Tankmates for rectangular trigger

siniang · Apr 28, 2018

Hi,

I'm currently in the process of re-establishing my fish-only tank after a longer hiatus due to moving and no time. I already have a tiny (no more than 2") rectangular trigger lined up waiting or me. I started thinking of what else I would like in my tank. I know that triggers usually are pretty aggressive and that you can't have much with them. A friend of mine successfully had a rectangular with a butterflyfish (don't ask me for the species) and now has a picasso with a seargeant without problems.

I was hoping that I maybe could get a lawnmower blenny or watchman goby, a pair of small Hawaiian Dascyllus and/or a butterfly. I had a small saddle wrasse before and LOVED her, but I don't think that (any wrasse) would work with a trigger.

However, I was wondering about the timing of putting fish in the tank. I read that if the trigger gets in first, any addition might have a hard time. However, I also read about a lawnmower blenny actually attacking a trigger. Should I put any fish other than the trigger in the tank first so that they could establish their territories? Would it potentially work if I put them in at the same time? I should probably go for similar sizes, right?

I have plenty of rocks for hiding and could put in more, too. Just wondering about species and/or timing.

Thanks for any advice

Tahoe61 · Apr 28, 2018

@eatbreakfast

lion king · Apr 29, 2018

What size tank are we talking, retangular's are usually pretty chill. At that size it's best to get his tankmates established, him being smaller lends to him growing up a bit more compatable as well. Retangulars also grow pretty slow and don't reach huge sizes in captivity, so you do have choices. Wrasses work fine with triggers, if you wanted another saddle wrasse or similar that would be ok. Lawnmower blennies and watchman gobies have enough attitude to handle the retangular. I've shied away from butterflys with my triggers because of their eating habits, butterflys tend not to do well with aggressive eaters. The raccoon butterfly is aggressive enough to hang with a retangular, so if you consider the butterfly you are looking at to be in that vein, you are fine, but not one of the more delicate species.

siniang · Apr 29, 2018

Thank you for the reply!

I'm having a 40 gal breeder (I love the depth) at the moment with the plan to upgrade eventually. I know this is on the (too) small(er) end but since the trigger is still very small, I think it's going to be fine for a while (since they also grow very slowly). I'm definitely set on a pair of small damsels, but everything else is very open to suggestions. Obviously I can't over-inhabit my rather small tank, so I want to be careful. I'm sure about the blennies/gobies having attitude - with them I was more worried about the trigger after reading about them attacking triggers (but I think in that case it was a black or niger?). I'm not set on the butterfly. I don't know enough about aggressive/delicate butterfly species, though. I would have gone with something that they'd encounter in their natural habitat? Should the butterfly be bigger? (I feel like everything except the damsels would probably be the same size or bigger at this point) Again, other than the damels (because I love their attitude) I'm very open to anything - I just want fishies to most likely get along with each other.

I'm also wondering if I could try a bigger shrimp to help cleaning (can't get an urchin where I live, unfortunately)? I know shrimp is on the menu, but if it's big enough and fish well fed, maybe it could work? That, however, was some reasoning behind the blenny, since they eat algae... hm.

He or she, currently waiting at my "local" LFS.

Oh, and since unfortunately I'm very limited in access to LFS (either further away - that's why fishy is still waiting - or Petco), if they had other fish when I go pick up the trigger and I introduce them at the same time, do you think that could still work? Like, say, the trigger, a blenny and two damsels? Or the trigger, the damsels and a butterfly? Unfortunately, access to wrasses is even more limited, especially in the size-range I would need, so any wrasse would have to move in after the trigger. But given my small tank, I really think I should forgo the wrasse, even if it's hard

lion king · Apr 29, 2018

siniang said:
Thank you for the reply!

I'm having a 40 gal breeder (I love the depth) at the moment with the plan to upgrade eventually. I know this is on the (too) small(er) end but since the trigger is still very small, I think it's going to be fine for a while (since they also grow very slowly). I'm definitely set on a pair of small damsels, but everything else is very open to suggestions. Obviously I can't over-inhabit my rather small tank, so I want to be careful. I'm sure about the blennies/gobies having attitude - with them I was more worried about the trigger after reading about them attacking triggers (but I think in that case it was a black or niger?). I'm not set on the butterfly. I don't know enough about aggressive/delicate butterfly species, though. I would have gone with something that they'd encounter in their natural habitat? Should the butterfly be bigger? (I feel like everything except the damsels would probably be the same size or bigger at this point) Again, other than the damels (because I love their attitude) I'm very open to anything - I just want fishies to most likely get along with each other.

I'm also wondering if I could try a bigger shrimp to help cleaning (can't get an urchin where I live, unfortunately)? I know shrimp is on the menu, but if it's big enough and fish well fed, maybe it could work? That, however, was some reasoning behind the blenny, since they eat algae... hm.

He or she, currently waiting at my "local" LFS.

Oh, and since unfortunately I'm very limited in access to LFS (either further away - that's why fishy is still waiting - or Petco), if they had other fish when I go pick up the trigger and I introduce them at the same time, do you think that could still work? Like, say, the trigger, a blenny and two damsels? Or the trigger, the damsels and a butterfly? Unfortunately, access to wrasses is even more limited, especially in the size-range I would need, so any wrasse would have to move in after the trigger. But given my small tank, I really think I should forgo the wrasse, even if it's hard

The trigger needs to ultimately be in a six foot tank, they could live in a tank as small as a 125g for several years if not their whole life. A 40 breeder would only be adequate for a year, 2 would be stretching it. At that the damsels and a gobie/blennie would be it. The rectangular would likely dispatch of any clean up crew including shrimp and snails(except for an urchin). If you crowd the trigger in a small tank it won't end well.

siniang · Apr 29, 2018

Thank you!

yes, I'm very aware of the small size of my tank and the limitation that come with it and I definitely plan on upgrading ultimately. But, this is what I have to start out with and the trigger was more of a spontaneous buy than anything - I've always wanted one, but they never have rectangulars in the LFS (and I can't import from online vendors), so I had already given up on the idea until they suddenly had one when I just went looking - I HAD to jump on that one (and that's why it's still here, I totally wasn't prepared to buy fish that day and nothing was ready, and since getting the fish from the LFS to my place involves shipping, I had to organize everything, first).

I would love an urchin (my friend had/has her triggers with her urchin without problems, but urchin was big compared to her triggers), but Petco doesn't carry them and I wouldn't know where else to get one (again, online vendors don't ship here, unfortunately). Could the lawnmower be somewhat of an alternative for lack of a proper clean up crew?

What else do I need to consider with the lawnmower? Obviously it wants a cave that is HIS, but does it roam around (to find algae) which could potentially be prohibited by an aggressive trigger? Could the blenny hurt a trigger of such a small size? Timing?

So many questions.

(oh, and since I just googled - not too familiar with species, yet - the racoon butterfly actually was on my list of butterflyfish I like

But will have to wait until I get a bigger tank )

siniang · Apr 30, 2018

What about a pair of bangais? (I'm really only thinking out loud, here). I never really considered them before, but I see them everytime I go to the petstore and they are peculiar looking

eatbreakfast · Apr 30, 2018

A 40g is pretty limiting. Damsels are a good choice. A sturdy blenny would be as well. Other than that just be patient until you have a bigger tank.

siniang · Apr 30, 2018

Thank you! Ok, I will leave it at that.

This is probably the wrong subforum, but would the blenny survive on sheet algae until I have some grown on my rocks?

Also, should I favor a lawnmower (to help with algae in lieu of an urchin) over a watchmen (helps with the sand bed in lieu of snails and crabs)?

eatbreakfast · May 1, 2018

I would suggest the blenny over the urchin as triggers are specialized urchin hunters.

A true watchman goby stays near it's burrow, so won't be much of a help cleaning, but snails and crabs won't last long with a trigger.

siniang · May 9, 2018

Trigger and blenny moved in last week and so far they seem to accept each other. I see them quarrel, especially over food, and the humu clicks at the blenny from time to time, but usually they just ignore each other. I'm so glad I got the blenny (who fights back if the humu becomes too bold), such an awesome little fish with tons of personality. And he's busy cleaning up the mess of the humu, haha

I'm just a little worried about adding the two damsels, later. They didn't have any at the LFS and I also didn't want to overload the tank from the get go. But the humu certainly is pretty territorial already (as was to be expected) and I'm not sure if he's just so forward towards the blenny because the blenny is bold and doesn't give a dang.

siniang · May 13, 2018

Holy banana! I just saw the blenny literally JUMP charge the humu, several inches up into the water column from his little rock and into the side of the humu

;Jawdrop This is the first time I've seen it. The humu didn't even do anything, he was just hovering in the water - and was very obviously perplexed after. I don't see any bite marks, fortunately...

Turns out, not the trigger is the bully, the blenny is. Can the blenny actually seriously hurt the humu?