stuck in a pickle and confused

palmer373

palmer373

New Member
going to remodel the 55 tomarow into a fowlr. got a slight problem with fish tho:
went to alaska saltwater aquariums today and fell in love with a 2" (its flipping small!) niger trigger. talking to brian (fish geek there) about maybe trading my 6" undy and some cash for the niger. ive got a few problems tho. ill be done with HS and off to college in 3 years so i want a fish that can live with me for that long. i dont know how long it would take a niger to grow to about 8" (seems resonable to move out of the 55 at that size). any ideas? maybe trigger gurus could chime in here.
also ive been thinking of tankmates for the niger. i really want him so im trying to think of a simple stocking list that wouldnt create problems. if the niger would outgrow the 55 faster than expected ill rethink all of this tho. what i was thinking was the niger, a 3" fu manchu that brian also has (at his place), a toby (or pair) and maybe an eel later. i do know that triggers and lions dont mix (ive seen the vids) but because the trigger is a planktonivore i think (mouth turned up, higher on face) and it is peacefuller i was wondering if the fu would be at risk. if the fu manchu would be picked on would a cockatoo waspfish work to replace it? isnt the frilly and pointy fins of lions is what gets nipped by triggers? the cockatoo doesnt have those so wouldnt it be ok?
im kindof confused because i want the niger really badly but im not sure how long it would take to reach about 8" and what other tankmates would work with the trigger. any ideas? should i just not get the niger? wat else would you recommend? thanks for the help.
-Alex
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
a 55 is pretty small for any aggressive fish.they are very territorial,grow fast and can beat another fish to death.aggressive fish tanks are tricky to mix fish in a 125+ let alone a 55.if you like him that much just keep him by himself.i have a mantis tank with nothing but him in there and i enjoy it.maybe a snowflake eel they grow slow and dont get too big.just a suggestion.
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
im not sure but maybe a blenny? probably a small 6 line wrasse? i am not sure here.
I felt really bad for a niger trigger that was at *****

he was probably 1.5"-2" and was in a 10g tank with other fish. definately not enough room
 
palmer373

palmer373

New Member
dee- ya a 55 is small IMO but its what i have right now. i guess its not so much of an aggressive tank but it has aggressivish fish. do you know how long it would take the niger to get to 8"? i have some chromis in the tank so i was thinking like the niger, 4 chromis, 3 strip, SFE, and maybe 1 other small fish lol. doesnt seem too much and i have a BA skimmer on the tank.
snapple- got a sixline in the 75 but maybe another small wrasse? idk how well a blenny would do in taht tank tho. lol maybe you should buy the lil bugger and put it in your tank! ;)
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
oh i want to, i really do but im not sure if i could properly take care of it. i thinking of buying it and then taking it to the LFS just up the road and getting some in store credit
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
you will probably never see a trigger get 8 inches in a tank.maybe 5 or 6 .all the fish you two listed will eventually get their rear end kicked by that trigger.the smaller the tank the meaner they get.my friend in N.Y. has a 150 tank with two clown triggers both are small like 2-3 inches.the one clown just chases the other fish in the tank constantly untill they hide from him.
 
palmer373

palmer373

New Member
lol snapple thats a good idea, buy it from the crappy lfs and take it to the good lfs to get store credit!
dee waht do you mean "you will probably never see a trigger get 8 inches in a tank.maybe 5 or 6"? are you meaning in a 55 it wont get to 8"? well how long would it take to get to 6" do you think then? personally i wouldnt think the niger would be a butt to the other fish in that tank become from what i know is they are relatively peaceful for a trigger but this is my opinion, no eperience. and the 2 clown triggers, cmon your freind has to be smart enough to realize that wont work, even i know that lol. not trying to push you over the end but i just find that funny.
on a side note im getting the niger tomarow, we will see how he does.
 
indy2009

indy2009

Member
My friend that I got started into saltwater...He has only been in it now for 2 years...me almost 4 years..he has more of a reef tank..tons and I mean tons of corals..a yellow tang a few fire fish and YES a Niger trigger..I told him not a good Idea..but he has had it now about 10 months in a 55 gallon..this Trigger is the most NON aggressive fish i've ever seen...The Yellow Tang is the aggresore..I asked him "doesn't it pick on any of your corals" Larry told me take a look? doesn't pick on anything..he feeds his fish 3 times a day small amounts the same as I do...so if you want to get a Niger I say go for it..Only if you have the time to care for it..sorry forgot..he got it when it was about an inch now about 3 inches..I personally don't trust triggers I had one..not a Niger..but it was just the most evil fish..finally had to get rid of it..
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
niger and blue throats are more peaceful of the triggers.i have a 5 inch female blue throat .she doesn't bother anything and i have 5 shrimp.but fish have their own personality.one might be good and the other not so much.triggers dont bother corals.they are usually not reef safe because the eat the cuc.but mine dont bother with them as far as i see.an 8 inch fist is pretty big.i have had my trigger for a year she hasn't grown hardly at all and shes in a 250 gallon.as for my friend in NY .surprise surprise the lfs set his tank up and added the fish.he dont know much about it.the maintain it for him.when i was up there and saw it i pointed it out but haven't spoke to him since.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
In the wild this fish will go to 12" and suggest tank size is 70gal. As for tanks mates all fish combatable is caution, tank mates that do not get along with are batfish; anglers; bassets; frogs; cardinals; dartfish; dragonets and filefish. As for how long it will take to out grow your tank depends on the care you give it and the fish itself. From experience two to three years fish will survive (not thrive) in a small tank, but then it down hill quick and then death if not moved to larger tank.
 
S

smartorl

Guest
I've been very fortunate with my Niger. He is a wuss. I did put him into an established, stocked reef when he was about 1.5 inches.
The only recommendation I can offer is to not wait a long time to add more fish if that is your intention. The more he is allowed to see the tank as "his territory", the harder to then add the other fish in successfully.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
Sounds like he should be added last so he doesnt take over the whole tank.
Similar to a purple tang or other possibly mean territorial fish.
It also sounds like maybe the trigger isnt the best fish for that sized tank in the first place.
I love powder blue tangs, but I only have a 4' tank so I wait until someday i can provide a home for one that is suitable. (180g someday :)
Btw, welcome to the forums Palmer :)
 
palmer373

palmer373

New Member
thanks for the input guys and gals! ill be heading over to the lfs to pick him up in the next hour or so but here is my thought for him in the 55. i know the 55 is too small for him in the long run. ill be done with HS and off to college in 3 years. by then ill either get out of SW :'( or downsize to a nano. either way ill get rid of all of my fish stuff and that means the trigger. IMO it would be pointless to get a 2" niger and get a 180g to put him in when he is 2". ive been told he will get about 6" probably, maybe more, in those years. by the time he gets too big for the tank ill have to sell him because i will have college. possible if he grows faster than expected i could put him in my 75g reef but i will be skeptical about that. im getting him because i really like him and i feel he will be just about the right size to move to a bigger tank when i get out of SW. this is my thinking lol.
Mr. Limpid- is it possible to put a blenny (for algae) in the tank with him when he is small?
thanks for the imput everyone!
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
now i dont get it?why bother with the tank if you are going to abandon it?what a waste of time and money imo
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
IMO opinion ist no more of a waste of time than building rockets, furniture, painting ect.
Its a hobby, hobbies pass the time and give you something to do and in this case something to look at.
Very rarely in a hobby do you not come out on the loosing end money wise.
 
deejeff442

deejeff442

Active Member
yes but rockets,furniture and painting are not living creatures.would you get a dog with the intent to give it away in two years?i know fish arent dogs but still.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I bought my first fish tank that came with a huge lionfish. I knew he wouldnt work in the reef i wanted. But I kept him until i was ready to get my reef going, very cool fish, just not compatible with the overall scheme.
Maybe a bad analogy, but people trade corals all the time. not really much difference IMO.
Some people train Puppies to be hunters or seeing eye dogs as a proffesion/hobby and tehn sell them
 
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