Trigger fish in large frag tank?

[CMO]

I'd like to consider getting a reef-safe trigger (Cross-hatch or Red Tail) for a ~200 gallon frag (36" x 96" x 14") tank but want to hear some feedback on whether that would be a good idea first. I'm not concerned with any potential issues towards inverts or small fish.

The frag tank will mostly hold SPS frags and colonies and be 14" deep but reduced somewhat by my racks that are 3.5" tall (does this provide enough swimming depth for this fish?). Will these fish be an issue with moving frags around or generally destructive? Also, I'm hoping to have the tank fed primarily by an auto feeder but am willing to supplement frozen thawed meaty foods a few times a week. Can these triggers do well on a primary diet of larger pellets?

Thank you

 

[EmdeReef]

I don’t see any issues. Doubt they would be bothered with frags but a good idea to have a couple caves for the triggers to hide.

They’ll do ok on large pellets but I would throw in some frozen.

The only issue I can think of is jumping...

 

[Jesterrace]

There is no such thing as a Reef Safe Trigger. There are some that are more safe than others but even the best behaved ones (ie Blue Throat and Red Tail) are still "With Caution" Personally I wouldn't risk one in a frag tank as your whole focus is on corals. I would go with a larger Halichoeres Wrasse personally (ie Richmond's Wrasse). They will leave corals alone and will provide pest removal services for your corals as well and there are a number of other fish you could keep with them.

 

[CMO]

I don’t see any issues. Doubt they would be bothered with frags but a good idea to have a couple caves for the triggers to hide.

They’ll do ok on large pellets but I would throw in some frozen.

The only issue I can think of is jumping...

Thanks for the feedback! Are Triggers known to jump?? I will have a wide 4" euro-brace on this tank but it will be uncovered so that is a concerned if they are known jumpers.

There is no such thing as a Reef Safe Trigger. There are some that are more safe than others but even the best behaved ones (ie Blue Throat and Red Tail) are still "With Caution" Personally I wouldn't risk one in a frag tank as your whole focus is on corals. I would go with a larger Halichoeres Wrasse personally (ie Richmond's Wrasse). They will leave corals alone and will provide pest removal services for your corals as well and there are a number of other fish you could keep with them.

That wrasse looks awesome but sounds like they need a sandy bottom (I might consider putting a bowl of sand or something as I do want a wrasse in there). My research on these triggers thus far seems to indicate that these particular triggers typically only cause issues with inverts and snails which I'm not concerned with. Do you have experience with these fish otherwise? I'm just a bit confused where the risk comes in here - are they known to eat coral at all? Thanks

 

[EmdeReef]

Up until switching to the Red Sea tanks my tanks were always covered. The latest attempt to keep a sargassum trigger ended up with him jumping several feet out of the tank two nights in a row. Luckily, someone was in the room when it happened but I had to rehome. Can’t say how common this is. @eatbreakfast would know.

I don’t think there’s a risk of triggers eating your corals. Some of the less reef safe triggers could try to rearrange the frags I guess but I’ve kept blue throat, crosshatch, and red tails in reef tanks and they were pretty shy fish never bothered anyone.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Triggers are clumsy fish and like to rearrange rubble and frags. He most likely will start fragging your sps colonies by running into them.

 

[HB AL]

I have a Clown, Assasi, and Sargassum triggers in my fully stocked reef tank with lots of different corals, alot of them acros and have no issues. Also in all the years I've had triggers they have never jumped out. If that's what you want go for it, you only live once.

 

[CMO]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I'd like to hear a bit more experiences before I decide which was to go. Please keep the feedback coming, particularly in terms of likelihood of jumping and bulldozing corals which seem to be the main concerns from what I've heard so far.

 

[Hemmdog]

They do bulldoze, they do jump, they eat a ton and make a ton of waste. But they are such cool fish! I miss my blue throat :( jumped while I was on vacation :(

Triggers looove krill, try to feed that instead of pellets.

 

[HB AL]

All 3 triggers just waiting for dinner, mine dont bulldoze, jump, or eat corals and they have plenty to choose from. They dont bother the other 11 fish either. In my experience they are a great fish with lots of personality, with plenty of rock for comfort and when fed well they are model citizens.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Thanks for all the responses so far. I'd like to hear a bit more experiences before I decide which was to go. Please keep the feedback coming, particularly in terms of likelihood of jumping and bulldozing corals which seem to be the main concerns from what I've heard so far.

Have had a clown trigger in a mixed reef for a few years. He runs into corals, rearranges frags, and bites on sps frags. He is not eating the frags, I feel it is more for maintaining his teeth length. The biggest issue, if I target feed corals he tries to take the food, leading to damage to the coral. I feed VERY HEAVILY, so I know it is not driven by hunger. He has killed a few corals, never trying to eat the coral, but he is a powerhouse and his nips tear tissue.

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Depends on the individual fish. It is a gamble either way. It really falls on, are you willing to take the risk and do the pros outweigh the cons?

They are cool fish but tend to be aggressive towards other tank mates and their aggression worsens with age and growth.

I was in the same place as you with Angels in my SPS dominate reef and risked it. Positive results and they have left my scape alone. It was totally worth the risk in the end.

 

[eatbreakfast]

The 'reef-safe' triggers, such as cross hatch, sargassum, blue throat, and pink tail, are less likely to move things around and are overall better suited for a frag setup than picassos or clown triggers.

However, my concern is the shallow depth. While these guys don't get huge, they do get big enough where 10" depth(after acccounting for racks) will seem cramped and can contribute to jumping behavior, especially if there isn't anyplace for them to 'lock in' when scared.

 

[CMO]

Thank you all for the feed back. While it sounds like it might work, it doesn't sound like a guarantee or ideal choice so I'll look for other options.