Niger Triggerfish compatibility

[Blacksteel]

I've been trying to figure out how a Niger triggerfish would act if I added some snails and hermits or a sea cucumber? I've been researching and somethings so no to inverts and somethings say with caution. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with a situation like this.

 

[Flake]

The with caution is because they most likely will eat (or try to) your inverts.

It's best not to house them with any of the inverts you mentioned.

 

[Gregcoyote]

As a diver, I have been among hundreds of them at a time. They make a crunching noise, like in a horror movie. Gnawing everything in site. Turning base rock into coral sand to extract the algae and any critters. They are neat when little, but I sure wouldn't have a bigger one in my reef tank. None of the more common trigger fish would be acceptable except in a fish only tank. Just my opinion as I owned a little one that I had to sell when he got big. He didn't hit coral but moved the reef rock around all the time. I think he would make a quick meal of a snail. I have seen them disassemble big crabs before. They sure are neat though.

 

[Blacksteel]

Yeah I really do like to watch him swim, I figured that it probably wasn't a good idea to put any inverts in with the trigger but I just thought I'd ask. Thanks for both of your help.

 

[Dary421]

As greg stated those triggers are munchers,....although I'm not a diver,.but as a triggerfish lover and avid hawaiian snorkeler ,..I've spent many hours watching the trigger fish munching on rocks and spitting out sand as stated,..I presently have two trigger fish myself and so far they have mimicked the same natural behavior ,....at one time I did toss in a few snails into my tank as a cuc but the triggers made pretty fast work outa them,...my triggers so far have showed no intreats in any of the corals I have managed to keep,....but caution must be used with these little beasts,..they sure are characters and fun to watch

 

[Gregcoyote]

Most people don't realize what a big contributor to reef sand the triggers are. They literally poop sand.

 

[Blacksteel]

Ya I do know that. I have some rocks in the tank that have chunks taken out of them. But I like my triggerfish, I was just wondering if I could have any sort of clean up crew which seems like a no lol

 

[Gregcoyote]

They might not bother a cucumber. Snails are defiantly on the menu, as are crabs. I suspect they would also eat shrimps. They are cool, especially ones like the Huma Huma Nuka Nuka Apua' A, or Hawaiian Trigger Fish. It means a fish with the nose of a pig. The Picasso Trigger is also cool.

 

[Dary421]

They might not bother a cucumber. Snails are defiantly on the menu, as are crabs. I suspect they would also eat shrimps. They are cool, especially ones like the Huma Huma Nuka Nuka Apua' A, or Hawaiian Trigger Fish. It means a fish with the nose of a pig. The Picasso Trigger is also cool.

Those are the two I have...... Re.a shrimp,...like a chocolate to a fat lady

 

[Blacksteel]

Ya I figured. I did put my decorator crab in there with the trigger but the crab got to the trigger and ripped his fins up awhile ago.

 

[Dary421]

Ya I figured. I did put my decorator crab in there with the trigger but the crab got to the trigger and ripped his fins up awhile ago.

That must be one bad #*% crab....

 

[Blacksteel]

Yeah I know I was surprised that he could actual attack the trigger. If anything I thought the trigger would make lunch out of him.

 

[Dary421]

Yeah I know I was surprised that he could actual attack the trigger. If anything I thought the trigger would make lunch out of him.

The crab musta been a descendent from that rabbit in Monty pythons " in search of the holy grail"

 

[Blacksteel]

Haha maybe! All I know is I'm done dealing with decorator crabs. Either rips up my coral or rips up my trigger.