Trigger Question?

[Fishaholic]

Anyone know of any triggers that are small enough to have a quality of life in a 30 gallon?

I currently have a 30 gallon set up as a quarantine tank (I have another Quarantine tank also) that currently has just a DSB and live rock (no corals) and Ivy's Chocolate Chip Star. I know very lttle about triggers but Ivy has always asked about them, with the following not in my reef stare.

Any ideas?

[beach bum]

I have done quite a bit of digging on these little critters and the one I keep in a 50 right now is an undulated trigger which I think would be the best option, but now you've given me enough of an excuse to do more digging.

The reason undulates (balistapus undulatus) would be the best choice is because of their swimming habits. They prefer a cave structure for homemaking and don't stray far from it except to chase food. Most of the other triggers prefer lots of swimming space in addition to their large size.

I could envision a 30 with a corner cave making a good home, without excessive feeding they will grow slowly and I'm sure you have a good enough eye to see if any stress was occuring.

Plus the undulated is strikingly beatiful, not to mention fierce! Cleaning the front glass on my undulate tank has become my new "extreme" sport!

Chris

[beach bum]

Oh yeah, remove the CC star first!

[SPC]

IMO, NO Trigger should be kept in a tank as small as a 30 gallon.
Steve

[Fishaholic]

Steve
I was wondering if you had ever read any info on the Blueline Trigger, as juvenile they are refered to as a Outrigger Trigger. Their full adult size in the wild is 4 inches, a lot smaller than most fish housed in 20 gallon. I am not sure if this is even a route I want to take as this fishes home range is described to be off South Africa and I am not sure howcommon thee fish is.

I am not even sure if a Trigger is what I want.

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Dave! Good luck with your decision on keeping a trigger or not. I have a puffer in my 80 gallon reef and they are a risk because they will eat corals and inverts! Mine has behaved quite well and it is well fed. Johnny

[SPC]

Dave, I have never heard of the trigger you mentioned, you may want to check with Jim to see if he has ever seen them offered.
Steve

[beach bum]

Outrigger triggerfish

Aquarium trade bluline triggerfish

Common names can be confusing can't they?

[SPC]

Thanks for the links Beach bum, very interesting.
BTW, I was looking at the PW site and noticed that they sell the Great Barracuda. They say that you need to start with a 150 gallon tank but don't mention what size you will need in a month or two.
Steve

[thebigblue]

dave

back in my old college days i started out with a 30 gal and then "upgraded" to a 45...i kept a picasso (huma huma) trigger about 3-4" long in there for a couple years with no problem...when i moved to the 45 (and lost the picasso) i found a clown trigger on sale for $50 that was about 6" long!...what a great fish!...

so it can be done, i dont think you could have anything else in there with it tho...some people say these fish tend to pace about the tank...i never really found that to be the case...i'm just bummed i cant have a trigger in my new 125 reef!...they really have personality...

goodluck

brad

[mojoreef]

Hey fishaholic I have hears that the Pinktail trigger and Blue Throat trigger are reef safe and slow growers. This is just what I have heard through the grapevine, You may want to do a little digging. A friend has them in a 55 gallon reef and has had no problems.

MIke