Co inhabitants

[oscar]

I have read different information on triggers, can triggers ie. a picasso trigger be kept in a reef tank or do they need a predator tank?

 

[cthulhu77]

All of the triggerfish just love to munch on corals, algaes, inverts, and crustaceans...so, nope...sorry!
greg

 

[Spring]

Hi Oscar, Your not thinking of keeping an octo with a picasso trigger are you? I hope not, because the octo would probably become food for the trigger. I had a 10" Picasso in my reef for some time. He ate all shrimp, crabs and snails in the tank and was quite unruly. Didn't bother the corals, though. He was just way to aggressive at feeding time. I also have a large zebra moray eel in the tank that I hand feed and "Wilson", (my trigger) was making it nearly impossible to feed him. Attacking my hand and stealing the food before the rather slow eel would have a chance to get it. He was a great fish loaded with personality but I would never put another in my reef. I sold him and he's now in a 180g fish only tank at a doctors house, doing well last I heard. If you must have a trigger, check into the "blue jaw" trigger. They're very layed back and a lot of fun.

Spring

 

[joel_ang]

Would triggers do well with a blue regal tang, a couple of damsels and a cleaner wrasse in a tank with just live rock?

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

what size trigger? If cleaner wrasse and damsels are under 2 inches they will become food for sure. If the blue tang is over 2 inches it should be ok.

 

[Spring]

It really depends on which trigger you get. Pink Tails, Blue Jaws and Sargassism Triggers are considered pretty reef safe. My blue jaw is a sweetheart. I don't think I'd add any of the more aggressive triggers like a clown or undulated. Keep the trigger smaller than the current fish in the tank. My Picasso didn't pick on any of the other fish, just inverts. He did try to eat a rather large blue spotted watchman as I released it from the bag once. Had the goby in his mouth up to the gills and then spit him out. That was one lucky goby.

Spring

 

[joel_ang]

I was thinking of a 2 inch picasso. Do niger triggers fare well?

 

[oscar]

no, i wasnt thinking about putting a trigger with an octopus - i dont really want to know what would happen!...do you think...never mind

i couldnt find anything on sargissism triggers or whatever, the pink tail and blue jaws are nice looking, but the picasso was just soo cool! lol

oh well, maybe a predator tank one day

thanks for you help

 

[Spring]

Niger Triggers are one of the less aggressive types also. Forgot to include it above. I had one a couple years ago when I was first starting my marine tank. He stayed hid a lot in the rock. A 2" Picasso would most likely do well. Just remember that a 2" trigger will quickly grow into a 6" trigger and then up to 10" or so. Just be careful adding any new fish when it starts to get larger!

Spring

 

[joel_ang]

Any Idea how fast the triggers grow? Maybe I'll look for one of those three "peaceful" triggers. I was also thinking of a yellow tang, would this go well with the blue regal I already have?