Niger Trigger

[BellaCoop]

I am really wanting to add a Niger Trigger as my last fish to the Reef. I have read a good amount back them and talked to people at my LFS but have yet to get a straight answer on if a Niger Trigger is Reef Safe.
Please share some experience on the matter.

Also Please share about Blue Throat Trigger.

Thank you.

#reefsquad

 

[Colin Gilboy]

I have a niger trigger and I have few soft and hard corals, mine doesn’t pick of them, but it also depends on their personality, they are more on the calmer side of triggers in my opinion, never had a problem with them picking at corals, but like I said, it all depends on the triggers personality if it will pick at them or not.

 

[Mal11224]

I had a niger trigger when I first started my reef and rehomed it after about 7 months. In my opinion, it was reef safe while I had it but it was not good for my crustaceans and bullied the other tank inhabitants. Was not easy to catch but my tank is much friendlier now. That is my experience with them and probably would not get another unless I had a huge tank. I think the size of the tank makes a difference as well. If you have a large tank, it may work for your reef but you'll never know until you experience it. There's always the exception.

 

[Diesel]

Size of the tank makes a HUGE difference in having success with a NT

 

[HB AL]

The only 3 triggers I’ve had in a reef tank are niger, bluejaw, and Sargassum, all 100% reef safe in my experience. They also didn’t touch my clams. My hermits and shrimps did however stop coming out while the lights were on. I currently have a bluejaw and Sargassum.

 

[nereefpat]

Blue throat, sargassum, crosshatch will all be reef safe planktivores.

Niger also gets a foot long (even up to 50 cm, according to fishbase), so keep that in mind.

 

[lion king]

What I've found, people will believe they are reef safe if they really want one, in the end it's risk vs reward. Believe me or not, they are not reef safe long term, the only exception may be in very very large tanks, like 500plus. When they are small, say 4" or less, some have a 50/50 chance, for a while. When they mature they will wreck havoc, whether it's boredom confined in a small space, they will start chewing your stuff up. I've seen a niger take bites out of leathers and just spit them out. I've seen them carrying around inverts like a toy, until they were ready to chomp them down, mine as an example. If you want to follow the positive recommendation from another reefer, ask the following questions: how long have they been in your tank, how big are they, how large is your tank. And 2-3 years still doesn't give you a guarantee, I've seen them go rogue after that amount of time. As @nereefpat states, the Xanthichthys genus is really the only true reef safe triggers you should consider. Also as much as most fish sizes listed would be in the wild, and many times the fish may only reach 1/2 that size in captivity. The niger really will get a foot in captivity, although it would be 10 years plus to reach that size.

 

[falconut]

Love the niger triggers, but just worry they'll bother my other fish as they're supposed to get meaner as they get larger, so I never owned one. I read they Like to liked their owners when they get bigger, so read up on them.

I do have a small female bluethroat. She's been great, didn't bother anything in my reef. I converted my reef over to a fowlr & she's been peaceful with all the other fish. Not as pretty & a niger, but a real nice fish from my experience.