Meanest Fish

[gunny03]

Whats the meanest fish that gets to a max size of about a foot?

[EdKruzel]

That's a very general question that will render many different opinions; I'd say some of the trigger species.

[snommisbor]

If you are looking for just a mean SOB that harasses other fish for no reason then a undulated trigger I hear is a mean one, if you are looking for something that is a predator/hunter and will eat your smaller fish but not necessarily a SOB but fairly peaceful then a Volitan Lion

[gunny03]

I was at my lfs and they had a clown trigger that would try to bite off my finger when I put it near the glass lol

[Titan*69]

Undulate for sure; the only fish I've ever own that literally scares me.

[adimal]

porcupine puffer! best personality and is mean

[gunny03]

will an undulate trigger hurt a wolf eel?

[adimal]

you really shouldnt add anymore fish i just saw your stock list

[carnavor]

i have a five inch female undulated triggerfish that is NASTY, kills anything you put in. at first when i first receved the fish (around 3 in.) it acted very shy and hid in the tonga branch . but that wore off after around two weeks and regular feeds of gold fsh.

[justinl]

meanest thing in the sea under a foot? domino damsel, hands down. lol, its attitude may render it as food for a bigger fish though... but would that really be a loss?

[Twitterbait]

I have almost lost fingers to undulate and clown triggers... if it is not about size or teeth then i would say the meanest fish i have had was a maroon clown.

[kathainbowen]

The "meanest" fish really depends on who you're talking to. Most people say triggers because they're fast and aggressive, actually ripping things apart when they eat it. Other people would say groupers or lionfish, since they pretty much eat anything that will fit in their mouths. However, on the same token, there are many people who will assert that the blue tang is mean.

When judging "meanness" you really need to think less about just how "mean" something is, and more about the desireable behavioral pattern. Mean is in the eye of the fish keeper, afterall, and the aggression of certain species can vary from specimen to specimen.

Personally, I would rank the meanest s/w animals in the aquarium trade in general (not thinking about size constraints), to be the smoothhound shark (and most sharks, but them in particular), the queen trigger, the clown trigger, the blueline trigger, the undulate trigger, the picasso trigger, the emperor snapper, certain large angels, any variety of lionfish, any variety of grouper, and any of the larger moray eels (especially the tesselata!). They're all of my hit list of "meanest" animals for various reasons. Some, are flat out aggressive to all fish. Lions and groupers swallow things whole. I've heard of smoothhounds ripping lionfish apart. And who can rightly argue that large morays are rays of sunshine that never hurt a flea?

[snommisbor]

We are getting off track. He asked what is the meanest fish that gets to around 12 inches. Lets say + or - 3 inches

[jcopp24]

I second the vote on the Undulated Trigger...

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9925418#post9925418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gunny03
will an undulate trigger hurt a wolf eel?

I've seen one kill a wolf eel.

I've always felt that, oz-for-oz, the undulate is the most belligerent fish available. There are a lot of others, like the queen trigger, clown trigger and blueline, that are more destructive, but that's more a factor of their greater size as adults, so they are able to do more damage quickly.

All that said, for the size you're talking about, Undulate would be first on my list. The clown tang and sohal tang would not be far behind (though they'd be at the upper border of snommisbor's range).

Dave

[snapper1]

undulated Trigger without a Doubt

[D's Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9926007#post9926007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by justinl
meanest thing in the sea under a foot? domino damsel, hands down. lol, its attitude may render it as food for a bigger fish though... but would that really be a loss?
Haha how true.. I would enjoy feeding Damsels to my lion but thats an expensive meal.

My vote for Meanest would be a Trigger. A live feed with a trigger is gory meal, Mine chomps um' from the tail to the head sometimes popping the head off just to savour it a moment later:eek:

[ThomasinKind]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9925916#post9925916 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by carnavor
i have a five inch female undulated triggerfish that is NASTY, kills anything you put in. at first when i first receved the fish (around 3 in.) it acted very shy and hid in the tonga branch . but that wore off after around two weeks and regular feeds of gold fsh.

goldfish are not a good diet for any marine animal

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9937538#post9937538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ThomasinKind
goldfish are not a good diet for any marine animal

Thanks for pointing that out. I must have skipped over that sentence the first time through.

Dave

[EdKruzel]

Good catch on that goldfish hit; looks like somebody didn't read the sticky on feeding predatory fishes... :rolleyes:

Some are getting way off track as to what is mean:

–adjective, -er, -est.
1. offensive, selfish, or unaccommodating; nasty; malicious: a mean remark; He gets mean when he doesn't get his way.

This is the fish that won't accept any other in its territory; it claims part of the tank, but still has to go nip and harass some totally different species minding its own business on the other side of the tank. That's mean!

While we've all witnessed triggers rip food apart or a lion or grouper swallow something, it doesn't categorize them as mean. I tore into a bagel w/cream cheese pretty good this morning, I wasn't feeling aggressive, just hungry. When a fish bullies and beats another down for other than food, then we have one here to mention. I guess the question could also be posted as most aggressive feeder; groupers and lions would definitely make that list.

[Titan*69]

I based my vote on an array of witnessed aggressive behaviour:

The Undy was with tankmates for about six months; I was surprised the community was undisturbed for so long.......

IMO, these fish can inflict equal damage as compared to some of the bigger brutes in the Triggerfish family. I first witnessed this when my Hummu and Undy were raceing for a morsel of food. They met at the same time......The Undulate got the food, and my Picasso was almost missing the entire top half of his lip. It was a mere accident, but one little nip inflicted some nasty damage. Eventually the Hummu healed, and currently is as good as new.

After months the Undulate devolped a sudden hate for my Blue-spotted puffer. Within little time the poor thing had it's large tail-fin split like a broomtail wrasse's, and the small top fin was nearly chewed off. The Undy had the puffer jammed in a hole in the LR and would not let it come out. The puffer would dart out for a bite of food or two when I was feeding. If the Undy caught a glimpse of the puffer she'd forgo food, and fly across the tank to attack.


My Coris Formosa had it's tail fin bit nearly off, and retired to the sandbed for roughly 5 days before re-surfacing. I'm guessing the stress, and fear caused this fish to lay low for a while.


She never really did any damage to my Picasso, but would chase, and sometimes pin him in the corner of the tank. This stressed the poor guy immensly. His colors faded, and was paceing mindlessly in a small sector of the tank. She decided to kick him out've his favourite sleeping quarters with some aggressive bullying. The Hummu would try to find a new sleeping hole, and she'd claim it for herself eventhough she wasn't going to use it. The picasso would swim around for hours until the beast crashed for the night. Then he could rest......

Damsels were left alone and untouched...lol So, if I could offer advice on any tankmates, damsels would be my choice.


The only fish she couldn't dominate was my Niger who's a stout 9" where as the Undy was 5." He actually almost killed her when she was introduced......weird, I know. I'd say the Undy brought out some aggressive behaviour in the Niger; I don't know why, but his demeanor changed for the worse. The Niger and Undy formed sort've a tag team, and they'd scour the tank together harrassing fish; where as before the big guy wasn't so mean.

She's now living alone, and all my fish are doing great! She definately was much more active with tankmates; she's more of a recluse now, and has a much bigger tude.

Interesting thing about the Undulate......IMO they have a hard-time visually decifering their caretaker when the lights are out. My girl will attack so hard if I'm looking at the tank with no lights on; you can actually hear the cartilage/fins in her body rumbling.....scary! When the lights are on she's up front and happy, awaiting breaky. As well, they're a very possessive fish......If I touch the power head that blows in her den; she's all over me. Teeth flared, triggers up, and coming for my fingers!

Ok, I'll stop rambling.......

[Titan*69]

So nice, yet so men:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/beankeough/PredTank005copy.jpg

[D's Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9938559#post9938559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EdKruzel
Good catch on that goldfish hit; looks like somebody didn't read the sticky on feeding predatory fishes... :rolleyes:

Some are getting way off track as to what is mean:

–adjective, -er, -est.
1. offensive, selfish, or unaccommodating; nasty; malicious: a mean remark; He gets mean when he doesn't get his way.

This is the fish that won't accept any other in its territory; it claims part of the tank, but still has to go nip and harass some totally different species minding its own business on the other side of the tank. That's mean!

While we've all witnessed triggers rip food apart or a lion or grouper swallow something, it doesn't categorize them as mean. I tore into a bagel w/cream cheese pretty good this morning, I wasn't feeling aggressive, just hungry. When a fish bullies and beats another down for other than food, then we have one here to mention. I guess the question could also be posted as most aggressive feeder; groupers and lions would definitely make that list.

Yeah you're right, by that definition I vote again for Damsels. Territorial bulldogs.
I took mean as "piranha"style aggresive. I don't think it's wrong that a Trigger has to chew it's food but it is the most gruesome end you'll find in hobby fish.
O' yeah I stopped feeding them guppies thanks to this site, it's not as fun for me or them, but I'd rather have healthy fish.

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9938559#post9938559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EdKruzel
I tore into a bagel w/cream cheese pretty good this morning, I wasn't feeling aggressive, just hungry.

Your office must be a mess :lol:

I have to agree with the domino damsel...mean just for the sake of being mean.