Blue jaw trigger

[Tkey3425]

I've sold them but never kept one. Tank has very little coral mainly just what I couldn't get off when I sold everything else. Even though they are reef safe trigger I am not worried about that. Only inverts are a horse show crab, urchins, and some starfish. But how aggressive are these triggers. My fear is i have a small snowflake and some smaller clowns. Only want knowledge from someone that owns/owned a blue jaw not links to pages

 

[Gregcoyote]

I've sold them but never kept one. Tank has very little coral mainly just what I couldn't get off when I sold everything else. Even though they are reef safe trigger I am not worried about that. Only inverts are a horse show crab, urchins, and some starfish. But how aggressive are these triggers. My fear is i have a small snowflake and some smaller clowns. Only want knowledge from someone that owns/owned a blue jaw not links to pages

Mine lives in a 300 gallon reef with lots of other fish. He is VERY active, but a model citizen. He is growing fast and I wonder if I will be able to keep him even in this 300 gallon. I can hand feed him and even pick him up. He's about 5" long.

 

[TheTodd]

I had one years ago in a 75g (I know, I know...too small tank) but even in what I now know are tight quarters, he was a model citizen. Only time it showed any aggression was at feeding time and that was more going after fish that took something he wanted.

I liked it so much, I want to get a pair for my 240g now. I can't imagine that not being large enough (prior comment worries me now).

 

[Gregcoyote]

I just watch him as he flies a route he has established in my tank over and over again. It's like he is nervously pacing. He watches everything that happens outside his tank. Like tangs, when they get big they need swimming room and the more the better. These guys are the wolves of the sea and cover large territories.

But triggerfish are about as cool as fish get IMO. They are obviously smarter than their other tank mates.

 

[TheTodd]

Mine used to have his "path" too. Stinks in hindsight that the tank was too small...he seemed okay and I had him for years. That was pre-Internet days when people trusted what their LFS said (gasp).

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine used to have his "path" too. Stinks in hindsight that the tank was too small...he seemed okay and I had him for years. That was pre-Internet days when people trusted what their LFS said (gasp).

Remember, these fish have a natural life span of decades. I don't consider it a success unless I can get them to that age before they die. My oldest is a 18 year old coral beauty. That's why I always ask how long they have had the fish.

 

[Tkey3425]

Well I have a 210 with a two mounds of rocks on each side. The clown trigger I had in there before just swam a figure 8 all day until he saw me then he would go to the top of the water and spit at me. Too bad it bit me and had to go my only worry is the clowns(2.5") and a lawnmower blenny (4"). The trigger is only about 3.5" so maybe they will be too big for him to bother for now. If not ill move them to my 55 and bring the coral beauty over. Do you think the trigger will bother my snowflake eel?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Well I have a 210 with a two mounds of rocks on each side. The clown trigger I had in there before just swam a figure 8 all day until he saw me then he would go to the top of the water and spit at me. Too bad it bit me and had to go my only worry is the clowns(2.5") and a lawnmower blenny (4"). The trigger is only about 3.5" so maybe they will be too big for him to bother for now. If not ill move them to my 55 and bring the coral beauty over. Do you think the trigger will bother my snowflake eel?

No. He will ignore him.

 

[Tkey3425]

No. He will ignore him.

Good maybe this will be a good experience for me with triggers since my last one drew blood

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine will bite sometimes too. It's in their nature and unfortunately I found out too late that getting them use to you can back fire.

 

[Tkey3425]

Same here. Had a clown that I would rub its side to let my others eat with out him attacking them and one day cleaning the tang he snapped my knuckle. Barely got me but could have been much worse

 

[Gregcoyote]

My wife cleans the tank about every three months to get the coralline algae off and he's afraid of her. No snapping. The clown fish on the other hand attack without mercy.

 

[Tkey3425]

My wife cleans the tank about every three months to get the coralline algae off and he's afraid of her. No snapping. The clown fish on the other hand attack without mercy.

Not clown fish sorry, my clown trigger I had turned super super aggressive once it hit the 8-10" mark. Big enough to cause some serious damage if I hadn't seen him about to attack.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Not clown fish sorry, my clown trigger I had turned super super aggressive once it hit the 8-10" mark. Big enough to cause some serious damage if I hadn't seen him about to attack.

Yes, I got that. Use to have a full grown Picasso that loved crab legs. You could hear him demolishing them all over the house. But I didn't trust him one bit. Use to corner him with a net before reaching in his tank. A fish almost too smart for aquarium life.

 

[Tkey3425]

Awesome. Thats the main reason i never jumped into triggers to begin with but the blue jaw we got in is absolutely awesome. He seemed really calm and some customers have begged for him but I'm waiting for his QT time to be up and then I'm bringing him home with me.

 

[woody390]

sorry to go off the subject but as people on this thread seem to have experience with Triggers I thought I might ask advice. What size would you say the minimum for a picasso trigger is? on Live aquaria it says 180 but everywhere else I am looking is saying 75. my tank is about 90 but just wondering what people with experience think?

 

[Tkey3425]

sorry to go off the subject but as people on this thread seem to have experience with Triggers I thought I might ask advice. What size would you say the minimum for a picasso trigger is? on Live aquaria it says 180 but everywhere else I am looking is saying 75. my tank is about 90 but just wondering what people with experience think?

Id say a 90 is really small for a Picasso but a bursa is more in your tank range. Still a bursa will outgrow a 90. Triggers are much like tangs because they are very active swimmers. If the trigger was one of very few few fish in a 90 with plenty of open water an few caves to sleep in you might be able to keep him for a little while but ultimately he will have to be re homed at some point. That's just my opinion though. Maybe someone else will have a better idea. There aren't many people that i know would be willing to take a large picasso f you had to rehome it since they do tend to be on the higher end of aggression.

 

[Gregcoyote]

+1 I agree. I had to re-home mine.

 

[Tkey3425]

But in my opinion the Picasso is the 2nd most beautiful trigger only rivaled by the queen trigger. I love those fish and will hopefully build me a tank for just that purpose.

 

[woody390]

Wow yeah I'd agree I love look of them but still not 100% for what to stock new 90 with so thought I'd ask but defo don't want to harm fish