Size of tank for an undulate trigger

[rcreations]

I'm thinking of getting a small undulate trigger and I still have my old 65gal tank with stand and sump. Would this be big enough for an undy? It would be the only fish in the tank, along with LR. How long before it would outgrow the 65? I've seen recommended tank size for undys of 50gal in two different places. But I find it hard to believe a 1' fish would be happy in a 50gal.

 

[prime311]

Just start with the 65 and play it by ear. If years later it seems unhappy then upgrade. If you get him small though you're talking 5+ years down the road.

 

[rcreations]

So they're not fast growers like Nigers?

 

[prime311]

Well fast can be relative. Even individuals can grow at different rates, it could be anywhere from 1-2" per year and even at 2 it still gives you plenty of time.

 

[eelfan77]

i just upgraded from a 55 to a 90 gallon for my undulated because it looked like he was cramped even though he is barely 5 inches. i had him for like a year and so far he only grown like a centimeter.

 

[rcreations]

That's what I'm afraid of and I don't want to upgrade to anything bigger than the 65. I already have the 150gal, plus my 45 reef. I don't have the space for another big tank. Are undulates big swimmers? Like I noticed my humu is a much bigger swimmer than the niger.

 

[small triggers]

my niger swims more than my picasso?? hrrrmm i think it depends on the fishs' personality. I would think a 65 would be fine for 5ish years as stated, if you have ever seen a full grown trigger, it will need something like a 100-150 though, but that would be WAY down the road

 

[eelfan77]

Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2765626
That's what I'm afraid of and I don't want to upgrade to anything bigger than the 65. I already have the 150gal, plus my 45 reef. I don't have the space for another big tank. Are undulates big swimmers? Like I noticed my humu is a much bigger swimmer than the niger.
my undulated just swims around the bottom and inbetween the rocks and only comes to the middle/top while feeding. but really depends on the fish cause i seen undulateds that are like allways out and about, and some like mine that just swims all behind the rocks and sometimes swimming around in the front where people can actually see him.

 

[rcreations]

Yeah, I guess it depends on the fish's personality. My Picasso swims almost like a tang, especially in the morning. I call it the morning exercise where it swims across the entire length of the 6' tank back and forth, over and over really fast. The Niger I used to have didn't swim nearly as much, just went in between the rocks but not real fast.