Are there any reef safe triggers?

[mattfrancis]

I know triggers are relatively not reef safe and this website says that there is really only one semi-reef safe trigger (Blue Throat Trigger). My question is, has anyone kept any triggers in a reef without them eating everything? Could you be so kind to name the fish, how big your tank is, what you feed it, and how long you've had it. I really want to look into these fish.
Thanks,
Matt.

 

[bmkj02]

Niger Trigger are safe. I have one in my reef and most of the other books I have read say they are safe

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by bmkj02
http:///forum/post/3220499
niger trigger are safe. I have one in my reef and most of the other books i have read say they are safe
+1

 

[jackri]

Reef safe or invert safe?
My niger trigger as he got bigger started eating snails and crabs but I don't know of any that eat coral

 

[bulldog123]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3220502
Reef safe or invert safe?
My niger trigger as he got bigger started eating snails and crabs but I don't know of any that eat coral
Im with you on this. One thing you might want to think about is having crabs,shrimp, and starfish on your reef. For the most part it is very risky for these critters with a niger. Once my niger is gone I will not add another. I may try a sargassum trigger.

 

[king_neptune]

Think my 125g brick would be enough for a niger?

 

[stoss]

Blue jaw triggers are reef safe, cross hatch trigger are safe but expensive, and pink tail triggers are safe.
I have a blue jaw and he doesnt bother my corals at all. I had a pink tale and he didnt do anything either. They would eat the shrimp though. I have a 75 gallon with pink and green birds nest, a couple of different acros, mushrooms, duncans, dendros, clove polyps, montipora caps, green star polyps, various zoas, frogspawn, hermit crabs, emerald crabs, various snails etc...

 

[mattfrancis]

So I think I'm going to go with a Niger Trigger. They look cool, and I just went to the LFS and saw they got a shipment of 5 tiny ones. I'll buy one next time I'm there and just put it on hold. Should my 125g tank be enough for him?

 

[nycbob]

125 is enough for a niger.

 

[gradth]

I have a pair of Blue throats, both probably 4-5 inches. Had them close to a year now in my reef tank. They dont bother anything except my fingers on occasion.

 

[deejeff442]

i hear that one time i was putting nori on the clip ,my blue throat bit my finger and came out with my hand and hit the floor.he was alright .
my bluethroat made short time out of a couple cleaner shrimp i added once.

 

[mech-a-nic]

Reef safe is not invert safe. I had 2 blue's killed shrimp and hermits fast like. never bothered corals. From what I have been told and figured out any trigger can and will eat shrimp. If not now some time it will. LFS refunded me for them and replaced my cleaner.

 

[socal57che]

I'll go with reef safe, but not a guarantee. Train them on a specific food. Add tankmates at night while the trigger is sleeping.

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/3221744
Train them on a specific food.
IMO this really should be worded differently. No fish should be constantly fed the same foods. Training the fish that you are the provider of food, "food god" as Cranberry calls it. Variety of meaty foods is key to longterm trigger health.
As far as what triggers are reef-safe, if that definition just means coral safe, then all of them are. No trigger directly sets out to "eat" a coral. Sure they make gnaw on one, or drag one around as a toy.
If you mean reef-safe as in they probably will leave most of the motile inverts alone, histortically, as mentioned Blue Jaws, Crosshatches, and Sargassum Triggers have a pretty decent track record and are your best bet.
For anyone to say a Niger is "reef-safe" hasn't kept a real, 12"+ Niger. They are cute and reef-safe when small, but realize that this guys grow up.

 

[socal57che]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/3221765
IMO this really should be worded differently. No fish should be constantly fed the same foods. Training the fish that you are the provider of food, "food god" as Cranberry calls it. Variety of meaty foods is key to longterm trigger health.
Agreed. I should have said foods, not food. I like the "food god" comment. I think a lot of the problem people have with them is that they introduce inverts during the day while the trigger is out swimming. To the trigger, it's feeding time. He knows that you feed him during daylight by dropping food into the top of the tank. If you drop in a shrimp, they will instinctively think you are feeding them because you trained them to eat what you introduce.

 

[signman]

Originally Posted by socal57che
http:///forum/post/3221857
Agreed. I should have said foods, not food. I like the "food god" comment. I think a lot of the problem people have with them is that they introduce inverts during the day while the trigger is out swimming. To the trigger, it's feeding time. He knows that you feed him during daylight by dropping food into the top of the tank. If you drop in a shrimp, they will instinctively think you are feeding them because you trained them to eat what you introduce.

I have had several nigers in my reef tanks with out a problem. but i must say i have never had one 12" that may change the picture.

 

[gill again68]

Ok after a lot of consideration here is where I got to on triggers. Pretty fish that can be kept in a reef but will eat your inverts. With that said if you start you plan to keep triggers then yeah, if not then its a toss up.