Clown trigger in a reef tank?

dvanrij · Oct 6, 2018

Good luck HB clowns were always my favorite of the triggers!

HB AL · Mar 12, 2019

Mpal771 said:
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.

Just a little update, 6+months in and he is a model citizen. He doesn’t eat anything not even the clam, other than fish food and has become part of the posse now. I love triggers to but the only one I would never get is the queen in your avatar, bad experience with a big one 20+ years ago, a queen is beautiful but would never get one again. Here’s a recent pic he likes his comrades and posing for pics. Only annoying thing is when he sees the little tub of food he starts shooting water outta the tank till I start feeding the fish.

alton · Mar 12, 2019

I would of bet you $100 the clam would be toast! I am getting the itch myself again, can't wait till babys come available.

miyags · Mar 12, 2019

My old one loved spitting water out of the tank.And I'm talking 4 ft,he was about 10inches

HB AL · Mar 12, 2019

alton said:
I would of bet you $100 the clam would be toast! I am getting the itch myself again, can't wait till babys come available.

I was sure that he would start munching on the clam, I wouldn't have made that bet.

Halal Hotdog · Mar 12, 2019

I am sure he will find the clam, sooner or later ;-). Mine didn't know what clams were and then one day all three were gone. Might have been a harlequin tusk, but the shells were found by CT home. CT has been in my reef for over two years. Have to look back at the exact date I got him.

HB AL · Mar 12, 2019

He does hang by it and nips at the outside shell like he does on rocks, I’m sure the amount of food I feed my fish is the reason he doesn’t eat it, Ive had a Sargassum and bluethroat in there for 2+ years and they haven’t munched it either. If the clown does start eating it I’m hoping for 2 things, that it’s nutritious, and I’m home to watch the feeding frenzy it’s gonna create with all the other fish.

joec · Mar 12, 2019

I had a friend who had a clown trigger. When it was small, no problem. When it got big one day, it murdered every fish in his tank

Darryl · Mar 12, 2019

i have had clown triggers in my reef tank with virtually NO PROBLEMS!

Halal Hotdog · Mar 13, 2019

It seems many of us have been able to keep this beautiful fish in a reef environment with success. As we reach 5+ years we should definitely get a much better idea about long term stability.

Darryl · Mar 13, 2019

Halal Hotdog said:
It seems many of us have been able to keep this beautiful fish in a reef environment with success. As we reach 5+ years we should definitely get a much better idea about long term stability.

I have clown triggers in all my tanks (6) and the oldest is now 10 he is called grumps ,not because of his temperament but looks.
having kept a reef tank for 40 plus years I have never had a problem with clown triggers. Keep em fed and no problem!

Halal Hotdog · Mar 13, 2019

Mine has been in the reef only for a couple of years, 10 years is very impressive. Could you describe the age and behavior of the ones you have kept long term? Was there a point you had any go insane and just start killing things? Pictures would be great

Darryl · Mar 13, 2019

Halal Hotdog said:
Mine has been in the reef only for a couple of years, 10 years is very impressive. Could you describe the age and behavior of the ones you have kept long term? Was there a point you had any go insane and just start killing things? Pictures would be great

all the clowns I have had never went spaz I had a queen trigger that was pure evil and would attack everything . the oldest clown trigger I have had lived to about 15 years and was so tame you could pet it . They are very curious fish and love attention .Grumpy is in a 300 gallon and has a humma ,niger and blue throat as well as an undulated that are all full grown will post a pic when I get home. Grumpy and the niger hang out together .in all the years of keeping triggers the only problem besides the evil queen was they would rearrange the tank to there liking and nock over a frag ,but still not bothersome . If you approach keeping triggers in a reef like a puppy your mind set is good if you are OCD about your placement of things and aqua shaping ,stick to a clown fish lol.

Darryl · Mar 13, 2019

Another tip , if you keep triggers and add a new fish , add them slowly and feed the triggers first . I have seen so many people just drop the new fish in and the triggers decimate the new arrival and chase it around the tank thinking it is food. thus adding to the myth triggers kill everything .
If you try to put a trigger in anything less than 75 you are also asking for problems.

Mpal771 · Mar 14, 2019

HB AL said:
Just a little update, 6+months in and he is a model citizen. He doesn’t eat anything not even the clam, other than fish food and has become part of the posse now. I love triggers to but the only one I would never get is the queen in your avatar, bad experience with a big one 20+ years ago, a queen is beautiful but would never get one again. Here’s a recent pic he likes his comrades and posing for pics. Only annoying thing is when he sees the little tub of food he starts shooting water outta the tank till I start feeding the fish.

oh man, Thank you, thank you!! Hobbyists like you are what grow the hobby. Ive got to do it. That is a grade A
reef tank with the clown trigger in. It looks so great, its worth it if he eventually hits the clam. Much fortitude on your end my friend and thanks again for sharing!!!!...just effin awesome

HB AL · Mar 15, 2019

Darryl said:
all the clowns I have had never went spaz I had a queen trigger that was pure evil and would attack everything . the oldest clown trigger I have had lived to about 15 years and was so tame you could pet it . They are very curious fish and love attention .Grumpy is in a 300 gallon and has a humma ,niger and blue throat as well as an undulated that are all full grown will post a pic when I get home. Grumpy and the niger hang out together .in all the years of keeping triggers the only problem besides the evil queen was they would rearrange the tank to there liking and nock over a frag ,but still not bothersome . If you approach keeping triggers in a reef like a puppy your mind set is good if you are OCD about your placement of things and aqua shaping ,stick to a clown fish lol.

ALL QUEEN TRIGGERS ARE EVIL, i learned that 20+ years ago, to this day I see there evilness when I see one at a lfs and feel sorry for who ever buys it I know 3 just sold that where at my lfs and felt bad for the people that bought them. My daughter saw one of them and said that’s a pretty trigger so I told her to put her finger up to the tank and it tried to eat it, she tripped out and I told her the story from long ago, pretty fish but pure evil for a trigger. Would love to see a pick of your big triggers.

HB AL · Mar 15, 2019

Mpal771 said:
oh man, Thank you, thank you!! Hobbyists like you are what grow the hobby. Ive got to do it. That is a grade A
reef tank with the clown trigger in. It looks so great, its worth it if he eventually hits the clam. Much fortitude on your end my friend and thanks again for sharing!!!!...just effin awesome

Thanks dude

AC1211 · Mar 22, 2020

Darryl said:
all the clowns I have had never went spaz I had a queen trigger that was pure evil and would attack everything . the oldest clown trigger I have had lived to about 15 years and was so tame you could pet it . They are very curious fish and love attention .Grumpy is in a 300 gallon and has a humma ,niger and blue throat as well as an undulated that are all full grown will post a pic when I get home. Grumpy and the niger hang out together .in all the years of keeping triggers the only problem besides the evil queen was they would rearrange the tank to there liking and nock over a frag ,but still not bothersome . If you approach keeping triggers in a reef like a puppy your mind set is good if you are OCD about your placement of things and aqua shaping ,stick to a clown fish lol.

Did you say undulated triggerfish with other fish?

Darryl · Apr 4, 2020

AC1211 said:
Did you say undulated triggerfish with other fish?

Yes i did and he is fine as well as the other fish

Bpfor3 · Jun 18, 2020

I'll chime in. Reading the responses to are they reef safe?, is the same stuff said about angelfish, some will, some won't. I just ordered a small clown trigger from TSM. One of my all time favorites and worth the risk in my reef. All of your comments are very helpful. I had an undulate years ago that was a terror, but he was also 6" long. I do have a few clams, but my dwarf angel nips on it from time to time already. Ready for the ride!