YPB or BTT?

[Chef Mateo]

What is your guys favourite fish between Yellow Pyramid Butterflies and Blue Throat Triggers. I know they are very different fish just trying to decide if I would have a trio of YPB or a pair of triggers in my future reef tank. Both seem to be the best option for reef safe triggers and butterflies and are beautiful!

 

[Dragon52]

Pair of Blue Throat Triggerfish without a doubt

 

[Zionas]

What’s the rest of your stocking list and how big is your tank? xD I agree that both are beautiful fish!

 

[Chef Mateo]

What’s the rest of your stocking list and how big is your tank? xD I agree that both are beautiful fish!

i haven't got the tank yet just getting ready to upgrade to a 180.

My stock list is:

2 occelris clowns (from current tank)
1 PJ cardinal (from current tank)
1 royal gramma (from current tank)
10 wrasses (3 halichoeres, 4 fairies, 1 flasher, 1 leopard, 1 tamarin, can specify if u want)
and then either a pair of blue throat triggers or 3 yellow pyramid butterflies

I know stock lists do change as you progress so this list isn't final.

Total is either 16/17 fish

I may also remove 1 or 2 wrasses and get both blue throat triggers and pyramid butterflies in singles or groups

 

[Zionas]

“Stock lists do change.”- xD You are talking to someone who has changed his list like.... 50 times over the last couple of months? I know how it feels man. Either BTT or YPB can be kept singly.

This is just a possibility so take my word with a grain of salt:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

x1 PJ Cardinal (I wonder how he’s doing on his own as I know they’re fairly social fish)

x1 Royal Gramma

Not sure how different Halichoeres Wrasses would get along so I’ll leave it to the wrasse experts in this forum. I’d appreciate it if you’d specify but maybe the multiple Halichoeres, all sand burying fish, may be a cause for concern.

Now, as for your BTT and YPBs.

You could totally do a pair or a trio of YPBs and a pair of BTTs. Just my opinion.


x2 Ocellaris Clowns

x1 Pajama Cardinal

x1 Royal Gramma

x3 YPBs

x2 BTTs

x7-8 Wrasses (1 Flasher, 1 Leopard, 1 Tamarin, 2 (?) Halichoeres, 2-3 Fairies)

Maybe.


The YPBs and BTTs will make an amazing display. YPBs before the Triggers, preferably.

Not sure how this works for the wrasses but maybe introducing the Fairies and Halichoeres (multiples) at the same time will increase their chances of getting along.

I’d make the BTTs your last fish.

Size wise from what I have seen a 180 does best with up to 5 larger fish (7” and larger) maybe 6 if we’re pushing it but personally I prefer to cap it at 5.


For a 7’ tank I’d put in 6 larger fish, or 8’ tank I’d feel comfortable putting in 8.

 

[PilotOfSubmarines]

I have to be honest, I have a Male Blue Throat and he is not as "active" as I thought he would be.
He's in a 220 gallon with plenty of swimming room too. He's fond of a section of the tank near a MP40 and will swim circles around it. He loves to eat and will swim around more during feeding time. At night he will do some laps across the top of the tank.

I'm not sure if I just got a dopey fish but everyone still loves him. I have read plenty of others saying similar things about their habits. Perhaps they are more active in a pair, but I'm not so sure.

 

[Chef Mateo]

“Stock lists do change.”- xD You are talking to someone who has changed his list like.... 50 times over the last couple of months? I know how it feels man. Either BTT or YPB can be kept singly.

This is just a possibility so take my word with a grain of salt:

x2 Ocellaris Clownfish

x1 PJ Cardinal (I wonder how he’s doing on his own as I know they’re fairly social fish)

x1 Royal Gramma

Not sure how different Halichoeres Wrasses would get along so I’ll leave it to the wrasse experts in this forum. I’d appreciate it if you’d specify but maybe the multiple Halichoeres, all sand burying fish, may be a cause for concern.

Now, as for your BTT and YPBs.

You could totally do a pair or a trio of YPBs and a pair of BTTs. Just my opinion.


x2 Ocellaris Clowns

x1 Pajama Cardinal

x1 Royal Gramma

x3 YPBs

x2 BTTs

x7-8 Wrasses (1 Flasher, 1 Leopard, 1 Tamarin, 2 (?) Halichoeres, 2-3 Fairies)

Maybe.


The YPBs and BTTs will make an amazing display. YPBs before the Triggers, preferably.

Not sure how this works for the wrasses but maybe introducing the Fairies and Halichoeres (multiples) at the same time will increase their chances of getting along.

I’d make the BTTs your last fish.

Size wise from what I have seen a 180 does best with up to 5 larger fish (7” and larger) maybe 6 if we’re pushing it but personally I prefer to cap it at 5.


For a 7’ tank I’d put in 6 larger fish, or 8’ tank I’d feel comfortable putting in 8.

Yep the list is constantly changing but I've been pretty set on this list for a while but could cut multiple wrasses to have both YPB and BTT. I was trying to keep the bio load smaller that's why I don't have tangs and only 16/17 fish. I know wrasses have more bio load from overfeeding and triggers have a bigger bio load. But I didn't want to many 5+ inch fish aside from the last fish and maybe 1 or 2 of my wrasses. The tank would very likely be a 6' tank but I have been seeing a lot of 210/240 tanks around my area but not sure about that size yet and doubt I would get those.

Here are the list of wrasses 95% sure they are all compatible minus maybe the Halichoeres as you said, I may cut the radiant ( H. iridis ) for difficulty reasons but I'll give 1 a try likely.

Wrasses:

Blue Stripe Tamarin Wrasse ( A. femininus ) (may be difficult to find so backup below)
Red or Yellow Tail Tamarin Wrasse ( A. chrysocephalus or A. meleagrides )
Orange-Backed Fairy Wrasse ( C. aurantidorsalis )
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse ( C. exquisitus )
Pink Margin Fairy Wrasse ( C. rubrimarginatus )
Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse ( C. lubbocki ) (I am fine with cutting from the list, just cheap)
Canary Wrasse or "Yellow Coris Wrasse" ( H. chrysus )
Earmuff Wrasse ( H. melasmapomus ) (My favourite wrasse!!)
Radiant Wrasse ( H. iridis )
Black Leopard Wrasse ( M. negrosensis )
Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse ( P. carpenteri ) (I am fine with cutting from list)

Any wrasses that are difficult to initially get eating ( H. iridis, A. femininus and M. negrosensis may be given one chance to succeed so that could determine those wrasses get removed in the stocklist rather than other wrasses although these are some of the most beautiful of my selection.)

Also I would try to introduce the wrasses into different batches in like 3/4 different batches. First batch the faries, the second batch some of the difficult eaters, the third batch the flasher and other difficult eaters if not added before, and then the final batch would be the halichoeres.

Then My current inhabitants:

1 PJ (He is actually alone in a temporary 10g right now, I had to remove because my female clown was nipping at him and he had fin damage. He actually seems the happiest he's ever been and is getting nice and chubby, and is healing well)
2 Clowns (Specifcally Frosbite Clownfish and Nearly Naked Clownfish)
1 Royal Gramma

Then the "wildcards":

Either

2/3 Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish
or
1/2 Blue Throat Triggerfish

Could remove 1/2 wrasses if I want to have both or just see how my tank can handle it as they would be the last additions very likely.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Chef Mateo]

I have to be honest, I have a Male Blue Throat and he is not as "active" as I thought he would be.
He's in a 220 gallon with plenty of swimming room too. He's fond of a section of the tank near a MP40 and will swim circles around it. He loves to eat and will swim around more during feeding time. At night he will do some laps across the top of the tank.

I'm not sure if I just got a dopey fish but everyone still loves him. I have read plenty of others saying similar things about their habits. Perhaps they are more active in a pair, but I'm not so sure.

Yep I have heard of them not being incredibly active, I think they would be more of my "personality fish" also they would be nice just to have that big blue/grey body. How is yours in terms of personality? Also has he moved around any of your rock work that's my only worry with them.

 

[Fishyfish22]

I just added a trio of YPBs into my DT yesterday, I'm loving it. They stay as a group currently (6'180 gallon) although that may change when they get more comfortable but I hope not.

They stay in the open which is strange considering their new addition and most newbies hide for a day or two. They eat like pigs though, they're on pellets already even though the LFS had them in mysis only.

the LFS did quarentine and treat with copper and for worms before I got them.

 

[Chef Mateo]

I just added a trio of YPBs into my DT yesterday, I'm loving it. They stay as a group currently (6'180 gallon) although that may change when they get more comfortable but I hope not.

Yes they are very beautiful fish, yours look very nice!

 

[Fishyfish22]

Yes they are very beautiful fish, yours look very nice!

Thank you! I went in to pick up a blonde naso, saw these three and immediately redid my budget down the month so I could get them. You know, the whole "if I dont eat for the next 3 weeks I can afford that coral" moment.

My last fish on the list is a sargassum trigger which is very closely related to the btt so I look forward to see how yours go if you end up with both


One note though, be prepared to feed A LOT. These guys never seem to get full

 

[Chef Mateo]

Thank you! I went in to pick up a blonde naso, saw these three and immediately redid my budget down the month so I could get them. You know, the whole "if I dont eat for the next 3 weeks I can afford that coral" moment.

My last fish on the list is a sargassum trigger which is very closely related to the btt so I look forward to see how yours go if you end up with both


One note though, be prepared to feed A LOT. These guys never seem to get full

Yep they're very active fish, I'll be feeding 3 times a day so hopefully that'll be enough for them! Also naso/blonde naso tangs are my favourite tangs.

 

[PilotOfSubmarines]

Yep I have heard of them not being incredibly active, I think they would be more of my "personality fish" also they would be nice just to have that big blue/grey body. How is yours in terms of personality? Also has he moved around any of your rock work that's my only worry with them.

He is goofy and predictable. He is definitely a loner even with a lot of fish in the tank that hang out together. He's always hungry (which fish isn't) and very skittish especially during water changes.

He waits until the lights start to dim at night before he starts doing his laps. I would never get rid of him, I just wanted to make sure you knew they are not very active swimmers from what I've seen and been told. They tend to pick up quirky behaviors tho and are a lot of fun.