chefthomasr July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 Hi! So lately I have way too much time on my hands at work. So how do I fill that spare time? I research things about fish, corals, inverts. You know the routine (don't act like you don't do the same thing I read the are you addicted poll ). In my searching I've been reading a lot more about people keeping triggers in reef tanks. I've had it in my head from the beginning that triggers are not reef same. But according to many people it appears that some may be especially the pink tail triggers. What I've read so far from reef forums says they will munch on your clean up crew but leave the rest alone. Sites selling the pink tails say they cannot be housed with smaller fishes or urchins. Has anyone housed a trigger in their reef tank before? How did that work out for you? Would you do it again? jenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Pollman July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 I have had a blue jaw and a niger - both were reef safe. The worst that happened was my 8 inch niger would grab a snail and swim around the tank with it in its mouth until it got bored with it. Neither one ever touched a coral, though my cleaner shrimp never came out during the day. That said, I would not put another trigger in my tanks. Both of mine were rather skittish: if I were the only person in the room with the tank, they would come out and beg for food, but if anyone one else was around, they would hide. Also, although the niger was scarred of my arm in the tank, when I was doing tank mantenance, it would still race out and try and bite me and then race to its hiding hole again. From what I understand, this sort of behavior is typical of triggers as they get older. Also, the niger, at 8 inches, was by far the biggest fish in the tank, but it never bothered any of the other fish (even a 3 inch coral beauty) - but it killed every new fish I tried to add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leishman July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 You can see my old x-hatch pair here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valeria July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 I have a Niger, till two weeks ago his been in the reef tank- NEVER touched a coral. In the tank we have xenia, colt, 2 types of leather, mushrooms and zoos. He is currently in the QT tank because a 1) goby went missing 3 weeks ago and 2) I saw him attack bird wrasse. His aggresivness developed slowly, at first he would come up and ask for food. First sign of aggresion was when he did not let us take away the rocks when rebuilding but figured it's his "home" (sleeping hiding place) I would attack too. Then he attacked hands that were inside the tank, then the bird wrasse - he is now in QT waiting to me moved to a bigger tank. If I knew what I know now I would not have gotten a trigger, which is why I did not bid on the clown trigger . Carla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefthomasr July 28, 2006 Author Share July 28, 2006 You can see my old x-hatch pair here: How were they? Would you get another pair if you had the opportunity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leishman July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 How were they? Would you get another pair if you had the opportunity? Only if I had a 500-1000 gal system. They were 7" and 8+" and every day they ate 3x3" silversides each. If I had given them more they would have eaten them. These guys are not a good fish for any tank under 500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefthomasr July 28, 2006 Author Share July 28, 2006 No doubt our 135 is too small. Just curious about it and wondered how well people faired. I was seeing folks on reef central who had them in 55gallons. I though that explains why they are so aggressive. But sometimes I wonder about reef central. Sometimes I think people just make things up. But you never know do ya? Thanks for the input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 I noticed that you had a pair of cross-hatch triggers. Is it possible to breed them in captivity?? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutley29 July 28, 2006 Share July 28, 2006 I have Bluejaws in my 240, they as far as i am aware are doing very well I keep them well fed, they come to the surface when i'm working on or behind the tank, i have on occassion seen my sallylightfoots with a several legs missing, but over all they are a geat fish with tons of personality I've read they will grow anywhere from 9" - 12" HTH Anton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch July 29, 2006 Share July 29, 2006 I have a blue jaw in my 180.... http://www.danj.com/reef/fish_detail.php?fish_id=3 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bemmer July 29, 2006 Share July 29, 2006 Anton and Dave, Your Bluechins look great. Hope to get mine looking so nice once it is healthy. Jenny, I have read that Bluechins are model citizens in reef tanks, which is one of the reasons I picked them. The other is because John had a beautiful pair in his store a few weeks back. He still had a pair in the store last time I was there a couple of weeks ago. Rebecca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC Pollman July 29, 2006 Share July 29, 2006 Note: Bluechins have a noted tendency to jump - that is how I lost mine after a year in my tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch July 29, 2006 Share July 29, 2006 I should also note that they are pretty aggressive feeders... mine has bit me twice, once latching on to my finger (when I was putting food in the tank)... I pulled him right out of the tank attached to my finger before he let go... 4 little blood marks from his teeth (and if you check out my page (above) you can see those teeth are nothing to sneeze at). Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mutley29 July 29, 2006 Share July 29, 2006 Note: Bluechins have a noted tendency to jump - that is how I lost mine after a year in my tank. True, my male has jumped out of the tank, luckily i was walking past my fish room when it happened, it was quite surreal, i dashed in and dropped him back in the tank, carpet fluff n all. I am now working on egg crating the back opening of my tank. Anton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bemmer July 30, 2006 Share July 30, 2006 True, my male has jumped out of the tank, luckily i was walking past my fish room when it happened, it was quite surreal, i dashed in and dropped him back in the tank, carpet fluff n all. I am now working on egg crating the back opening of my tank. Anton Anton, I would be interested in seeing pics of the eggcrating setup when you have it completed. I have to many pipes coming across the back of the tank to do egg crate on the back of the tank but interested in seeing how it is done. Rebecca To the Bluechin owners... Do you feed yours silversides or primarily mysis shrimp and other meaty prepared foods? Rebecca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch July 30, 2006 Share July 30, 2006 I feed my everything He eats: Nori, Danichi meat brand (ask Johnny @ BRK about this stuff it's awesome all my fish love it), flake, fresh (mussless/shrimp) + frozen prepared (a variety) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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