Niger Trigger with Longnose Butterfly, yes or no?

GloBug · Apr 9, 2025

A friend sold me a scopas tang and sailfin tang. He wanted to sell me a Niger trigger too but I already have one who is very aggressive. I had Niger's in the past but have not encountered a killer until my current one who with his clown trigger buddy killed my pajama cardinal and diamond sifter goby, and stressed out my longnose butterfly fish literally to death. I had to setup an aggressive tank (Niger & Clown trigger, Valentini Puffer, Neon dottyback, 3 stripe damsel, all evicted from the community tank).
He gave me this Niger trigger for free, so now I have a dilema... Should I put him in my aggressive tank with my other Niger? My friend said he is docile and can go in my community tank but I am scared to chance it because I have a longnose butterfly fish in there who has been doing great for many months.. Do you think he is safe with the triggers or is he okay to put in my non-aggressive tank. Photo of each tank and habitants for reference. I am torn because I don't want it getting hurt, yet I don't want issues with my new longnose butterfly...

exnisstech · Apr 13, 2025

My niger is in with two CBBs and doesn't bother them but the niger has only been in for 4 months and isn't large. I kept one in a community tank for over six years and it bothered no one but I didn't have butterflies at the times. It was very docile but developed a taste for fleshy LPS so I re-homed it.
I can't help but wonder if your clown trigger is more of an aggressor than the niger with it. I've read horror stories of clown triggers going rogue and attacking everything once they get larger. I've not kept one for that reason.

GloBug · Apr 13, 2025

exnisstech said:
My niger is in with two CBBs and doesn't bother them but the niger has only been in for 4 months and isn't large. I kept one in a community tank for over six years and it bothered no one but I didn't have butterflies at the times. It very docile nut developed a taste dor fleshy LPS so I re-homed it.
I can't help but wonder if your clown trigger is more of an aggressor than the niger with it. I've read horror stories of clown triggers going rogue and attacking everything once they get larger. I've not kept one for that reason.

Thanks for your reply. I did not want to chance it and I decided to put it in my trigger tank. Believe it or not, the clown trigger actually defended the smaller niger trigger when the larger niger started to nip at it. So far it has been 3 days and they are getting along fine. I got the clown trigger and niger when they were tiny (perhaps the size of a quarter coin). These triggers are now about 4inches long and purchased them in August 2024 (about 9 months old). My clown trigger so far seems like a lazy boat. I will try to update if my clown trigger goes rogue. I have learned that they have all different personalities and the levels of aggression vary. I will just keep these guys in my aggressive tank for now.