Why are triggers not "reef safe"?

[stringcheese]

Dont know if this is the correct forum for this, but I like Niger triggers and am considering adding one to my 55 reef. From what I've read here, they and other triggers are not reef safe. Do they eat corals etc etc?
Thanks

 

[stringcheese]

So no cleaning crews in with these guys huh? Must be hard to keep a clean tank with them.
Thanks for the info!

 

[jacksonpt]

FWIW... I, and several others, have had good luck keeping some triggers (nigers, blue throats, pink tails) in reef tanks. These triggers tend to be some of the more peaceful triggers, so you can at times get away with them in a reef environment. However, it totally depends on the personality of the fish. I have had 2 niger triggers since I got into the hobby. The first was when I was first starting out with saltwater, and was fine in my 75g reef. I recently got another for my FOWLR tank. I've only had it a week or so and I already know it could never live in a reef - faaar too aggressive.
Just some more food for thought.

 

[rangermonroe]

I used to work in the Gulf of Mexico as a commercial diver. I have watched triggerfish bite off large chunks of barnacles from the platfORms that I was working on (under). I would deem them not reef safe.

 

[nm reef]

Until a few weeks ago I kept a niger in a fish only system...(my nephew now owns the fish only system)...it is true that a niger "may" be able to live with corals...but most nigers will develope a taste for snails/crabs/shrimp which "most" folks want to keep in reef systems. That is the primary reason they are termed "not reef safe"...plus they can absolutely develope a taste for some corals and they have been known to become extremely aggressive. There are definite risks and disadvantages to keeping a niger in a reef...but it has been done.
based on my experience keeping a niger I would not want one in my reef...he has become very aggressive towards the other fish and it is impossible to keep any crabs or shrimp with him. I don't know for certain if he would bother corals...there have never been any in the same tank...but its not a risk I'd take.
They are very kewl fish...but my personal opinion is the system should be built around the niger and it would be very risky to try to fit a niger into a system that was intended to feature anything other than the niger.