Clown trigger in a reef tank?

[HB AL]

I have a simple question, will a clown trigger eat any specific type of corals? I have all types of corals, shrooms, zoas, lps and sps? As I already have a Sargassum and Bluethroat my cleanup crew snails and hermits have trained themselves(if that’s even possible) to only come out at night as they hide while the lights are on and I only see them when the lights have been off and I flash a flashlight in there. Over the last 30+ years I’ve owned virtually all types of triggers so I’m well aware of each trigger types of tendencies as far as aggression, personalities etc. Hopefully someone has 1st hand experience with a clown trigger in a full blown reef tank.

 

[VSVP bet]

I worked at an LFS and we had a clown trigger in a tank with softies, zoas, and mushrooms. The only SPS in that system were a bunch of different monti caps, the trigger never touched those corals. Take that as you will. He was in that tank for around 4 months.

 

[HB AL]

Thanks for the 1st hand experience reply.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Your worries w/a clown trigger are going to be centered more around other inverts (urchins, shrimp, crabs, prob clams) and of course other fish...both the ability to prey on smaller, slower fish and then the territoriality w/others.

As far as coral...if you don’t starve it, there’s no reason for it to give corals a look.

Having said that, every fish has its own brain. No guarantees out there.

 

[VSVP bet]

Similar to what @Gregg @ ADP said above, IMO, many 'reef safe w/ caution' fish are classified this way due to their tendencies to go after inverts and smaller fish. Obviously some are clear and known coral eaters, but if the fish isnt an inherent coral eater, generally the 'with caution' comes from a potential to eat inverts.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I currently have a clown trigger in a reef, and he has been there for close to two years. He will eat most inverts, exception being cucumbers. Snails, shrimp, crabs, and good old vermatids are on the menu. He leaves many corals alone, but he does bite a few. He does bite one of my pink montis and a Miami hurricane chalice. He does not touch acans, mushrooms, any softies, any zoas, and none of the LPS. I would never hesitate to put him in a softie tank, I would not put him in a SPS system. As long as he is well fed he will play well with others. Him and the harlequin tusk butt heads.

 

[alton]

As a juvenile no problems, when they get over six inches their contribution to nitrates is tremendous.

 

[HB AL]

Thanks guys, your experiences where exactly what i was thinking on how it would carry out. On my way to my lfs as they had a few of the perfect size yesterday and thus started my brain thinking about it again yesterday. Only negative was that i removed my gold spot rabbit ive had a couple years to trade in to them, but he was the only one i was ready to part with out of all my fish.

 

[HB AL]

Well the initial intro went perfect as i thought my sargassum might attack at first but he and the rest of the posse pretty much ignored him. I fed him at the lfs a bunch of pellets so he would have a full belly going into his new house. Hes being shy right now and just chilling at a bottom back corner of the tank but was able to snap a quick pic. Hes around 3.5 inches long. Shoulda just done it a couple years ago. Will see how it goes once he settles in.

 

[HB AL]

2 days in and he seems to have settled in on just chilling above 1 of my clams.

 

[underwaterdan]

Is he picking on any of your snails or shrimp??

 

[lefkonj]

Best of luck that is a big guy. I have a tiny baby in my reef tank, but I am realistic if he gets too aggressive I will take him out and find him a new home. I buy fish for their beauty and the enjoyment they bring me, never see him or my bluespot puffer touch coral, inverts all the time.

 

[lefkonj]

That is a big guy. My reef tank has housed a niger trigger for years but had to remove him because he was becoming too aggressive. I have a quarter sized Clown Trigger and a bluespot puffer right now, none of them touch coral but clean up crew is fair game. When the trigger gets too aggressive I will find him a new home. Until then I will just enjoy the beauty that is a clown trigger

 

[HB AL]

Is he picking on any of your snails or shrimp??

No, only thing he doesnt like are the dang austerina stars that have decimated most of my purple corraline, he grabs them chews them up and spits them out, perfect scenario.

 

[HB AL]

In my case my fish are more important to me than corals and inverts, he is safe in my tank regardless of what he may end up picking on. Every fish ignores him except a damsel thats a little bigger than him but today he had it with it and gave it a little chomp and the damsel is now ignoring him too. For now its working out better than expected considering i havnt added a fish in almost 2 years so they where all pretty established. They must realize who they are dealing with and dont want to wake the sleeping giant

 

[philfree]

Confirm, your concern is around inverts. Not so much corals.

 

[Land Shark]

They like to munch on Vermetid snails and aren't so bad on corals? That's good to know.

 

[Mpal771]

2 days in and he seems to have settled in on just chilling above 1 of my clams.

As my avatar suggests, triggers are my favorite and all the advice here is spot on. I would have recommended a juvenile, but hey your in it now and I hope have much success. Take a lot of photos of that clam now. It is a beautiful clam.

 

[Land Shark]

As my avatar suggests, triggers are my favorite and all the advice here is spot on. I would have recommended a juvenile, but hey your in it now and I hope have much success. Take a lot of photos of that clam now. It is a beautiful clam.

So the clam is an eventual goner, is that what you are saying?

 

[HB AL]

It’s possible he munches on the clam at some point but I keep my fish very well fed so it’s also possible he leaves it alone.