little less than 2 hours and just put him in...lights are out so he can rest unbothered tonight.. OOOhhhh I hope he does ok and that in the morning everyone loves him! Hopefully they will all swim together!

seagirl · #18 01/08/2008, 11:57 PM

go for it. i had one in my reef and LOTS of people around my area do too. Each fish is different but i have heard nothing but good things about the blue jaws in a reef. They will eat up your cuc tho lol

edit- didn't notice you already got him. good luck, hope he's out swimming to meet you in the morning

CNoonan · #19 01/09/2008, 12:00 AM

I do aquarium services and I have a tanks in homes that have triggers. Normally blue jaws, pink tails, and nigers are good candidates. But like stated above all fish have different personalities so you might end up with an angry blue jaw, lol. You'll be fine.. Enjoy it.

jennmac415 · #20 01/09/2008, 12:26 AM

you think he really will eat up my clean up crew????

JillNairn · #21 01/09/2008, 01:21 AM

I am interested in adding one of these as well. Please update if you have any issues with him.

lombard0 · #22 01/09/2008, 06:45 AM

IME, you should be fine as long as you feed them regularly.

I have a 6" male blue-jaw (the dominant one) and 5" blue-jaw (I suspect it's turning to male also) with 4 firefish goby, 5 cleaner shimps, and a lot of crabs... with no problems.

But I do feed them heavily.... about 6 to 8 times a day.

lhoy · #23 01/09/2008, 11:28 AM

If you add small inverts like shrimp after him, just add them at night or guide them down to the rocks in the net. Don't dump them in like they way you do food.

My Pinktail responded once with a tap to the nose by the net and now knows if the green net comes in the tank, move away.

Having a trigger in a reef is unlike any tank I have ever had without one before. He swims under one of my rock to let the peppermint shrimp clean him. It is way cool.

Congrats and enjoy.

Lee

kimsie · #24 01/09/2008, 12:28 PM

Jenni - when do we get to see pics!

mcrist · #25 01/09/2008, 03:27 PM

I think you should be fine. No two fish have the same personality but blue jaw and crosshatch are a few of the triggers that should be fine in a reef tank. I have a pair of crosshatches in my tank and they have been perfectly fine with all my inverts. They are the most aggressive fish I have in my tank but I have no issues.