Reef Safe Triggers

[Geoff]

what are some reef safe triggers, are there any?

G~

[Cosine]

I wanna post first after Geoff!

Well depends what you mean by reef-safe... most if not all triggers will take out mobile inverts - shrimp, snails...

However, some are often safe with coral notably the Xanthichthys genus... blue throat and cross-hatch.

there are others as well that I have heard are usually safe like the pink-tail Melichthys vidua

okay hope that gets the ball rollin!

[Geoff]

Cosine-good answer!!

now what makes the trigger reef safe?

G~

[ski1297]

Originally Posted by Geoff

Cosine-good answer!!

now what makes the trigger reef safe?

G~

I would say one that does not eat coral. Thats all I need to call a fish reef safe.

[Geoff]

all of the triggers that are considered reef safe feed on a certain group of foodstuff that the others do not, what is it?

G~

[Chris86]

The Blue Throat TriggerFish or The PinkTail TriggerFish could work.

[robsmith32]

well, group of food is planktivore but, consider this, as was pointed out by wwm, when I asked. Think about the amount of nitrogenious wastes output by a 8-12" trigger....
Also, not good for a reef is how they behave, not necessarily what they consume.
As a trigger WILL knock over corals. They'll stir up sandbeds.
I have a blue throat in qt now, and it will tear up the mysis.
And a lfs i visited, was shocked that was said to be a zooplankitivore considering that when they toss a feeder fish into the tank, the bluethroat bit it in half.

[tims]

not surprized at that..
many triggers are carnavoirs but some will also eat Algae and zooplankton

[volitanking]

i have a clown trigger that eats all frozen meaty foods,dried seaweed,live feeder shrimp,and live feeder fish

[Geoff]

i do not consider knocking things over a requirement for being reef safe, that is why we have epoxy.

in general planktonivores are reef safe. they tend to feed out of the water column and not off of the LR. this makes them less likely to go after the crittes we have in the tanks. this pretty much holds true for all classes of fish.

a free swimming fish is just a large piece of zooplankton.

G~

[will1234]

A pinktail trigger should be ok but when it gets bigger it might eat inverts

[Loverotties]

Originally Posted by Chris86

The Blue Throat TriggerFish or The PinkTail TriggerFish could work.

I agree!

[oscar51]

i have a Niger and he i very passive I've never saw him even go after a blue leg

[Geoff]

Niger triggers are also usually considered reef safe. they are a bit more riskier than the others, but they are also planktonivores. they tend to be a bit more aggressive in their feeding habits than the others.

G~

[brifirst]

I recently put in a 2 1/2 " BlueThroat into my 120. He has been in about 1 month and still is a bit scared of me. Everyday he comes closer and closer. I sware this is a really intelligent fish. Have hade NO trouble yet. But I like fish better than snails and hermits anyway.
Him and the yellow Tang seem to go side to side looking to scrap once in a while. Seems the Trig. is the one that backs off.
This Trigg actually makes eye contact with me. Cool Fish