Humu trigger in reef?

[carolinethedog]

I have a 40 gal reef tank running. Plenty of coral flourishing, but lately I just seem to be getting bored with it. I was thinking about getting a juvenile Humu (picasso) trigger, growing him up a little and trading back in to LFS for another, etc., etc. Honestly, I hope it eats my damsels b/c I hate them anyhow (cant catch to remove), and I can trade shrimp in at LFS. Anyhow, I have one friend who says "horrible idea it will destroy everything." And another who says that it may eat my damsel, but as long as I feed him well the maroon clown will hold it's own and my goby will stay out of his way. I may just start a new aggressive tank, but I wonder. What would really happen? There is tons of hiding spots (52 lbs LR in 40 gal.) But, again my friend says humu will instantly shred my maroon. Also, has anyone kept a maroon clown with a small humu in less than 50 gal? Thanks all

 

[rcreations]

The humu will not eat your damsels, I'm pretty sure of that. The humu has a small chance that it'll bother your corals. There's a 90% chance however that it'll kill your snails and hermits.
I've had a 4" humu in a reef tank for short period of time and it never bothered my corals, my other fish, my cleaner shrimp or my serpent star. It did however eat most of the hermit crabs and a few snails.

 

[brianbeme80]

My Humu picks up the hermits at the point of the shell, the carries them to the top of the tank and drops them! Fasinating to watch. To date, all hermits are accounted for. They just quit comming out during the day.

 

[prime311]

Seems like a bad idea to me. Even if the first Humu doesn't do anything to the tank, it seems unlikely the 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,etc... won't. You're playing with fire and are going to get burned eventually.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by prime311
http:///forum/post/2668728
Seems like a bad idea to me. Even if the first Humu doesn't do anything to the tank, it seems unlikely the 2nd, 3rd, 4th ,etc... won't. You're playing with fire and are going to get burned eventually.

Sure, the cute little Humas that are so common now can grow to about 10". They are triggers and may play nice for a while; but, IMO, have no business in a small reef tank. The time will come when they will attack any invert or fish they can...its in their genetic make-up and that can't be changed by "hoping".
Not a personal criticism; but when you word a question the way you did (Also, has anyone kept a maroon clown with a small humu in less than 50 gal? Thanks all") you will always find someone who has the answer you want. I'm sure someone in the hobby has kept a full grown Volitan lion with a perc clown...but that doesn't mean its a good idea.

 

[el guapo]

Bad Idea

 

[carolinethedog]

Good points fisher and 311, i knew that i was fishing for that answer, but that didnt mean i was going to do it b/c of that, just curious about what experience another may have had. Thanks for the guidance tho I have researched more myself and its a horrible idea. However, I am still kind of bored with it, my corals are growing well, but I have that beginner impatience. I want something cool to look at but has to be able to hold its own with damsel. It may be my last fish, dont want to overstock (would I be?) So what would be a unique fish/invert to add?

38 gal
excellent water quality
maroon clown
fiji blue devil damsel
domino damsel
sleeper goby
10 turbos
15 blue leg hermits
1 cleaner shrimp
1 pepperment shrimp

 

[rotarymagic]

Add a rhinopias.... or an angler

 

[carolinethedog]

right...any serious suggestions?

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by carolinethedog
http:///forum/post/2669029
Good points fisher and 311, i knew that i was fishing for that answer, but that didnt mean i was going to do it b/c of that, just curious about what experience another may have had. Thanks for the guidance tho I have researched more myself and its a horrible idea. However, I am still kind of bored with it, my corals are growing well, but I have that beginner impatience. I want something cool to look at but has to be able to hold its own with damsel. It may be my last fish, dont want to overstock (would I be?) So what would be a unique fish/invert to add?

38 gal
excellent water quality
maroon clown
fiji blue devil damsel
domino damsel
sleeper goby
10 turbos
15 blue leg hermits
1 cleaner shrimp
1 pepperment shrimp
Wow, you have three of the meanest fish out there in my experience. I have a domino in with a trigger and puffers and it does fine with those, but I have tried a couple of times to put something else in and have to take it out right away because of the trigger and damsel. In another tank I have a maroon clown, and it will vigorously attack anything that comes into its domain. And a blue devil

its all in the name. I am really at a loss as to what you might try with those three, the only thing I might suggest would be something quite a bit larger in size (most of the time though this does not matter to a damsel) but your tank size takes that out of the equation. I would think those three have the tank on lock down as far as space for a newcomer. If you do find one though please let us know

.

 

[prime311]

How long has you're tank been running? If you have a nice setup thats aged a long time you could get some pods and try a Mandarin, they're are one of the coolest looking little fish I've seen but notoriously difficult to keep. Lawnmower Blennies are also a cool little fish that could work in a smaller tank. A small tank with Corals, even if you could find a good aggressor, the strain it would put on your water params and the dangers to nipping and to invert depletion hardly seem worth it. You really need predator type fish in larger tanks, and if you're keeping corals the more water the better to make up for the added waste messy eaters create. One of the more overlooked reasons to avoiding predators like puffers, lions, and triggers in a reef is that those of us in the FOWLR world don't need to be so concerned over elevated nitrate levels. In a Reef tank though, high Nitrates is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[carolinethedog]

The tank is only four months old. However, the LFS usually tells us it is about perfect for this stage. I tested water last night and pH was right on and nitrates were ZERO. I live by the ocean so I go out aways and do a 10-15% water changes every two weeks no matter what. We were thinking of adding the mardarin but I hear the tank needs lots of copepods. I see copepods everywhere tho. Our LFS guy is trying to sell me on these oyster eggs. He says oyster eggs are really great for the reef tank and if I put oyster eggs in for a month there will be a sustainable copepods population for the mandarin. 1. Are the oyster eggs a good thing?
2. Will the mandarin hold its own with the damsel? (only the blue is aggressive, the domino and maroon clown are super docile)
3. Would an anemone be better? (I would prefer the mandarin if you think it would work)
Thanks

 

[prime311]

That tank is probably too young for a Mandarin, mostly I hear a year or older to keep one. I don't think keeping them with Damsels is a prob over any other small fish. I don't know about the oyster egg thing. An anemone also requires an older tank(6 mnths+), but is a viable thing in the future assuming your lighting is good enough for it.

 

[carolinethedog]

thanks for the help

 

[el guapo]

The oyster eggs will help your corals to grow and look beautiful . I feed the nano DT's oyster eggs every other day and its gone wild . I have to cut back the GSP at least once a month or it is trying to over grow the zoa's . Try it you will like it .

 

[carolinethedog]

My guy at the LFS is pretty good and he swears by them. I heard I may need to cut off my powerheads and hang-on filter for about an hour when I put them in so they arent instantly sucked up, is that something I need to worry about? Also, do you just sprinkle them in, or place them near the corals? I want a mandarin eventually so I want to do it right.

 

[el guapo]

They will make your skimmer go nuts and you'll want to turn of the filtration so they don't get caught up in the filter media . but power heads won't bother that at all . I don't target feed at all . I just scoop out a little with the smalles weasuring spoon I have . its actually an old scoop for a powder based test kit . Its maybe a 1/8tsp and I just drop it in and the powerhead does the rest .
I'm not sure the conection your talking about with oyster eggs and mandarin ? Could you be a little more specific about that ?

 

[carolinethedog]

My LFS guy says phytoplankton (which i feed too) its basically just increasing the foundation of your food chain as a whole, with the phytoplankton being directly on the bottom. The oyster eggs are an excellent food source for corals as well. Corals with poor prey capture and very small polyps benefit most because the eggs are only 40 microns yet high in protein and omega3s. If you just put a mardarin in it will eat copepods like crazy until they are gone in a month in most tanks. However, (he says) after a month or two of the oyster eggs (prior to mandarin) the copepod population will be sustainable to keep even the fattest mardarin consistently fed. Also wanted to ask you, my nitrates are at steadily at zero, he told me that with 50 lbs of LR in a 38 gal I can simply pull the carbon filters out of my hang-on. Sort of like the Berlin method I guess. He says might as well run it for the flow, but filtering is not necessary due to so much LR and zero nitrates, what you think?

 

[prime311]

The carbon is for keeping the water clear and less smelly at this point. You can run the filter and periodically run carbon or phosban in it as needed.

 

[carolinethedog]

Thanks prime311...I think I am going to try it without carbon and see, I dont havent replaced them in 6 months anyway so I think the skimmer can handle it. Hey guapo (or anyone)... when I cut off the filter and skimmer to put in the oyster eggs how long should I leave it off? Also, if I want maximum copepod growth how often should I put eggs in? Finally, I was thinking of leaving lights on for 10 hrs a day instead of 8, good or bad? I want faster coral growth, I feed phyto, calcium and purp-up for purple algae. Thanks.