VERY passive Niger Triger - Need some advice

[garybusey]

Hello!
Aprox 1 week ago I added a Baby (1") Niger Trigger to my tank, The tank has been running for 3 months now with only a Damsel helping to cycle it. I added a Pair of Clowns and 1 Toby. 2 Days Later I add the Niger. For the last week the Niger will only come out for feedings and hides in a cave in the Live Rock. I read that Nigers can take a bit of time to come out but I am starting to worry I got a Lemon...
Reason I say this is B/C My Dwarf Lion/ Damsel/ Toby are constantly swimming around the tank and all adapted to teh tank within a day. As well NONE of the fish pick on the trigger so once again I do not understand the constant hiding. Also he is not sick as he does come out when I feed 3 times a day. However he eats, then goes back into his Emo hole in the rocks to hide out all day.
Tanks Stats:
66g Square-90 Pounds LR
-1 Blue Damsel
-Pair of Clarki Clownfish
-1 Dwarf Lionfish
-1 Spotted Toby
-1 Watchman Goby
-1 Niger Trigger
All Fish are around 1" max.
So question is:
Will the Trigger Change or have I got a wuss for Life?? I can easily trade him in for another Niger/Pinktail if the need arises. I just planned on the Niger being one of the more visable/active fish in my tank and thusfar he is a huge dissappointment.
Thanks!

 

[browniebuck]

1st...slow down (I speak from bad experience), you are moving WAY too fast (adding too many fish too quickly).
2nd...are you talking about a spotted mandarin? If so, know that their main source of food is copepods with will populate your tank over time...if your tank is young, you do not have enough pods for the mandarin to eat (they spend their entire day looking on the rocks for them and eat them all day long). If you have a refugium, you may have a chance...if not, you will either need to keep adding pods to your tank (some LFS sell them and SWF sells them...but shipping will kill you).
3rd...do some research before adding any other fish to your tank...your niger trigger will outgrow that tank (it won't happen quickly, but it will happen...either plan on upgrading or find another place for your trigger when you start to notice it acting stressed)
4th...RESEARCH (not yelling at you, just emphasizing the importance of research in this hobby) Patience in this hobby will save the lives of a lot of livestock as well as a lot of money for yourself...

 

[garybusey]

Thanks for the reply, I looked over my post and I see I left some out!
Tanks cycled for 2 months. After 2 months I added a Damsel for 1 week. Then the Toby/clownfish. 1 Week after that I added the Trigger/Goby. Then 1week later I added my Dwarf lion. Is that too fast? I have asked around and everyone I know with Salt saying I am moving way to SLOW. I was going to add a Tank next week and finish the tank Until the tank Upgrade. Should I slow down on adding tang??
#2 Not a Mandarin, sorry for Confusion! Its a sand sifter, He just digs through the sand all day.
#3 Def Going to upgrade tank, going to a 120G 6 footer in a year or so. Niger will be ok for a year in a 66 Square will he not?? He is >1" so I figured I'd have some time!
So any reason for his constant hiding??? He is still eating well, all fish are healhy and acting great thufar as well. Would a Picasso trigger be a better bet? Or perhaps a Baby Pinktail ?
Thanks!

 

[rcreations]

Could just be this particular fish or it could be because he's so small. I've had 2 nigers, neither one hid very much, but I bought them when they were 2.5" or so. The first one was really agressive, the one I have now is not so agressive but I've never seen it hide.

 

[browniebuck]

I was confused on the "toby"...I had never seen them called that before, always saw them called Hawaiian spotted puffers (if that is what you have?).
As to the speed at which you are adding things, generally people say to add 1-2 fish at a time, but they say to add them to a quarantine tank and to leave them there for up to a month to make sure that they are healthy and don't contaminate your display tank....I guess if you add a fish, observe behaviors, and test the water often (daily perhaps) to make sure that everything stays at the desired levels, you are ok...but I would slow down with adding a little...just to be sure...if you add to much to quickly, they can cause your water levels to get out of whack and cause stress and/or death to your fish.

 

[srfisher17]

If the Niger is eating, I think he'll get bolder with time. I'll bet that the same lfs that told you to cycle with a damsel is also selling you fish. They are OK now, but down the road you are going to have a very incompatable group of fish. example #1- Lions are fast growers an can eat fish at least half their size. A Dwarf can reach 7-8".

 

[garybusey]

Sorry about the late reply, Decided to trade in the Niger for a Baby Picasso trigger >1". Also moved the Dwarf Lion to a 30G long since the ghost shrimp I got for him could never get past the Trigger/Puffer.
So my Plan is to add 2 More fish to my Main tank and then all done. Want to add a Purple Tang and a Cleaner wrasse. Would that work?? Tank is:
66G with a 10G sump, 1x 110 Aquaclear, 1x 70 Aquaclear, Corallife skimmer rated for a 75g tank. Also Have 2 powerheads just can't remember brand. Got aprox 90ponds of LR in the tank and prob 5 pounds in the Aquaclears. Sump is crammed with Chada(Sp?).
Fish:
Picasso Trigger >1"
Hawaiian Saddle Puffer >1"
Pair of Clarki Clowns 1" W/ Pink Tip Anenome
Blue Damsel > .5"
Sleeper Goby 1.5"
And A shittone of snails. prob 50+
So I should be able to add Purple Tang and Wrasse w/o issue Correct? I will only get a Purple that is > 2" as well, Told it will be quite a wait but no big rush!
Keep in mind I will be upgrading this tank to a 120+ within a year. (And for your Lionfish cats, the Lion will get 66G tank when upgrade occurs)
Thanks!