Queen Trigger

[johnbob]

I will be getting a 180 gallon tank soon and was wondering if this fish can live peacefully with other aggressive fish like tangs, puffers and wrasses. If there is a chance it might not be aggressive I might take it, but if it will undoubtably turn on its tankmates I will leave it alone.

 

[titan]

A big Queen in a 180 would be better off alone IMO. Some have success keeping them with big angels, and some full grown Tangs in 500GL and up systems.

 

[triggered]

They get HUGE though, so think about that too....................................Peace

 

[iluvswfish]

Having seen these in person and got grazed by one rushing by to get fed while snorkeling of Cozumel, I can tell you they are not suitable for home aquarium. They are a very large, powerful, seriously aggressive fish.

 

[johnbob]

Thank you all for the help, I think I'll leave this fish in the ocean.

 

[aw2]

Originally Posted by iluvswfish
Having seen these in person and got grazed by one rushing by to get fed while snorkeling of Cozumel, I can tell you they are not suitable for home aquarium. They are a very large, powerful, seriously aggressive fish.

They are more than ok for the home aquarium, given it's the right sized aquarium. I've also been diving with this species, as well as adult Clown and Titan Triggers (for the aggressive Triggers).
As juveniles, they are not really aggressive and can be kept with other predatory fish. Here's a pic of the juvenile I once had.

As sub-adults, to adults, they cannot be kept with other fish. It's not that they're a "killer" fish, it's just that in the wild, they have large territories and will brutally defend that territory. IN a home tank, it will kill other fish for "entering it's territory". As the fish gets bigger, so does it's territory.
Sometime soon, I'll be purchasing another one, to be kept by itself, in it's own tank.

 

[iluvswfish]

AW2, great pic! what a beautiful juvi queen. how come you didn't keep her? I've read alot about them and it all mirrors what you've said about their behavior. I haven't kept them, only seen them as adults in the wild. I wasn't under the impression nor was I trying to convey that they are killers. That experience with the one off Cozumel involved an adult, easily 2 ft long with a massive body. The guys running the boat threw some tortillas in the water. Hundreds of reef fish descended on us fairly rapidly of course, then all of a sudden I got smacked HARD from the side as the queen rushed past me towards the food. The other fish fed from what fell off as she attacked the food but they didn't get in her way, that's for sure. Surely they don't get that large in a home aquarium and this was a wild adult used to hunting instead of being hand fed but, just based on how powerful and large she was (and the amount of territory and swimming room a fish like that needs to feel comfortable), its hard for me to see one living a 180. This girl would've needed the 6' length of a 180 to put the brakes on. I think I remember reading in one of your posts that you keep very large system(s) though and you've kept a queen before so your experience certainly trumps mine.

 

[aw2]

I, personally, feel that an adult should be kept in nothing smaller than a 240gal. tank. My juvie was a pushover but as she was getting bigger, I could see the attitude coming out. Mine died, unexpectedly. I was home for lunch, one day and fed the tank and she was fine...came home a few hours later, after work and she was dead.

Check this link... and you'll find the story of an almost adult Queen, that a guy I know owns. She lives in a 125gal, by herself (but will be moved to a 240gal).
She's killed adult Puffers, Lions, and gutted a 16" Miniatus Grouper.
The owner said when she had tank mates, he'd have to throw in a whole, frozen squid to keep her busy, while he tried to feed the other tank mates, at the other end of the tank.

 

[iluvswfish]

I, personally, feel that an adult should be kept in nothing smaller than a 240gal. tank. My juvie was a pushover but as she was getting bigger, I could see the attitude coming out. Mine died, unexpectedly. I was home for lunch, one day and fed the tank and she was fine...came home a few hours later, after work and she was dead.
Check this link... and you'll find the story of an almost adult Queen, that a guy I know owns. She lives in a 125gal, by herself (but will be moved to a 240gal).
She's killed adult Puffers, Lions, and gutted a 16" Miniatus Grouper.
The owner said when she had tank mates, he'd have to throw in a whole, frozen squid to keep her busy, while he tried to feed the other tank mates, at the other end of the tank.
How big do they get in an aquarium (assuming large enough tank, good parameters and husbandry, proper diet, etc), surely not the 2 ft. beast I saw off Cozumel? I'm sorry your queen died like that - real bummer when they go when they seem healthy.
I checked out the guy's thread- beautiful fish and about what I expect from what I've seen and read. I think he's got the right idea keeping her in a species only and going to the 240.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder how a queen would do long term if added at the same time with a similiarly sized aggressive such as a clown trigger in a very large tank?

 

[aw2]

Originally Posted by iluvswfish
How big do they get in an aquarium (assuming large enough tank, good parameters and husbandry, proper diet, etc), surely not the 2 ft. beast I saw off Cozumel? I'm sorry your queen died like that - real bummer when they go when they seem healthy.
I checked out the guy's thread- beautiful fish and about what I expect from what I've seen and read. I think he's got the right idea keeping her in a species only and going to the 240.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder how a queen would do long term if added at the same time with a similiarly sized aggressive such as a clown trigger in a very large tank?
I've seen some, in home aquaria, that have reached 20"...so, I have no doubt that they could reach 24".
IMHO, if you added say a Queen and Clown that were the same size and they grew at the same rate, you'd still only end up with one fish in the tank. Considering that they dont start showing aggressiveness until the 6" - 8" mark, you'd have two very pissed off, big fish and the fight would not be pretty. Whichever one did live, would probably be pretty torn up and very wounded.