Experience with Pinktail or Sargassum Trigger??
- Thread starter Pat H.
- Start date
agent6473
Non-member
I have a sargassum in my reef. Didn't bother any existing fish in the system including small chromis and others. A very aggressive eater, but does not attach shrimp, crabs, snails, etc. Doesn't bother corals either. I did add one new fish that my powder blue tang chased and the trigger joined in on the fun, but didn't do any real damage. Definitely more peaceful than the powder blue. Personally, I love the sargassum triggers. It is going to outgrow my tank someday, but it is really a very attractive fish with tons of personality. It even knows the formula 2 food jar when I pick it up besides the tank. He's very curious about anything new that enters the tank. He often bites holes in bags when I'm floating new corals/fish so be careful of that. Also, I put a frag in that had wet super glue on the end and he bit onto that. I had to pull the superglue off his mouth with tongs... He's ok now.
I second the Sargassum. Although they should be very similar as they are in the same sub-species and are both planktivores. You can also add the bluechin and crosshatch to that list.
My Sargassum is a model reef citizen. I have cleaner shrimt, snails, hermit crabs, and small neon gobies in my tank. All of which it has no interest in. The only time it is aggressive against other fish is if that other fish is the instigator. Like the powder blue tang I had. When i added the sargassum he tried to bully it, but only had a few bite marks to show for it in the end.
Oh, and watch out for your fingers during feeding time. While not as painful as bites from other triggers, mine does get boisterous when I'm feeding the tank. Its not afraid though. It will beg like a dog and take food right from my hands. It'll eat anything too, even nori.
My Sargassum is a model reef citizen. I have cleaner shrimt, snails, hermit crabs, and small neon gobies in my tank. All of which it has no interest in. The only time it is aggressive against other fish is if that other fish is the instigator. Like the powder blue tang I had. When i added the sargassum he tried to bully it, but only had a few bite marks to show for it in the end.
Oh, and watch out for your fingers during feeding time. While not as painful as bites from other triggers, mine does get boisterous when I'm feeding the tank. Its not afraid though. It will beg like a dog and take food right from my hands. It'll eat anything too, even nori.
Triggerfish
Non-member
the pinktail would be more risk with smaller fish..i had a bluethroat, similiar nature, that ate all my chromis.
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Pat H.
(Previously PHreef)
Thanks guys. The more I research the sargassum, the more I like them.
Any comments about compatability in my tank? Here's my current fish list:
3 med to lg yellow tangs
2 ocillaris clowns
7 med to lg green chromis
1 lg LMB
1 med CBB
1 Lg royal gramma
1 med sixline wrasse
1 sm green wrasse
1 fang blenny
1 coral beauty
1 green mandarin
I'm also thinking of adding at least 3 Bartlett's anthias and maybe a hippo tang.
Any comments about compatability in my tank? Here's my current fish list:
3 med to lg yellow tangs
2 ocillaris clowns
7 med to lg green chromis
1 lg LMB
1 med CBB
1 Lg royal gramma
1 med sixline wrasse
1 sm green wrasse
1 fang blenny
1 coral beauty
1 green mandarin
I'm also thinking of adding at least 3 Bartlett's anthias and maybe a hippo tang.
I have to put in a good word for the Pinktail - I love my Pinktail. He doesn't bother any other fish (even small fish), corals or inverts. He does "move" hermits (with his mouth) that happen to go into his sleeping hole, but he's never eaten any. It's pretty funny to watch him move them around the tank. He has 1 big front bottom tooth that he shows me when he wants to eat. He's really funny. He begs like a dog. He's very entertaining.
newreefer03
Well-Known Member
I have a bluechin trigger that eats any and everything. Initially, it did not bother my shrimps, crabs, and hermits but over the course of months, they slowly disappeared. I suspect the culprit is the trigger but it could possibly be the very aggressive hippo tang I have also.
zemuron114
Non-member
sargassum's are much more passive. I would choose the sargassum! Pink tails are beautiful, but they are a little more destructive and do get better. HArd to pair pinktails as well.
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Pat H.
(Previously PHreef)
Great info everyone, thank you
Does anyone know of any info on pairing Sargassum triggers? So far the only reference I can find concerning pairs of any reef friendly triggers is this Advanced Aquarist's article about the Crosshatch by Greg Schiemer. Maybe I'll try emailing Greg for his opinion. Great article, by the way. I just wish it were longer.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/Fish.htm
From the article:
"They can be kept singly, in pairs, or in groups of one male and two or more females in the aquarium. I would not try to keep two males in anything but the largest of aquariums. "
I suppose the problem would be sexing the juveniles accurately.
Does anyone know of any info on pairing Sargassum triggers? So far the only reference I can find concerning pairs of any reef friendly triggers is this Advanced Aquarist's article about the Crosshatch by Greg Schiemer. Maybe I'll try emailing Greg for his opinion. Great article, by the way. I just wish it were longer.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/Fish.htm
From the article:
"They can be kept singly, in pairs, or in groups of one male and two or more females in the aquarium. I would not try to keep two males in anything but the largest of aquariums. "
I suppose the problem would be sexing the juveniles accurately.
Triggers pair really easily. The problem would be finding a Sargassum Male and Female. I wouldn't even know how to tell the difference between sexes. If you can figure that out, then just throw them together and they should pair fine (probably go with a smaller female though)
JakeLevenson
Recovering Aquarist
Just my vote for the triggers, their great, and really do well if you have anything similar to a sargassum float. Just great fish to have, I miss mine.
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Pat H.
(Previously PHreef)
mikestod said:
Pretty much what I was thinking.
JakeLevenson said:
Interesting. I had some sargassum growing from a large piece of liverock a while back, but when it detached for some reason, it withered away. Not sure why. What would you recommend using for this float? Real sargassum? Or maybe something artificial? What behavior does the float bring out?
fanaglethebagle
Not-so-old Sea Dog
I think sargassum (plant) does not fare well floating in aquariums, I forget why (I read this somewhere)
ReeferMedic
Non-member
I thought I had a pair of Blue Throats. One had the blue throat with the yellow markings on the fins and the other didn't. A month or so later, they both have the colors of the male. Wanna buy one?
Wanna buy one?
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Pat H.
(Previously PHreef)
ReeferMedic said:I thought I had a pair of Blue Throats. One had the blue throat with the yellow markings on the fins and the other didn't. A month or so later, they both have the colors of the male.
Maybe Don
How big is it?I kinda have my heart set on the sargassum, but I may change my mind
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