clown trigger in a reef??

[ReeferBill]

So I am thinking about getting a clown trigger for my 75 reef. Only inverts I have is a orange linka, hawaiian cucumber, and some misc crabs/snails. Now I know over time it will eat the crabs/snails, but will a small fish take down a golf ball sized turbo snail? Also, will it bother my corals. Mostly LPS like plate/bubble/torch corals. I have mushrooms and zoas, but dont care if they get eaten. Also thinking about getting a frogfish. Other fish in there are six line wrasse and purple pseudochromis. Any experience would be helpful.
Thanks
Bill

 

[CoralBandit]

way too small of a tank IMO. They are extremely aggressive too, I heard of a guy who worked at Fish heads get his knuckle bitten clean off by one

 

[FishLipz]

Clown triggers are considered by many to be one of the most aggressive triggers. I know of more than one account of a clown trigger killing pretty much anything that wasn't bigger and more aggressive than it was. The other problem with them is they will flip, dig, and rearrange anything in a tank that isn't nailed down in search of food. Many are model tankmates for a while, then become serial killers with no notice. That being said, they are IMO one of the most beautiful fish you can get. Accept the fact that anything in your tank COULD be lost, and you'll have a very beautiful pet.

 

[Triggerman77]

If ypou get a very small one you should be able to keep it but it will pick at coral LPS mostly until they die I have a few triggers in my 220g reef BUT not a clown BC i have over 120 species of coral lots of LPS and SPS and would never risk it. Plus i used to have a clown in my FOWLR and he would bite hunks outta the LR going after snails. Lots of other trigger a more suitable for a reef. and if u decide on a trigger get a smaller one BC 75g is not much room for these guys

 

[KLR]

Pinktail and blue jaw triggers are beautiful to me and they are reef safe

 

[FishLipz]

If you can swallow the price the crosshatch trigger is AWESOME and much less aggressive. Much less expensive and similar to the bluejaw is the Sargassum trigger.

 

[KLR]

Forgot about them....even the females are beautiful!


But man they cost alot

 

[Aquascaper]

Clown triggers can be a reef trigger if you are willing to :
!. give up inverts
2. no clams
3. get'em small and let'em grow

"reef safe triggers" in order of my suggestion best reef- less reef
Crosshatch
Pink tail
Sargassum
Blue Jaw
Niger
(Half moon?)
(Clown?)
(Picasso?)

 

[condor]

dont do it, i had a client who forced me to put one in his 150 reef. he was tiny and fine for a while but got bigger and chewed and ripped xenia and star polyps right off the rock.. they a dumb and take a bite of everything and foget they did and a day later they do it all over again. clown triggs dont eat coral they just rip it apart and spit it out. but if your stubborn and do it anyway they are easy to trap out

 

[Triggerman77]

Clown triggers can be a reef trigger if you are willing to :
!. give up inverts
2. no clams
3. get'em small and let'em grow

"reef safe triggers" in order of my suggestion best reef- less reef
Crosshatch
Pink tail
Sargassum
Blue Jaw
Niger
(Half moon?)
(Clown?)
(Picasso?)

You forgot one thats safe Hawaiian Black (Melichthys niger)
I have one of these also.

 

[ReeferBill]

Thanks for the heads up guys. Sounds like I will avoid the fish for now. I was looking at a smaller one, but dont want to have to get rid of it in the future. I might try my hand at an emperor angel. Anyone have any unique suggestions for a 75? I would like a shark, but my tank is too small. Thanks for the info everyone.
Bill

 

[mike_dani]

I have a 5" Blue Jaw in my mixed 300... He is a model citizen and just amazing to watch

 

[deepair3]

As a father of teenage boys... I love your quote!