Trigger Experts

[Bigfully]

Starting a new tank. FOWLR

Thinking about Predator Tank

Top two fish

Niger and Bluethroat

Any recs for tank size and recs for the rest of my stock list

I haven't bought the tank yet. So please include your ideas for a minimum tank size
Thanks for all your ideas and advice. I am new to the hobby and trying to learn.

 

[footballdude2k3]

What size are you thinking of setting up? The smallest I would go is a 180 or 210, both of those guys get pretty large individually, and if you are going to keep these with some other fish, you are going to want more water volume.

 

[Bigfully]

Let's say I go 180. What can I afford to put in with those two without needing a bigger tank in a year?

 

[fishroomlady]

you can put quite a few different types of fish in a 180. I might suggest that you look at live aquaria and explore different types of fish and their minimum tank size and compatability.

 

[Bigfully]

Yea I was looking at but the compatibility chart really says nothing is good with triggers. So I was wandering what your opinion or experience has shown.

 

[jschultzbass]

With that size tank and those two triggers (which are generally two of the most mild mannered) you have a lot of options. Angels, many of the tangs, puffers are fun, wrasses would be ok.

 

[footballdude2k3]

You can throw a ton of stuff in there, I have a friend with a 400, he has a pair of crosshatch triggers, a lobster, huge vlamingi, powder blue, yellow belly regal, a mandarin pair, a yellow tang, some cardinals, a hawkfish pair, and I think some anthias, and I know I am missing a few of the fish. If you have specific questions, just throw them in here, and we can help out, but you have a great selection range

 

[sawdonkey]

You'd be fine with a 125 gallon. I had a niger and a Picasso in a 55 for a few years, then they were moved to a 90 for a few years, and now they are in my 220. I've had my Picasso for almost 12 years now. Triggers are my favorite fish. Both of my triggers are in my sps reef now.

 

[Bigfully]

You'd be fine with a 125 gallon. I had a niger and a Picasso in a 55 for a few years, then they were moved to a 90 for a few years, and now they are in my 220. I've had my Picasso for almost 12 years now. Triggers are my favorite fish. Both of my triggers are in my sps reef now.

What else was in your tank with those two triggers when you had the 125

 

[footballdude2k3]

Don't do a 125 for a fish that can grow to be a foot, especially if you are trying to get multiple ones. People also used to suggest doing a lot of things, none of which we do now, just because it was done at one time, does not mean it is the right thing to do.

 

[sawdonkey]

Well, I'm a bit embarrassed to say this, but I had a naso tang, powder blue tang, and a lemonpeel angel in a 90 for a few years. I got a bigger tank due to the tangs. They have all been in my 220 for a year and a half and are joined by an adult emperor and a pair of snowflake clowns. I've been doing sps for about a year and a half with all of these fish.

 

[Bigfully]

Hahaha ok got ya. Blue throat and niger with a powder blue at minimum would be a 250 then?

 

[footballdude2k3]

I would think that you can get away with a 210 for those, maybe even a 180 since those triggers are usually pretty passive, if you do a Powder Blue, make sure it is the last one in the tank though, they can get territorial quick fast and in a hurry. They also love to play right in the flow, my friend with his big tank has 2 MP60s on each side right next to each other, he just sits right in front of them and dances around all day.

 

[mgdmirage]

I'd get a Clown Trigger instead of either of those two, always been one of the fish at the top of my list if i ever did a FOWLR.

 

[footballdude2k3]

I'd get a Clown Trigger instead of either of those two, always been one of the fish at the top of my list if i ever did a FOWLR.

I wouldn't do that unless you are planning on having a super aggressive tank, those suckers are mean

 

[mgdmirage]

Yeah but one of the most gorgeous fish and I thought MOST FOWLR tanks were based on aggressive fish you can't have in a reef.

 

[sawdonkey]

Yeah but one of the most gorgeous fish and I thought MOST FOWLR tanks were based on aggressive fish you can't have in a reef.

I'm a trigger guy and I would not mess with undulated or clown triggers. I've never had a clown trigger, but I've read many accounts of them being totally fine for a long time, then they just flip and kill all fish in the tank. They are maybe the coolest looking fish though.

 

[steeevo66]

It's all a crap shoot as far as compatability of triggers. I just got rid of them and went reef but they are still my favorites.

 

[steeevo66]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3065408186534&set=vb.1003385156&type=3&theater

 

[lefkonj]

I would highly suggest adding the other fish first before the triggers. I had a reef 180 with tangs, angels etc etc and the niger trigger was a bully until one of the tangs out grew him, still a tough fish though. I would add wrasses, puffers and angels then add the two triggers together.