Niger trigger compatibility

[ReefDemon]

I would like to set up a FOWLR soon, I’ve been inspired by my friends set up. Also it would be nice because there are a lot of fish I like but can’t keep in my reef.

The stocking I’ve got planned would be a couple of large angels, a few dwarf angels, a couple of butterflies, a harlequin tusk, a couple of wrasses and a kole tang.

Would a niger trigger work in this setup, and a sohal/clown tang? The setup would be in a 250g

I appreciate if the sohal/clown tang and the niger triggers would be too aggressive to work with the planned stock list.

 

[Old Fritz]

I'm always iffy with triggers but my friend has a Niger in a 125 with tangs, angels, wrasses, clowns, and a ribbon eel and no issue. I feel you should be fine just introduce the trigger last

 

[ReefDemon]

I agree I think the trigger would have to be last in. I have a feeling it will be a case of test it and see.

Has anyone kept a clown/sohal trigger and not had it go psycho, or is it a given once they get to a certain size?

 

[C. Eymann]

Niger's, bluejaws, crosshatches all have pretty mild temperaments, some even keep them in reefs with only harm coming to the occasional shrimp or cuc, however with all fish temperament mileage will vary.

but yes a Niger can make a good addition to that fish list in a FOWLR.


Sohal is something I'd stay away from unless you are going 300+ gal, it is by far the most aggressive sturgeon fish in the hobby, they may be okay as juveniles, but as soon as they hit sexual maturity, they go berserk

 

[nereefpat]

The Niger trigger will most likely be fine in a 250 gallon. What are the dimensions of the tank?

Multiple full-size angels might be tough, unless you are talking Genicanthus species. If you pick the right one, I don't see a problem with one.

I would pick different tangs then clown/sohal. I don't have personal experience, but I've only seen a couple people report having success with them.

 

[ReefDemon]

Dimensions would most likely be around 8’x2.5’x2.5’ which I believe would be around 350g or so. I write 250g in my earlier post which was a typo. The two large angels I’m considering are an emperor angel and a queen angel, they should be ok together right?

 

[WMR]

Dimensions would most likely be around 8’x2.5’x2.5’ which I believe would be around 350g or so. I write 250g in my earlier post which was a typo. The two large angels I’m considering are an emperor angel and a queen angel, they should be ok together right?

The angels should do ok together if added simultaneously, same with your dwarf angels. You said a harlequin tusk wrasse, but you didn’t say what kind? Tusks are also larger wrasses, so if the others are fairy or flasher wrasses, I’d skip the tusk, he might pick on them, or keep the tusk & add a different, larger wrasse(thallosoma or Maori, etc), if you add the larger wrasses, omit the butterflies, they might not do well. IMO, I’d omit the tusk, add flasher & fairy wrasses, then you can keep the butterflies & add more types of fish. Add the trigger dead last & a baby one

 

[Fishfreak2009]

They should do fine together, but every individual large angel and trigger is different. Had a niger that tried to kill anything yellow, and would attack my arm at just 3" inches long. Had a 10" niger trigger that wouldnt hurt anything, didnt even go after the 3/4" baby clownfish.

 

[ReefDemon]

The angels should do ok together if added simultaneously, same with your dwarf angels. You said a harlequin tusk wrasse, but you didn’t say what kind? Tusks are also larger wrasses, so if the others are fairy or flasher wrasses, I’d skip the tusk, he might pick on them, or keep the tusk & add a different, larger wrasse(thallosoma or Maori, etc), if you add the larger wrasses, omit the butterflies, they might not do well. IMO, I’d omit the tusk, add flasher & fairy wrasses, then you can keep the butterflies & add more types of fish. Add the trigger dead last & a baby one

The stocking planned stocking list is as follows:
Large angels
-Queen angel
-Emperor angel
Dwarf angels
-Flame angel
-Coral beauty angel
-Bicolour angel
-Multibar angel
Butterflies
-Auriga butterfly
-Yellowhead butterfly
Wrasses
-New guinea wrasse
-Blue head wrasse
-Aussie harlequin tusk
Misc fish
-Kole tang
-Bella goby
-Midas blenny
-Forktail blenny
-Niger trigger
-Yellowtail damsels

 

[Waterislife]

I would like to set up a FOWLR soon, I’ve been inspired by my friends set up. Also it would be nice because there are a lot of fish I like but can’t keep in my reef.

The stocking I’ve got planned would be a couple of large angels, a few dwarf angels, a couple of butterflies, a harlequin tusk, a couple of wrasses and a kole tang.

Would a niger trigger work in this setup, and a sohal/clown tang? The setup would be in a 250g

I appreciate if the sohal/clown tang and the niger triggers would be too aggressive to work with the planned stock list.

All those fish in theory would be ok, but tank size kinda small for large angels and sohal tang, more like 400 gallon min.

 

[ReefDemon]

All those fish in theory would be ok, but tank size kinda small for large angels and sohal tang, more like 400 gallon min.

Yes I think I'll leave the sohal/clown tang off the list. As much as I'd like one I can't provide the size tank they would probably want. I made a typo in my initial post, the tank would be around 350g so hopully that is alright for the rest of the fish.

 

[Waterislife]

Yes I think I'll leave the sohal/clown tang off the list. As much as I'd like one I can't provide the size tank they would probably want. I made a typo in my initial post, the tank would be around 350g so hopully that is alright for the rest of the fish.

350 is a good size tank for those fish just keep in mind those are all potentially very large fish so what seems good at the beginning may not work a year later potentially large angels grow fairly quickly they can go to sub-adult to literally young adult in about a year and there are definitely compatibility issues keeping multiple large angels together I've kept one large Angel with pygmy angels I generally only one of each I've had pygmy Angels fight in a tank also but again it's all trial and error and always have a back-up plan

 

[ReefDemon]

350 is a good size tank for those fish just keep in mind those are all potentially very large fish so what seems good at the beginning may not work a year later potentially large angels grow fairly quickly they can go to sub-adult to literally young adult in about a year and there are definitely compatibility issues keeping multiple large angels together I've kept one large Angel with pygmy angels I generally only one of each I've had pygmy Angels fight in a tank also but again it's all trial and error and always have a back-up plan

Agreed there is no guarantee. I'm hoping that so long as there is enough room, everyone is well fed and I can break up lines of sight that it should all go well. I'm actually expecting the dwarf angels to not get along out of all the fish and one or two may have to be removed. But like you say I wont know until it happens.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Triggers have a bad reputation. I have a clown trigger going on 3 years in a mixed reef. He does fine with other fish. Yes he is aggressive, but that is to be expected. I don't believe he has killed a fish, he has nipped at some from time to time. Same with the harlequin tusk, not a bad temperament. I have a clown trigger, purple tang, 2 scribble rabbit fish, 1 baby blonde naso, and a small ocellaris clown. Both the harlequin tusk and clown trigger eat snails, crabs, shrimp, and starfish.

 

[nereefpat]

I have a clown trigger going on 3 years in a mixed reef. He does fine with other fish.

Out of curiosity, how big is the trigger, and what is the tank size?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Niger have been one of the smaller and peaceful yet colorful and hardy triggers.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

He is probably right at 7-8", I bought him at around 3". He was pretty small when I got him and quickly turned into the largest fish in the tank. They are in a 72"x24"x24" tank. Minimal rock, have two race tracks on the anterior and posterior of the tank. Very heavily fed, daily I add pellets or flakes, fresh scallops, shrimp, squid, and some type of algae source. I add little neck clams on occasion and let him and the harlequin tusk eat them over the course of months. These clams can absolutely live in our tanks, so it is a great way to add live food. He is the reason I am able to keep the peace with other fish. Every tank has a dominant fish and they tone everyone else down. Before I got him the purple tang was very aggressive, after his addition he has mellowed out significantly. Now he doesn't even bother the other fish.

 

[rodney]

I had a Niger triggerfish back in the 90s he was a great fish got along with everything in the tank.

 

[WMR]

The stocking planned stocking list is as follows:
Large angels
-Queen angel
-Emperor angel
Dwarf angels
-Flame angel
-Coral beauty angel
-Bicolour angel
-Multibar angel
Butterflies
-Auriga butterfly
-Yellowhead butterfly
Wrasses
-New guinea wrasse
-Blue head wrasse
-Aussie harlequin tusk
Misc fish
-Kole tang
-Bella goby
-Midas blenny
-Forktail blenny
-Niger trigger
-Yellowtail damsels

IMO, I wouldn’t add the wrasses, they may create compatibility problems for your gobies & blennies, add some fairy or flasher wrasses instead, you’ll enjoy them better

 

[ReefDemon]

IMO, I wouldn’t add the wrasses, they may create compatibility problems for your gobies & blennies, add some fairy or flasher wrasses instead, you’ll enjoy them better

What kind of problems would they cause? Is it competing for the same kind of foods like pods etc or is it a case of just picking on them? I thought the midas and forktail blennies would be left alone as they’re gang blennies.