trigger40
Well-Known Member
i just got finished with my humu trigger article ive been working on. ill go through and check for mistakes tomaro but what do yall think?
The Humuhumunukunukuapua or “humu triggerfish” is one of the most interesting fish in this hobby. Befor we get started I have something to say about the humu trigger and its close cousins, the bursa triggerfish and the Picasso/triangular trigger. All three of these fish are basically the same the same fish. they just got different paint jobs(slightly different coloration). That being said all the information about the humu trigger can be used on the bursa and Picasso trigger(triangular trigger). Any way the humu trigger is one of the best saltwater fish to keep and this article will help you under stand how to care for your trigger and how to enjoy your fascinating humu triggerfish. All the information in this article has been collected through experience and talking on forums.
Basic facts:
The Humuhumunukunukuapua(Rinecanthus assasi) or humu triggerfish is mainly known as being from the costal reefs of Hawaii. While this is true the humu trigger can be found from East Africa throughout the Indo-Pacific region to Japan and finally Hawaii. The humu trigger’s main diet consists of mainly invertebrates, such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. The humu trigger has feeding adaptation that no other trigger naturally has. That being that humu triggers hunt down and prey on small fish and squid. No other trigger will do this in nature. However all domesticated triggerfish will eat fish if given a chance. The humu trigger is one of the slowest growing fish you can buy. As a juvenile (1’’- 5”) the humu trigger grows about 1’’ every two years if properly fed. And once the triggerfish reaches 5’’ the growth rate slows down even more. 5’’ is considered to be adult size. In nature the humu trigger really has no predators as adults. Adult humu triggers are known to attack divers and sharks to protect breeding grounds.
Quick description:
Patterned like an abstract painting, the humu trigger has yellow markings along the sides of its face, suggesting that the jaws can open wide. In reality, however, the mouth is small, as in other triggerfish. The humu trigger’s pelvic fins are reduced to a small projection under the body, and of coarse the erect dorsal fin. Hence the name, triggerfish.
What is it about this fish? :
A large number of people brought into this hobby is because their fascination for trigger fish in general. And I can’t blame them because Im included in that group. The triggerfish is one of the most advanced if not the most advanced fish in the sea. They look like deadly blimps hovering around the reef looking for a crab or a small fish to eat. Not only that but unlike other reef fish that just dart around the aquarium aimlessly, when a triggerfish moves it moves with a purpose. And a trigger seems to always be doing something. Weather it be moving hermit crabs around or hunting on your live rock they are always doing something for you to watch. The humu trigger is one of the most popular fish triggers for a reason. The reason is because they don’t need a monster tank! So to get all of what I just described you don’t need a 180gallon tank. But ill get to proper tank size next. The humu trigger is also one of the more color full triggers and is a great conversation piece and centerpiece fish.
What size tank for your triggerfish:
For tank size I am just going to go ahead say that a 75gallon tank is the minimum for a full grown humu trigger. But there are exceptions on tank size for the humu trigger. If you buy a 1’’ humu trigger you can keep it for its entire life in a 60gallon tank. Why? Because humu triggers grow so slow that if you buy a juvenile humu trigger it is just unrealistic that the triggerfish will make it to its full grown size because, that would take over 15 years to make it to that size. And sadly most aquarium fish don’t live that long and its not easily done. But not impossible, if you can provide a stable aquarium where your trigger can live in peace for the time it needs to grow it can be done. But that would require great equipment quality and a generator incase of a power outage. But if you want to keep multiple fish with an adult humu trigger I would recommend a 90gallon or more, but remember, the bigger the better.
Feeding and health:
Feeding a juvenile humu triggerfish: If your humu trigger is below 5” this is the most important part for success if you want a humu trigger. The thing you must relies is that proper feeding means good health for your humu trigger. Improper feeding can cause your humu trigger to become malnourished. And this can happen very easily with juvenile humu triggers. So ultimately the trigger will perish because of this. Now to properly feed a juvenile humu triggerfish you must feed a lot with good variety. What I feed my 3” humu trigger mysis shrimp every day with squid or silversides. I also feed freeze dried shrimp every day to wear down their teeth. This is very important for your trigger and other fish. Remember humu triggers are aggressive and if their teeth are dull they cant do to much damage. I also let my humu trigger nibble at a veggie clip every now and then so it can get the vitamins. Humu trigger will also appreciate a few ghost shrimp every now and then so that they can exercise their predatory nature.
The one way I know its time to feed my humu trigger is when its belly looks pinched. If the belly looks like this, feed ASAP! This is very unhealthy for a juvenile humu trigger. Juvenile humu triggers have very fast metabolism and slightly under feeding, in time, can cause serious health problems. They won’t be very disease resistant and will become skinny and sluggish and very vulnerable to infection. And death will eventually come. If your humu trigger gets to this point where it becomes malnourished and sick, it is very hard to bring your humu trigger back to health. And to do so you will need a stable quarantine or hospital tank. First you must put your humu trigger in the qt. acclimate slowly when a humu trigger is malnourished, at this point your trigger is very delicate and weak. I would also keep macroalgae in your quarantine during this period to help with water quality. So as soon as your trigger has explored the quarantine tank offer a little food once its all eaten offer more and more until the humu trigger will no longer eat what you are offering. Then wait an hour and repeat. I would start out feding with something easy for your trigger to eat like mysis shrimp. I would also throw in some squid and silversides. But I understand most of us cant stay home all day and feed your fish. So what you do is clip a whole silverside to a veggie clip. You can adjust the amount you leave every day based on how much your triggerfish eats. This way you trigger always has something to eat. It will take a few weeks for your humu trigger to recover from malnutrition so keep water ready for a water change. And remember the best treatment is prevention!
Feeding an adult humu trigger: Feeding an adult humu trigger is pretty simple. Remember an adult humu trigger is above 5”. So only feed this way if your humu trigger is an adult. Feeding an adult humu trigger is quite simple. Give the trigger a good variety live you would a juvenile humu trigger. So give the trigger atleast three different types of meaty frozen food. I use mysis shrimp, squid, and silversides. I would vary what you feed day by day, but should get at least two of those every day. You should also feed your trigger freeze dried shrimp to help with their teeth. You should only do that every other day. One thing the adult huu trigger can do that the juvenile cant is go a few days with out food every once and a while but NOT too often. But when every you do haft to leave for a few days use an automatic feeder just so that your adult or juvenile can get food while you are away. However when it becomes that time of day where you feed your fish(witch should be every day) just give your adult humu trigger its fill so that it is happy and healthy.
How to choose a trigger and importance of using a quarantine:
How to chose a trigger from the store: When you go to your local fish store to pick out your new humu trigger there are three things you should be looking for 1) the humu trigger should be thick and have meat in its bones. You should see no indentations where muscle should be. So no skinny triggers! 2) The humu trigger should be active swimming around the tank interacting with other fish in the tank. The humu trigger should also be happy to see you. And by happy to see you I mean begging for food. 3) The humu trigger should have no parasites on it, Simple as that. And ask the clerk to feed the triggerfish you chose just to be sure it is eating.
The importance of using a quarantine tank: The humu trigger is very disease resistant but can still bring unwanted parasites into your aquarium. Not only that but when a triggerfish gets ich it loses its apatite. And you already know what happens when a trigger doesn’t eat enough. So ich can have just as big of an impact on a humu trigger as it does on some of the more delicate fish. Keep you trigger in the quarantine tank for at least a month. So save your self the hassle and get a good quarantine tank.
Interacting with your trigger:
Your trigger can and will make a connection with you, involving food of coarse. Triggerfish have the ability to figure things out. So over time after being fed a lot your humu trigger will recognize you as its food source. And triggerfish will actually find comfort in having their food source around. So why not use this to your advantage. My humu trigger will come to my hand as soon as I put it in the water. He likes to swim through my fingers in search for his meal or just hang out around my hand. And whenever I walk into the room, my humu trigger comes to life! My trigger will even greet me at the side of my tank. Unlike other reef fish that hide if someone walks past the tank. Many people’s humu triggers love a good belly rub or a scratch on the head. My humu trigger loves to be scratched in between its eyes but nowhere else. I have always guessed it’s just a personality thing, some people’s humu triggers will swim through hoops and do other tricks.
What fish can go with my trigger?:
When choosing a tank mate for your humu trigger you are going to want to stay away from two types of fish. Fish that are peaceful, and fish that are overly aggressive. So you want a fish that will stand up for its self but wont go looking for a fight. However not all triggers are the same so if you have an aggressive trigger I would go with other triggers, large angels, eels, grouper, and more aggressive tangs. If you have a peaceful trigger you are in luck. Just about any fish will be ok with your humu trigger. But most of us end up with the trigger that is bold and territorial. If you do I have a few suggestions of fish family’s you should look into. Dwarf angels, large angels, any tang, rabbit fish, clown fish, wrasses, damsels, puffers, dottybacks, and grouper. Those are just a few ideas but there are plenty more to choose from.
Reef compatibility:
Humu triggerfish can be kept in a reef tank. But they do limit you on what type of reef critters you can keep. SPS and LPS are not safe with a humu trigger. Just about the only corals I would keep with a humu trigger are soft corals. For whatever reason humu triggers leave soft corals alone. You “can” keep SPS and LPS with a humu trigger but it is very risky. Some humu triggers will leave SPS and LPS alone but some wont so it is up to the hobbyist to take that chance. Hermit crabs, turbo snails, and starfish are humu trigger safe. Crabs and shrimps are trigger safe 1 out of 5 times so your crabs and shrimp are at a huge risk of being eaten. So soft corals is a good choice if you want to keep a reef tank.
(keeping macroalgae or having a great skimmer is a must if you plan to keep a trigger in a reef because they eat a lot)
Water parameters:
Humu triggers prefer water parameters to be around:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm to 80ppm
Temperature: 76 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit
Salinity: 30 to 35 ppt (1.022 to 1.026 specific gravity)
PH: 8.0 to 8.2
Cunclusion:
Humu triggerfish are great fish to keep and are more like underwater dogs. They can be great easy to take of community fish if given the proper care. They are beautiful, interactive, eating machines that will bring life to your tank that will last for years. But they need great filtration, a proper size tank, and a lot of food, to be happy and healthy. Have fun with your humu triggerfish!
All about the humu trigger
Introduction:
The Humuhumunukunukuapua or “humu triggerfish” is one of the most interesting fish in this hobby. Befor we get started I have something to say about the humu trigger and its close cousins, the bursa triggerfish and the Picasso/triangular trigger. All three of these fish are basically the same the same fish. they just got different paint jobs(slightly different coloration). That being said all the information about the humu trigger can be used on the bursa and Picasso trigger(triangular trigger). Any way the humu trigger is one of the best saltwater fish to keep and this article will help you under stand how to care for your trigger and how to enjoy your fascinating humu triggerfish. All the information in this article has been collected through experience and talking on forums.
Basic facts:
The Humuhumunukunukuapua(Rinecanthus assasi) or humu triggerfish is mainly known as being from the costal reefs of Hawaii. While this is true the humu trigger can be found from East Africa throughout the Indo-Pacific region to Japan and finally Hawaii. The humu trigger’s main diet consists of mainly invertebrates, such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. The humu trigger has feeding adaptation that no other trigger naturally has. That being that humu triggers hunt down and prey on small fish and squid. No other trigger will do this in nature. However all domesticated triggerfish will eat fish if given a chance. The humu trigger is one of the slowest growing fish you can buy. As a juvenile (1’’- 5”) the humu trigger grows about 1’’ every two years if properly fed. And once the triggerfish reaches 5’’ the growth rate slows down even more. 5’’ is considered to be adult size. In nature the humu trigger really has no predators as adults. Adult humu triggers are known to attack divers and sharks to protect breeding grounds.
Quick description:
Patterned like an abstract painting, the humu trigger has yellow markings along the sides of its face, suggesting that the jaws can open wide. In reality, however, the mouth is small, as in other triggerfish. The humu trigger’s pelvic fins are reduced to a small projection under the body, and of coarse the erect dorsal fin. Hence the name, triggerfish.
What is it about this fish? :
A large number of people brought into this hobby is because their fascination for trigger fish in general. And I can’t blame them because Im included in that group. The triggerfish is one of the most advanced if not the most advanced fish in the sea. They look like deadly blimps hovering around the reef looking for a crab or a small fish to eat. Not only that but unlike other reef fish that just dart around the aquarium aimlessly, when a triggerfish moves it moves with a purpose. And a trigger seems to always be doing something. Weather it be moving hermit crabs around or hunting on your live rock they are always doing something for you to watch. The humu trigger is one of the most popular fish triggers for a reason. The reason is because they don’t need a monster tank! So to get all of what I just described you don’t need a 180gallon tank. But ill get to proper tank size next. The humu trigger is also one of the more color full triggers and is a great conversation piece and centerpiece fish.
What size tank for your triggerfish:
For tank size I am just going to go ahead say that a 75gallon tank is the minimum for a full grown humu trigger. But there are exceptions on tank size for the humu trigger. If you buy a 1’’ humu trigger you can keep it for its entire life in a 60gallon tank. Why? Because humu triggers grow so slow that if you buy a juvenile humu trigger it is just unrealistic that the triggerfish will make it to its full grown size because, that would take over 15 years to make it to that size. And sadly most aquarium fish don’t live that long and its not easily done. But not impossible, if you can provide a stable aquarium where your trigger can live in peace for the time it needs to grow it can be done. But that would require great equipment quality and a generator incase of a power outage. But if you want to keep multiple fish with an adult humu trigger I would recommend a 90gallon or more, but remember, the bigger the better.
Feeding and health:
Feeding a juvenile humu triggerfish: If your humu trigger is below 5” this is the most important part for success if you want a humu trigger. The thing you must relies is that proper feeding means good health for your humu trigger. Improper feeding can cause your humu trigger to become malnourished. And this can happen very easily with juvenile humu triggers. So ultimately the trigger will perish because of this. Now to properly feed a juvenile humu triggerfish you must feed a lot with good variety. What I feed my 3” humu trigger mysis shrimp every day with squid or silversides. I also feed freeze dried shrimp every day to wear down their teeth. This is very important for your trigger and other fish. Remember humu triggers are aggressive and if their teeth are dull they cant do to much damage. I also let my humu trigger nibble at a veggie clip every now and then so it can get the vitamins. Humu trigger will also appreciate a few ghost shrimp every now and then so that they can exercise their predatory nature.
The one way I know its time to feed my humu trigger is when its belly looks pinched. If the belly looks like this, feed ASAP! This is very unhealthy for a juvenile humu trigger. Juvenile humu triggers have very fast metabolism and slightly under feeding, in time, can cause serious health problems. They won’t be very disease resistant and will become skinny and sluggish and very vulnerable to infection. And death will eventually come. If your humu trigger gets to this point where it becomes malnourished and sick, it is very hard to bring your humu trigger back to health. And to do so you will need a stable quarantine or hospital tank. First you must put your humu trigger in the qt. acclimate slowly when a humu trigger is malnourished, at this point your trigger is very delicate and weak. I would also keep macroalgae in your quarantine during this period to help with water quality. So as soon as your trigger has explored the quarantine tank offer a little food once its all eaten offer more and more until the humu trigger will no longer eat what you are offering. Then wait an hour and repeat. I would start out feding with something easy for your trigger to eat like mysis shrimp. I would also throw in some squid and silversides. But I understand most of us cant stay home all day and feed your fish. So what you do is clip a whole silverside to a veggie clip. You can adjust the amount you leave every day based on how much your triggerfish eats. This way you trigger always has something to eat. It will take a few weeks for your humu trigger to recover from malnutrition so keep water ready for a water change. And remember the best treatment is prevention!
Feeding an adult humu trigger: Feeding an adult humu trigger is pretty simple. Remember an adult humu trigger is above 5”. So only feed this way if your humu trigger is an adult. Feeding an adult humu trigger is quite simple. Give the trigger a good variety live you would a juvenile humu trigger. So give the trigger atleast three different types of meaty frozen food. I use mysis shrimp, squid, and silversides. I would vary what you feed day by day, but should get at least two of those every day. You should also feed your trigger freeze dried shrimp to help with their teeth. You should only do that every other day. One thing the adult huu trigger can do that the juvenile cant is go a few days with out food every once and a while but NOT too often. But when every you do haft to leave for a few days use an automatic feeder just so that your adult or juvenile can get food while you are away. However when it becomes that time of day where you feed your fish(witch should be every day) just give your adult humu trigger its fill so that it is happy and healthy.
How to choose a trigger and importance of using a quarantine:
How to chose a trigger from the store: When you go to your local fish store to pick out your new humu trigger there are three things you should be looking for 1) the humu trigger should be thick and have meat in its bones. You should see no indentations where muscle should be. So no skinny triggers! 2) The humu trigger should be active swimming around the tank interacting with other fish in the tank. The humu trigger should also be happy to see you. And by happy to see you I mean begging for food. 3) The humu trigger should have no parasites on it, Simple as that. And ask the clerk to feed the triggerfish you chose just to be sure it is eating.
The importance of using a quarantine tank: The humu trigger is very disease resistant but can still bring unwanted parasites into your aquarium. Not only that but when a triggerfish gets ich it loses its apatite. And you already know what happens when a trigger doesn’t eat enough. So ich can have just as big of an impact on a humu trigger as it does on some of the more delicate fish. Keep you trigger in the quarantine tank for at least a month. So save your self the hassle and get a good quarantine tank.
Interacting with your trigger:
Your trigger can and will make a connection with you, involving food of coarse. Triggerfish have the ability to figure things out. So over time after being fed a lot your humu trigger will recognize you as its food source. And triggerfish will actually find comfort in having their food source around. So why not use this to your advantage. My humu trigger will come to my hand as soon as I put it in the water. He likes to swim through my fingers in search for his meal or just hang out around my hand. And whenever I walk into the room, my humu trigger comes to life! My trigger will even greet me at the side of my tank. Unlike other reef fish that hide if someone walks past the tank. Many people’s humu triggers love a good belly rub or a scratch on the head. My humu trigger loves to be scratched in between its eyes but nowhere else. I have always guessed it’s just a personality thing, some people’s humu triggers will swim through hoops and do other tricks.
What fish can go with my trigger?:
When choosing a tank mate for your humu trigger you are going to want to stay away from two types of fish. Fish that are peaceful, and fish that are overly aggressive. So you want a fish that will stand up for its self but wont go looking for a fight. However not all triggers are the same so if you have an aggressive trigger I would go with other triggers, large angels, eels, grouper, and more aggressive tangs. If you have a peaceful trigger you are in luck. Just about any fish will be ok with your humu trigger. But most of us end up with the trigger that is bold and territorial. If you do I have a few suggestions of fish family’s you should look into. Dwarf angels, large angels, any tang, rabbit fish, clown fish, wrasses, damsels, puffers, dottybacks, and grouper. Those are just a few ideas but there are plenty more to choose from.
Reef compatibility:
Humu triggerfish can be kept in a reef tank. But they do limit you on what type of reef critters you can keep. SPS and LPS are not safe with a humu trigger. Just about the only corals I would keep with a humu trigger are soft corals. For whatever reason humu triggers leave soft corals alone. You “can” keep SPS and LPS with a humu trigger but it is very risky. Some humu triggers will leave SPS and LPS alone but some wont so it is up to the hobbyist to take that chance. Hermit crabs, turbo snails, and starfish are humu trigger safe. Crabs and shrimps are trigger safe 1 out of 5 times so your crabs and shrimp are at a huge risk of being eaten. So soft corals is a good choice if you want to keep a reef tank.
(keeping macroalgae or having a great skimmer is a must if you plan to keep a trigger in a reef because they eat a lot)
Water parameters:
Humu triggers prefer water parameters to be around:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm to 80ppm
Temperature: 76 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit
Salinity: 30 to 35 ppt (1.022 to 1.026 specific gravity)
PH: 8.0 to 8.2
Cunclusion:
Humu triggerfish are great fish to keep and are more like underwater dogs. They can be great easy to take of community fish if given the proper care. They are beautiful, interactive, eating machines that will bring life to your tank that will last for years. But they need great filtration, a proper size tank, and a lot of food, to be happy and healthy. Have fun with your humu triggerfish!
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