Blenny and Goby and Niger Trigger

Steve1500 · Mar 27, 2019

I have a 180G DT that has several fish in it to include a Niger Trigger (3") and two cleaner shrimp. I want to get a lawnmower blenny and possibly a goby/pistol shrimp. My concern is the trigger and the pistol shrimp getting along with the two cleaner shrimp.

Questions:
Can I QT the blenny and goby together in a 15G Tank or do I need something bigger?
If I get a larger blenny/goby, will the trigger be a good boy?
Besides a watchman goby, any reccs on a goby that is a great sand sifter? The pistol is optional.
Finally, in a 180DT, will the pistol shrimp be ok with the two cleaner shrimp? They are small and hangout together under the rocks...hiding from the trigger.

AnemoneBay · Mar 27, 2019

Trigger fish will eat anything that fits in their mouth.

lion king · Mar 27, 2019

I would not trust the niger with any of those, a niger really needs to be keep with med to large semi aggressive fish at the least. Search the post for the stories of nigers, one in a thousand account of a niger behaving doesn't count.

4FordFamily · Mar 27, 2019

lion king said:
I would not trust the niger with any of those, a niger really needs to be keep with med to large semi aggressive fish at the least. Search the post for the stories of nigers, one in a thousand account of a niger behaving doesn't count.

Mostly agree. Small gobies may well be eaten if not immediately, eventually. Small crustaceans are a risk. Even cleaner shrimp can be eaten by them, though I’ve kept the two together previously just fine— it’s always a gamble.

ccombs · Mar 27, 2019

Outside of the whole Trigger eating it, another goby to consider is the Golden Head Goby. They swim more than a watchman, grab a mouthful of sand and swim off while they filter it. Some probably don't like it because it makes more of a mess, I think it is more visually interesting in my tank-just a preference thing. The golden head has well... a golden head, and this blue line on the face that is kind of reflective, think like a reflective traffic cone... but blue.

Anyway, here is mine, he has a great personality.

Bryson.bobby · Mar 27, 2019

I had a red toothed trigger and it ended up killing my puffer. I have a friend that has a trigger and chromis in a 75 gal n they doing just fine. I guess it just depends on the triggers attitude.