my research on niger triggers is sending mixed signals

[naso140]

been reading books,checkin threads,talkin to LFSs and watchin videos on these guys and people haved mixed opinions/experiences with them. can anyone offer their knowledge of niger triggers as far as
are they reef safe?
will they always eat snails?
shrimp? i did find that some can keep cleaners with them
corals?
do feed em live, dont feed em live (one source said it promotes aggression)
some bite , some dont (one guy was holding his adult trigger in his tank and petting it?
gonna knock corals over,destroy tank?
do they always eat hermits?
will adults always kill anemones?
55 gallon is too small for juvi, 55 is fine?
i would appreciate any/all input

 

[stanlalee]

you getting mixed signals because thats how much compatibility varies from specimen to specimen. I've seen them in reefs with cleaner shrimp and fire fish or they may eat all your crustasceans and kill or terrorize your other fish (those big red teeth are there for a reason). only way to know is to try it. start with a smaller one and make sure the inverts are in there first. needless to say keep it well fed and there is no reason to feed it live. If it wants live food it will eat your inverts.

 

[kjr_trig]

Yes, there are a lot of mixed signals on this fish....Here is my take having owned 2.
Good fish as juviniles.....Aggressive, large, bullys as adults.
These fish are commonly available in very small sizes, but remember this fish grows to 20 inchs in the wild.
Will a Niger mess with your corals? Perhaps not
Will a Niger kill your CUC? You may get lucky there too.
Will an adult Niger bully small fish perhaps kill them? Count on it.
This fish will take on a completely different personality as it matures. I see all the time on here people saying "I've had my Niger for a year and he is a model citizen in my reef-tank"....Still haven't heard "I have had my Niger 4 years, hes 8 inchs and a model citizen" I won't hold my breath to hear that one.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by kjr_trig
http:///forum/post/2700565
Yes, there are a lot of mixed signals on this fish....Here is my take having owned 2.
Good fish as juviniles.....Aggressive, large, bullys as adults.
These fish are commonly available in very small sizes, but remember this fish grows to 20 inchs in the wild.
Will a Niger mess with your corals? Perhaps not
Will a Niger kill your CUC? You may get lucky there too.
Will an adult Niger bully small fish perhaps kill them? Count on it.
This fish will take on a completely different personality as it matures. I see all the time on here people saying "I've had my Niger for a year and he is a model citizen in my reef-tank"....Still haven't heard "I have had my Niger 4 years, hes 8 inchs and a model citizen" I won't hold my breath to hear that one.

It seems lots of hobbiests lately don't want their cute little nigers (or humas) to grow up to be triggerfish. But they do; and maybe there is the rare exception, but these fish eat inverts, smaller fish, and anything that resembles food.

 

[naso140]

thanks for the input
i bought a tiny one and i guess in a year or so ill take him back to LFS
i reaally want a cleaner shrimp so i guess ill have to add him pretty quick

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Naso140
http:///forum/post/2700802
thanks for the input
i bought a tiny one and i guess in a year or so ill take him back to LFS
i reaally want a cleaner shrimp so i guess ill have to add him pretty quick
I know that a lot of experiences and opinions tend to suggest that triggers don't turn aggressive until they're bigger;but they are still triggers. I put a very small huma (also considered "maybe" reef safe, like nigers by many hobbiests) in my 1st reef several years ago. After a month or so; it went postal. It killed or maimed every ornamental shrimp and most of the hermits. It also killed a goby (by attacking its under-belly., and had a big female maroon torn and cowering in the corner within 12 hours. I know this is your call and you're doing good research. The shrimp may be ok, but its going to be a very tempting target, no matter how big the trigger. IME & IMO; triggers don't belong with shrimp, crabs, etc., ever. I know this is not everyone's experience, but you cannot change the basic genetic make-up of the fish. I love nigers; but only with the right tankmates.

 

[naso140]

Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/2700970
I know that a lot of experiences and opinions tend to suggest that triggers don't turn aggressive until they're bigger;but they are still triggers. I put a very small huma (also considered "maybe" reef safe, like nigers by many hobbiests) in my 1st reef several years ago. After a month or so; it went postal. It killed or maimed every ornamental shrimp and most of the hermits. It also killed a goby (by attacking its under-belly., and had a big female maroon torn and cowering in the corner within 12 hours. I know this is your call and you're doing good research. The shrimp may be ok, but its going to be a very tempting target, no matter how big the trigger. IME & IMO; triggers don't belong with shrimp, crabs, etc., ever. I know this is not everyone's experience, but you cannot change the basic genetic make-up of the fish. I love nigers; but only with the right tankmates.
thanks . i def respect that. i guess since its already done, ill just wait and see. if he acts up ill take him back to LFS or give him to somebody on the board. i really didnt mean to make this mistake. it was a combo of temptation and the mixed opinions.
right now tank mates are-
2 clown
3 diff kind damsels
lawnmower blenny
one bta
one elephant ear
one kenya tree
one lg snail
bunch of small hermits and one lg hermit
2 emerald crab
lg colony featherduster
and a zoo rock
all the fish and anemone are adult. kenya tree is like 3 inches
any predictions?

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Naso140
http:///forum/post/2701075
thanks . i def respect that. i guess since its already done, ill just wait and see. if he acts up ill take him back to LFS or give him to somebody on the board. i really didnt mean to make this mistake. it was a combo of temptation and the mixed opinions.
right now tank mates are-
2 clown
3 diff kind damsels
lawnmower blenny
one bta
one elephant ear
one kenya tree
one lg snail
bunch of small hermits and one lg hermit
2 emerald crab
lg colony featherduster
and a zoo rock
all the fish and anemone are adult. kenya tree is like 3 inches
any predictions?
Anyone who can accurately predict fish behavior with certainty; please PM me and pick my lottery numbers for me!