So can we safely say that Niger Triggers are reef safe?

[Carpentersreef]

Over the past six months or so, I've paid attention to and searched for Niger Trigger threads. I didn't come across any that claimed that they were harmful to corals.
I purchased one a little while ago, and he/she hasn't taken the slightest interest in my corals: softies, LPS, SPS or clams. The specimen that I bought is around 6 - 7", including tail. I'm feeding my tank krill, squid, enriched brine, mysis, clams and silversides (smaller stuff too, but it doesn't bother with that). The trigger even eats OSI Spirulina flakes.
I did witness the trigger taking off a sweeper from my closed brain coral, but spit it out immediately after, and hasn't touched it since.
I do have another tank that I can transfer it to if there is any problem, but so far I see nothing to indicate the need.
Anybody that has stories of bad experiences or other advice would be appreciated.
The tank's a 204g , FWIW.

I don't do "flame", so don't bother with that crap... :lol:

Mitch :wink:

 

[dizzy]

Mitch it seems like I remember seeing a video that showed triggers in the main reef at Monaco. It was way back at MACNA IX so my memory is a bit faded. Seems like they would be hell on shrimps and herbivor hermits. Some triggers really can be rascals. I was getting shocked in this one tank and then I found out the clown trigger had nipped the heater cord.

I love triggers good luck.

 

[danmhippo]

WTF, trigger in a reef? What, you out of your mind? ARe you being a troll again? That is the most inhumane and obsurd thing I have ever heard in the past 15 years of reef keeping. Is this your pathetic attempt toward the 4x? (Oh, wait, there IS no 4x......) You should pack it up and send it my way........ :mrgreen:

(hey, where is the pic you promised us some weeks ago? No, not your stupid reef........Your fiance... :mrgreen: )

 

[SPC]

I used to catch trigger fish when fishing on the reefs, does that help? :arrow:
Mitch, if you don't have any pictures of her I would be glad to post some.
Steve

 

[Carpentersreef]

I'm scared to think of the things that you bananas would do with a picture of my fiance...

Mitch

 

[Anonymous]

did somebody say banana?

 

[EmilyB]

I see this thread is going well for you Carp.... :roll:

 

[Carpentersreef]

Nobody takes me seriously anymore....

Mitch :?

 

[Phillyboy]

I know someone with a trigger in their reef. Apparently he doesn't do much damage at all. I was shocked...but there's always a first. I also know someone with a tracoon butterfly in their reef. Same story. Fish does little damage and growth is so good in these tanks the'yre trimming like mad anyway. idunno if i'd try it though. risky bet. Definitely try to get a small juvenile..more opportunity to modify the fish's diet before it matures.

 

[Anonymous]

hi,

i keep an Odonus niger in my reef without any problem.
it does get along very well with a clown, a Genicanthus caudovittatus and a Zebrazoma velliferum ...
won't go after hermits or any of the two lysmatas i have, just make sure you introduce the shrimps before the niger otherwise they may be assimilated to live food

this fish is reef safe, you may run into problem, agressivity issue, if you keep it in a FO...
i remember Randy Donowitz keeping one in a very crowded 125 AGA ...
i remember Joe Adrian keeping one in his 500 gal reef ...

both of them keeping SPS.

your pick !

Toine

 

[Minh Nguyen]

There are a few triggers that are 'reef safe' in a sense that they would not eat corals or crabs. You can tell by the position of their mouth (up facing).
Niger Trigger gets up to 19.7 inches maximum (per S. Michael and 50cm total length per Fishbase). I have seen Niger Trigger >14 inches in lenght in Aquarium. He will put out lots of waste, and will eat all your small fish. Is that reef safe? IMO, this fish is a poor choice for a reef tank. Have you see them in a FO tank attacking all those Comets for dinner? I don't have anything against feeding live food, but I love small fishes in my reef tank. Just imagine a reef without small fish. I cannot.
If you really wanted a Trigger, Xanthichthys auromarginatus, the Bluechin trigger would make a much better choice. It will only get to 8.7 inches max in size.

Mitch, I hope this help.

 

[Ritteri&Bubbles]

There are a few Triggers that are well suited for reef tanks,including the Pinktail,Niger and Sargassum but most are not. I keep both a Niger and Pinktail in my reef tanks without a problem. The pinktail seems to be the most timid of them all. The pinktail I have is the largest fish in one of my reefs and also the most timid. In fact my Flame angel bullies him during feeding of all things.

 

[Carpentersreef]

I have never been a fan of the smaller fish. I can appreciate their beauty though, like little jewels suspended in and around the reef. I am more interested in the fish benefitting the corals, and I do see a benefit from the trigger, because he is such a crude eating machine.
Many times I have witnessed my LPS and SPS grabbing onto a single large silverside and attempting to consume it, only to have it snatched away by a passing fish. I guess I like the resulting food waste from the trigger because it gives the various corals a chance to "catch" the smaller food particles through the function of their polyps and the mucus coverings on the various LPS. I much prefer that method rather than me intervening with an electric blender.
The size that they can grow to I've taken into consideration, and I'm certainly not adverse to an in-wall, much larger tank.
I must admit though, I wasn't aware off the bluechin, or the shape of the trigger mouth as a possible determining factor of "reef-safe". Thanks.
Feeding Comets to marine aquaria is just plain wrong.

Mitch

 

[Minh Nguyen]

.......
Feeding Comets to marine aquaria is just plain wrong.

Mitch

Agree. Just that was what I saw at LFS. I contemplated putting a Bluechin in my tank once. Seeing them eatting cure me of it in a hurry.

 

[JeremyR]

Sometimes I wonder if tangs should be on the reef safe list. It's all relative. Do you know how many people I see with tangs that eat LPS, especially open brains? Reef safe depends on your criteria. The trigger will probably be more "coral safe" than your tang, but could be a risk with small fish, crabs, shrimp, etc. I know alot of people keep nigers without them bothering any of that.. but I've also seen nigers that besides eating shrimp were just mean suckers that killed their tankmates. I've never seen a pinktail that went on a killing spree, but nigers can do it sometimes. There was one in particular that I must have sold 5 times, and it kept coming back because it wouldn't play nice (even tho people were warned of it's behavior ahead of time). What it boils down to is fish have tendencies by species, but they are also individuals.

(you could call the above something I"ve learned in this trade.. never guarantee anyone anything about something that's alive.. use lots of "probably" type words.)

Tehehe.

 

[Carpentersreef]

Yep. Just like they said in biology class..

"There's an exception to EVERY rule."

Mitch :wink:

 

[JeremyR]

Funny, but I never took biology.. dunno why.. heh.

 

[dizzy]

(you could call the above something I"ve learned in this trade.. never guarantee anyone anything about something that's alive.. use lots of "probably" type words.)

Tehehe.

Jeremy I'm with you on the disclaimer. I always tell the customers fishkeeping rules are not written in stone.

Mitch it seems like Monaco has an assassin trigger in their Red Sea reef. Seems like I saw a parrot fish too. Talk about recreating a natual reef and a strong argument for large tanks. I think I have the tape from MACNA IX and the Monaco lecture somewhere, so I might just dust it off and see if it still plays. Your a fishkeeping pioneer. I like to test the boundaries a bit myself.

 

[SPC]

A couple of questions:

1. If a fish can reach a length of 19.5", why would anyone here recommend keeping one in a small fish tank?
2. Are some of you guys saying that there are niger triggers that won't eat shrimp?
Steve

 

[Carpentersreef]

A couple of questions:

1. If a fish can reach a length of 19.5", why would anyone here recommend keeping one in a small fish tank?

Small tank, no, but a large tank, yes. I didn't see anyone here recommend a small fish tank. :?:
I realized that they got big, but not that big, to tell the truth.

And question #2 answer is not me, anyways.

Mitch