Reef safe trigger??

[dstall]

I would like to add a reef safe trigger to my take but can't afford a Crosshatch, what other Triggers are considered reef safe?

[hawkfish21]

Blue Jaw?

[sweetrav18]

most people will tell you that a blue jaw trigger is reef safe...however like most things in this hobby its a crap shoot!!

[dstall]

Is the Crosshatch the only true reef safe Trigger?

[bureau13]

I don't think a Crosshatch is any more safe than a Blue jaw or a Sargassum. Mostly, they're planktivores, sometimes they'll eat stuff. Pretty much like any fish, only a bit more risky than most "reef safe" fish...still, I think if you took a poll of Crosshatch, Blue jaw or Sargassum triggers in a reef, most would respond that they've worked out fine. Crosshatch owners in general are probably more likely to put up with some monkey business because they shelled out several hundred more dollars for their fish than your typical blue jaw owner.

jds

jds

[scoutmaniak]

Ive got a pair of blue jaw triggers in my reef, and they are great fish!! Ive got them with pepperment shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and all kinds of crabs. Heck they will stop by and get cleaned by the shrimp. I have never seen them show aggrestion in any way. They are really neat fish, and would recamend them to anyone with a bigger tank. They will turn into big puppy dogs and beg at the front of the tank, and "grunt" at you when they are hungery. There were the first fish in my tank, and have allowed me to add alot of fish with no aggression. After I added the yellow tang the male blue jaw buddied up with it and now they swim all around the tank together. Blue jaws will always be safe with your corals, but I have heard of some that will eat shrimp. They are not hard on the aquascaping like other trigger either. Good luck and let us know what you do,

Michael

[zemuron114]

sargassums i think are the most "reef safe" trigger. the thing about triggers (especially pairs) is if they decide they want to mate or do the mating dance, they will attach and kill other fish who get in their way. As far as being safe with corals, keep them well fed and they should be fine.

[Bebo77]

90 gal.. gonna need a small trigger at that..

[dstall]

Thanks everyone. Yes regarding a small trigger

[scoutmaniak]

sargassums stay small enough for a 90, or I think they would for a while. I know my blue throats has stayed the same size for like 6 months.

zemuron114: I had no idea the triggers would attemt to breed in a tank!! I mite sell the female soon, so I dont end up with a messed up tank... Thanks for the info!!

Michael

[gasman059]

reef safe trigger=oxymoron lol

[mattyice]

bluejaws are perfectly reef safe, i have yet to hear a bluejaw eat anything that it wasnt supposed to eat, the only bad case i have heard of is my pair eating 2 damsels...the damsels were live food for them

they did eat a clam but i abused the tank for a week and didnt feed them so that is my fault, i have a pair and i hope they mate, all the fish in my tank are plenty fast to get out of the way of mating triggers, but...no trigger should be kept in a 90, sorry but a 125 is the smallest i would put a pair of triggers in or even a single trigger even sargassum triggers reach 9-10" easily

[Wolverine]

Originally posted by gasman059
reef safe trigger=oxymoron lol

That's untrue.
As mentioned, the Xanthichthys triggers are generally reefsafe, as is the pinktail (Melichthys vidua). If you get a more docile niger trigger, it can be a model reef citizen (but this one requires a little more luck than the others).

Dave

[reef3r]

What size tanks do you guys have your blue jaws in? How fast do they grow.

[scoutmaniak]

Mine are in a 100g 5 foot tank for now. The male is 4 1/2 inches and the female is arond 5 1/2. The guy I got them from had them for almost a year, and said they put on mybe an inch. Ive had them for a few months, and can say they just gain weight, lol. Im thinking about selling the female though. The fish dont really act like a pair, and they both eat like pigs so im kinda worried about my nitrates going up...

[nickiwit]

I have a female crosshatch and sargassum in my reef. Both of them for the most part leave everything alone. The female crosshatch likes to mess with the inverts (black longspine urchin, arrow crab, shrimp) but has not killed anything. My sargassum leaves the inverts alone but likes to chase the small fish sometimes.

[gasman059]

Originally posted by Wolverine
That's untrue.
As mentioned, the Xanthichthys triggers are generally reefsafe, as is the pinktail (Melichthys vidua). If you get a more docile niger trigger, it can be a model reef citizen (but this one requires a little more luck than the others).

Dave

sorry but anything that's possibly nipping imho is not reef safe
just myy opinion

[Wolverine]

Originally posted by gasman059
sorry but anything that's possibly nipping imho is not reef safe
just myy opinion

Nipping fish or corals?

If you're talking corals, and you truly want to eliminate the possibility of nipping, you've also just eliminated everything in the tang and angelfish categories, most blennies and gobies, most damselfishes, and a lot of other things. Several of those are significantly more likely to nip at your corals than a crosshatch.

Dave

[gasman059]

Originally posted by Wolverine
Nipping fish or corals?

If you're talking corals, and you truly want to eliminate the possibility of nipping, you've also just eliminated everything in the tang and angelfish categories, most blennies and gobies, most damselfishes, and a lot of other things. Several of those are significantly more likely to nip at your corals than a crosshatch.

Dave

OK! TYVM

[Triggerfish]

they are reef safe in regards to not eating reef corals..but they will eat reef fish.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

My pink tail trigger is a model citizen, dosen't bother a thing. But he'd be a bit large for a 90 as mine is currently around the 8" in length area. He's in a 400G tank.

All fish can be possible coral pickers. They are each different, same as we are. Some are more tollerent than others. I do beleive though that if you keep them happy and well fed, they are less likley to nip at your prized corals.

[mattyice]

bluejaws, crosshatches, nigers, pinktails, and sargassum triggers all will eat reef fish that are small enough

i have yet to see my triggers nip at any coral and are actually quite skittish, my male is thick, bright, and is most likely the best looking male bluethroat i have seen, he is about 5-6" long and has grown about an inch since i bought him in february, the female i bought at about 3" and is actually growing at the same rate as the male, i have mine in a 125 and will be moving them to my 700G tank when its complete

the key to keeping them happy is giving them a variety diet, i have about 10 different foods that i feed the tank in a cycle over a week period

here is a new picture of my male







the female





the pair together

[zemuron114]

saying they WILL eat any small fish is greatly overstated. I've seen crosshatch in full blown SPS reefs with clown gobies, fairy wrasses, etc etc etc. all are very small in comparison to a male crosshatch.

A single bluejaw, crosshatch, or sargassum will be fine in any reef setting. When you have a pair and they get "cozy" (not mating, but maybe attempting or thinking to) they will start to nip and possibly attach small fish.

[scoutmaniak]

I have my blue throats in with a pair of neon gobies, percula clownfish, a tang, and dwarf angelfish. They all get along. If anything the tang is the boldest fish of the tank. The blue throats just like to eat, lol(fish food, not inverts). I have to agree, most fish will nip a coral, or kill an invert every now and then but I would have no trouble putting the above triggers in a reef tank.

[bustayanky]

What do you guys feed your triggers? I just got a pair crosshatches and it is eating mysis, but they go thru the packs so fast. What other foods do you recommend? They are about 6-8 inches. I'll post some pics of them later. Please help. Thanks a lot.