Niger Trigger Tank mates... Suggestions Please.

[windlasher]

I have a 40 Gal Breeder tank that currently with no occupants but it is an offshoot of my larger systems so the biology is already established. That is to say the rock and water came from my already established tanks.
I was looking at the Niger Triggers, but what would go well with them? Also I hear that Triggers tend to go POSTAL once in a while. What's up with that?
Fish suggestions please ??? and thanks.

 

[nereef]

if you are growing out the trigger in that 40 to be later placed in something larger, then fine. dwarf angel, clowns, anything with a little backbone will be fine. as the trigger grows (which is slowly), so will its territory. it will have to leave the tank for size and aggression reasons.

 

[reefaholic33]

The Niger along with all triggers will have a very good chance of going postal one day as you stated. My 5 inch Niger went crazy on my 8 inch pinktail for about 12 hours straight then stopped and hasn't touched him for months. Try to get the smallest one you can if your growing it out of your 40, they will get very large.

 

[prime311]

Dont get a trigger for a 40 gallon period. They get too large too fast and the small tank will only cause increased aggression. If you want him for a different tank let us know what else is in there. A lot of factors go into Triggers going postal, like other tank mates, availability of hiding places, tank size, feeding schedule, etc...

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by prime311
http:///forum/post/3017265
Dont get a trigger for a 40 gallon period. They get too large too fast and the small tank will only cause increased aggression. If you want him for a different tank let us know what else is in there. A lot of factors go into Triggers going postal, like other tank mates, availability of hiding places, tank size, feeding schedule, etc...
I agree completely. Even a small Niger can get very nasty , especially in a small tank. IMO, no trigger belongs in a small tank; unless the owner has a bigger home ready.

 

[windlasher]

Originally Posted by prime311
http:///forum/post/3017265
Dont get a trigger for a 40 gallon period. They get too large too fast and the small tank will only cause increased aggression. If you want him for a different tank let us know what else is in there. A lot of factors go into Triggers going postal, like other tank mates, availability of hiding places, tank size, feeding schedule, etc...
He cant go into the 220 because thats being groomed as a reef. He cant go into the 90 because of Louie the Lion fish. In about 6 months I will be adding a 120 FOWLR which is inevitably where he will end up. I would think that a small one... the one they have listed here should do fine in a 40 for a few months. If they get to 11 inches but not in 6 months.
I'm not sold on the Niger but just investigating as I am about to place a livestock order. Don't really want a fish that might go nuts.

 

[crypt keeper]

Nigers grow fast. They arent like Huma Humas which are slow growers. Smaller tanks only make the aggression worse like others have stated.

 

[windlasher]

Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/3017734
Nigers grow fast. They arent like Huma Humas which are slow growers. Smaller tanks only make the aggression worse like others have stated.
so basically what you are saying is that I should get two...?
I am kidding...

OK, no triggers. I give. Beautiful but impossible.

 

[kjr_trig]

I would say Niger's grow quite slow....I have owned 2, my current one grew about an inch in a year, all fish are different, but IME they are slow growers, I would think he would be ok in a 40 for six months, but I wouldn't give him much, if any company.
As far as when he goes to the 120, Niger's need tank mates capable of defending themselves. Just for example, maybe a Yellow Tang, a Rectangle Huma Trigger, a good sized Black Velvet Angel and call it a Tank.

These fish are all tough customers and capable of defending themselves with a growing Niger.
edit....FYI, I had a Niger for 5 years in a 125...He was fiesty, but did quite well in there, the key is appropriate tankmates.

 

[rcreations]

I have owned many different kinds of triggers and nigers are the fastest growing of the bunch. I wouldn't get one in a 40, especially with other tank mates. He'll grow very fast and will take out his frustration of being in a small space on the other fish. These are not mild mannered fish. Look into something like a small sargassum trigger instead. It's a lot more peaceful and a slow grower.

 

[crypt keeper]

Originally Posted by windlasher
http:///forum/post/3017760
so basically what you are saying is that I should get two...?
I am kidding...

OK, no triggers. I give. Beautiful but impossible.
Hahaha. Are you stuck on getting any trigger or just a niger? Huma huma Variations are slow growers and some are gorgeous. They grow slow. You could probably get a 2 inch huma huma and it would be fine in that tank for a year. They grow slowly.

 

[srfisher17]

IMO, this is the classic "its individual fish" discussion. I don't think most triggers really need to grow before they can turn nasty. I've seen very small triggers kill other fish in seconds and others went for years without bothering anything. I'd just never keep one with any fish that looked too tempting; like a lion, small goby, etc.

 

[kjr_trig]

There seems to be some descrepancy as to the growth rate on Niger's...Speaking from my experience is all I can do. I have also owned many different types of Triggers. My first Niger was about 2 inches when I got him, after about 5 years he was about 7 inches when I moved from S. Carolina and gave him to a friend, this is an inch per year. My current I got at 1.5 inch, he is in a 240 gallon tank and has grown just over an inch in just over a year. All fish are different, but based on my 2 and over 6 years experience with this fish, they are slow growers. I believe the OP planned to have a small one in a 40 gallon BY HIMSELF for 6 months....This is very doable, as these fish are readily available at less than 2 inches long.
I am not the least bit worried about my Niger becoming a problem as I have appropriate tank mates housed with him. I think these are great fish in the "right" set up. As SrFisher said, they do not do well with slow moving, passive fish.

 

[rcreations]

All I know is that the first Niger I had grew like crazy in a very short period of time. When I got him, he was a lot smaller than my humu. In about 6 months, he grew 2" and was about the same size.

 

[crypt keeper]

I was basing my answer off the original posters question. Niger and tankmates. Im 100% with you. A small Niger would be fine in a 40 breeder by itself for sometime.

 

[srfisher17]

I'll join the crowd, he'll be fine by himself. I guess I missed the 1st sentence of the thread. Getting older stinks.

 

[stang]

This past sunday my niger trigg just made a snack out of my SFE.
Leaving for church sunday morning I seen the 2 scuffling in the back of the tank kicking up sand. I didnt think anything about it. By the time I returned, 2 hours, the eel was nearly ripped in half as with skin all peeled away.
Both young and been tank mates for 6 months.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Stang
http:///forum/post/3018417
This past sunday my niger trigg just made a snack out of my SFE.
Leaving for church sunday morning I seen the 2 scuffling in the back of the tank kicking up sand. I didnt think anything about it. By the time I returned, 2 hours, the eel was nearly ripped in half as with skin all peeled away.
Both young and been tank mates for 6 months.
.........but Nigers are just cute, harmless, community tank triggers; but maybe not. Great fish under the right circumstances, though.

 

[small triggers]

I VOTE SARGASSUM and then you CAN put it in your reef (if you want to)

 

[windlasher]

Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3018559
I VOTE SARGASSUM and then you CAN put it in your reef (if you want to)
i looked at those.... expensivo....
EDIT: OK I looked again. I will see if I can find one.
I tend to wait until I need lots of stuff to save on shipping because the only day I can be here is SAT. They don't even have one listed here. Bummer.