Blue Throat Trigger

[ts99ad]

So I was at the store yesterday with my son and it is never a cheap day when my son comes with me. Of course he wanted the biggest most aggressive fish. After speaking with the staff and looking on their laptops at the different requirements, we decided on the Blue Throat. He is still quite small for a trigger about 2-2.5". I know he will get bigger and if/when he outgrows his surroundings, I will either have a larger tank or take him back to the LFS.

After I added him, he went missing, hiding in the back of rockwork. The other fish didn’t even pay attention. The maroon just ignored him and I have never seen that reaction from him before. The lemon peel when about his business, the goby well, he just acted like a goby (which by the way, my sand has never been cleaner, but the corals hate that he keeps depositing his loads on them). My cleaner shrimp tried to clean him, I am guessing he does not know that he is supposed to stay away as he is typically food for triggers.

From the experience of other keepers, is there anything I should be careful of. I know that they are reef safe and from what I read they eat plankton and other small meaty foods. He was eating at the store, but would take any food last night.

Other items that I purchased:
Large conch, also my sons choice
Emerald crab
Nerties snails
Cerith snails

 

[Northstar24]

I do not know who told you that a trigger is reef safe, but even the most mellow of triggers is reef safe with caution, they will re-arrange your rock work, and are willing and able to eat many of the inverts that are kept in a reef tank.

As far as hiding in the rocks, it is totally normal for a new fish to hide out for a few days while it adjusts to its new surroundings, I suspect that will change in time.

You really shouldn't buy a fish for a tank you may think you'll have someday, many people go down this road with good intentions but never actually get the larger tank they thought they were going to get when they purchased a fish they knew would need a bigger home. Keeping a fish in a tank that is too small will likely increase is aggressiveness - probably not a good thing with a trigger

 

[ts99ad]

I completely understand. I have a 75g with the requirements being 90g. So it is not like I am keeping him in a 30. I have a great relationship with the LFS and brigning him back is always an option as for any other fish I have purchased. Also the "with caution" has been accepted and being monitored. I have a rather large cleaner shrimp, that I am keeping my fingers crossed on, hoping he will leave alone. The rest are stars and snails and crabs. I typically grab several dozen through the cousre of a year. I almost consider it as part of my feeding bill.

I also know that the blue throat and the pink tail are the most likely to be reef habitable.

It is my last fish until I upgrade. I am at 6 including the damsels.

 

[Kelz88]

cleaner shrimp will probs disappear. Fish seem to love live shrimp :/ and if theres a chance he might eat him, he is almost as good as gone.

 

[ts99ad]

I think the shrimp was trying to prove his worth. He jumped him and started to clean him as soon as I let him loose in the tank.

Only time will tell, there is a chance he will leave him alone. As I have heard from several people that each fish is different.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think there's a 50/50 chance it will leave your inverts alone. You are right that they are one of the most "reef safe-ish" triggers. I had a pink tail for many years that never touched another tank inhabitant.

I think you will find that they grow very fast though. I suspect it will outgrow a 75 quite quickly.

 

[ts99ad]

Has been noted, I will keep an eye on it.

 

[little_fish]

You really should avoid buying very small specimens of species that get very big. When they are that small they have really only just settled out of the larval stage and they need some pretty intensive care to survive. They need to be feed many times a day, and few tanks can handle that amount of feeding. You should get them when they are closer to 4 inches long.

Also, I dont agree at all with the recommendation to keep a trigger in a 90 gal. They should have at least 6 ft of swimming room, preferably more. Putting them in a smaller tank will increase the aggression and stress level for the fish.

 

[ErinCahir]

+1 Biff


I had a trigger that left my cleaner alone, however. And he was a big boy.

 

[ts99ad]

This is the reason I stay away from forums. I completely understand the concerns. But what is the reason for every poster to pile on.

It is great that you are here to help, the tank size has been noted, accepted and being monitored.

Is there anyone else that would like to tell me that a 4 ft tank is not big enough. Although many people have successfully kept this type of fish in a 4 ft. And again it has been accepted that it is on the bottom end of size requirements.

Thank you for the advise on other topics, this will likely be my last post and view of these forums.

 

[Kelz88]

You asked for advice and you got it. Sure you can, its just like you can keep a dog chained in your yard on a four foot leash. You can do it, but its cruel.

If you want us to just agree with everything you say ask your lfs for some advice lol. Im sure they will tell you a hippo tang can go in your tank too. Lol mine did.

 

[Bifferwine]

If just one person says something, it's easy to dismiss that advice as just one person's opinion. When you have many people saying the same thing, it's harder to ignore.

If you don't want advice, no one is forcing you to post questions here or on any other forum. If you think everyone saying the same thing is "piling on" then you are just someone that doesn't like hearing that they are wrong. So goodbye, good luck with your tank and your fish.

 

[wontonflip]

Yeeeet....if those same people who gave you advice that better suits your situation, then you'd be happier, correct?

I prefer to be given advice by multiple sources because it gives more credibility. I really really really wanted a copperband. Saw some nice ones at the lfs that were eating mysis like pigs (I saw them being fed). As tempted as I was, I passed because of many sided debates and pros and cons of having copperbands in my tank. Same goes for anything I buy....I research, read all the reviews, especially negative ones so I know what might go wrong. I don't just buy something based off all positive advice. It's called RESEARCH. You're surrounded by some of reefing's experienced people here. Grow a thicker skin.

 

[SarahSmile]

ts99ad: I am so sorry you felt attacked.
-Everyone on this forum is beyond nice and only wants everyone to have a successful tank. Hopefully you'll stick around and I promise, you'll come to realize people here know their stuff and want others to benefit from research and experience.
-No, it's never easy or fun to hear from multiple people that a decision you've made isn't the wisest. BUT, We do want to make sure to keep the threads filled with accurate information for those who may be researching this fish now or in the future and hope to keep them from thinking this fish is reef safe or ok in a smaller than recommended tank.
We wish you lots of success!