Clown Trigger Quick Question

[Scarfers]

I recently upgraded my FOWLR to a 90g and was wondering for how long a 2" clown trigger would be able to be housed in it. Also one other important question why from what I've read in research the "juvenile" clown triggers don't do well and usually die within a few weeks or months ???? Is this true or is this with the baby clown triggers ? Would a 2" clown survive ?

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

I recently upgraded my FOWLR to a 90g and was wondering for how long a 2" clown trigger would be able to be housed in it. Also one other important question why from what I've read in research the "juvenile" clown triggers don't do well and usually die within a few weeks or months ???? Is this true or is this with the baby clown triggers ? Would a 2" clown survive ?

Hi
The 90g will be enough to house the clown trigger and it is true that the juveniles are quite sensitive, so it is true. ideally you should get a bigger one, but if you get the little one, then you should house it in such a way that it is not harassed by other fishes and does not have to compete. Feed it a wide variety of meaty foods so that is basic nutritional needs are met ... mysys, krill, large krill, shrimp and fish meat and this some five times a day at least ... clown triggers are eating machines. Enrich the food with vitamins ... if you do this you will surely have good chances of success and in a month time it will start to gain weight and size, then it will do well and pull through .... and then you should start to mind your fingers when feeding it, as well as power cables that it may reach (just put a plastic or rubber hose covering the power cables - you just cut one side of the hose, and insert it over the power cable)
Can you please post photos of it when you get it? TY
BTW and very important, when you choose the clown trigger, make sure its belly is round and not deflated as that is a sign of malnutrition. One of the problems with the juveniles is that their nutritional needs are often not met by many reasons ... not enough variety and quantity of food, competition are main causes.

Pedro Nuno

 

[Scarfers]

thanks for the info

I don't know yet if i'm going to purchase one but I'm thinking about it if I do i'll post pics

 

[petraio]

ven adult one are sensitive to water quality if wanna get a small one no problem as long as he's eating from the dealer tank ! keep nitrate at bay!! good luck

 

[NL146]

...ideally you should get a bigger one...

...adult one are sensitive to water quality if wanna get a small one no problem...

Who gets the star?

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Who gets the star?

Both!

If you buy a small one that shows healthy behaviour, eats well and is very well fed in both quantity, variety and frequence, like a minimum of 5 times a day and better if much more, and if it doesn't suffer from competition, harassment, you have good chances.

If you buy a bigger one and have your water parameters very well controlled and no!!! swings, you stand good chances to!

This said it is know and demonstrated that mortality rate among juveniles is far higher than in bigger ones ... and in my opinion this is mostly due to bad handling and husbandry, meeting nutritional needs.

Also another important aspect to consider: the Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde behaviour in Juveniles is usually not present ... it is latter developed or can be when the fish is larger, feels on top of the hierarchy:batangel: ... but its a fish with a great personality if one can express it that way. I almost purchased one, but refrained to do it in the last moment as I though of my Cynarina, Fungia, Cycloseris ... etc... one never knows if it decides to bully them just for the Jazz of it:smash: ... well today arrives a great barrier reef Harlequin tusk (Choerodon fasciatus) ... corals should be safe, as for the Lobster and shrimp, lets hope they become goooooooddddd friends.

Pedro Nuno

 

[marrone]

The biggest killer of Clown Trigger, small and large, is high nitrates. Unlike a lot of other fish, and triggers, Clown Trigger can't take high nitrates and will usually die from them, as opposed to starving from not eating. You'll find one that is eating like crazy, and is nice and fat, and then all of a sudden it will die, this is usually from nitrates being very high.

As for the size, you're tank is only a 90gal, and if it's a reef tank it's going to have a good amount of rock, which cuts down on space. So, you need to be careful what size of Clown Trigger you get, as if fed correctly it will out grow the tank in no time. So you need to be prepare to move it to a large tank. In a 90gal Fowlr tank, you'll mayn't have as much LR but it still will be a problem space wise down the line.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

BTW ... another important info to take into account with Triggers... their teeth are of continuous growth therefore it is an absolute must to feed the Trigger with hard shelled items, such as shrimp, crabs, urchins, so that it both plays with them, eats them and wears the teeth in the process as there is no Trigger dentist to my knowledge to perform filling of its teeth or filling/shaping-machines for that :lol_large...

Enjoy your Clow Trigger fish as it will surely be a good addition to your FOWLR system. Wish you the best of moments and luck with the Clown Trigger.

Pedro Nuno

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

The biggest killer of Clown Trigger, small and large, is high nitrates. Unlike a lot of other fish, and triggers, Clown Trigger can't take high nitrates and will usually die from them, as opposed to starving from not eating. You'll find one that is eating like crazy, and is nice and fat, and then all of a sudden it will die, this is usually from nitrates being very high.

As for the size, you're tank is only a 90gal, and if it's a reef tank it's going to have a good amount of rock, which cuts down on space. So, you need to be careful what size of Clown Trigger you get, as if fed correctly it will out grow the tank in no time. So you need to be prepare to move it to a large tank. In a 90gal Fowlr tank, you'll mayn't have as much LR but it still will be a problem space wise down the line.

True that is why I wrote bad handling and husbandry... and in time size could be a issue, still if he does not heavy stock ... just one aspect ... he wrote his tank is a FOWLR,

I recently upgraded my FOWLR to a 90g

so no worries about inverts I believe.

Pedro Nuno

 

[marrone]

....just one aspect... he wrote his tank is a FOWLR,

I recently upgraded my FOWLR to a 90g

so no worries about inverts I believe.
Pedro Nuno

In a 90gal Fowlr tank, you'll mayn't have as much LR but it still will be a problem space wise down the line.

Which it's something I did comment on in my post. A 90gal tank is a good size reef tank, but for a FO or FOWLR, it's not that large, especially for a fish that gets to be a good size.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

More info ... Triggers, and in this case the Clown Trigger, besides the Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde behaviour they may develop when they feel they "own" the tank and all in it, they like to "redecorate" the set up and thus may displace rocks by holding and lifting them with their teeth, and thus cause collapses in doing so... therefore be sure all is well secured in place.

Another interesting and natural behaviour they have to find food, is blowing water on the sand bed to expose a possible meal that can be a snail, or a worm, etc.. this can also cause collapses ... it may raise silt and sediment... also it may decide as I have witnessed to call up on your attention, and blow water at you and/or out of the tank ... well if that water ends up in the power plug as I also witnessed... that is not good...

So be aware of this and should you decide to buy one, then make all preparations and arrangements accordingly.

BTW, what are your current tank inhabitants?

Pedro Nuno

 

[Scarfers]

kole tang , marine betta, longnose hawkfish, true percula clown, bunch of snails and hermits

 

[marrone]

Not only can the moving and displacing rocks, which can cause collapses in the tank, but the picking up and dropping of the rocks can cause the tank to crack. Also with Triggers you need to be careful about them biting and ripping off the silicone seams in the tank. This is actually very common and something that is very hard to stop once they start to do this. You also need to be careful with any wires in the tank, as Triggers will bite through them. I recently lost 2 Magnum Koralia pump when my Large Black Durgen Trigger decided to eat through the wires.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

kole tang , marine betta, longnose hawkfish, true percula clown, bunch of snails and hermits

Well the snails and Hermits might have "problems" with it in the long run at least or you should not be surprised it it happened. New introductions of such may be regarded as food, so in such cases the best change is to introduce such newcomers while the lights are off, like that they stand some chance...

The fish should be fine, for now at least ... of-course if it develops the Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde behaviour later, the the smaller ones could have "problems"

Pedro Nuno

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Not only can the moving and displacing rocks, which can cause collapses in the tank, but the picking up and dropping of the rocks can cause the tank to crack.

True ... there are cases of cracked tanks because of that and it does not even have to drop them, just let them slide to the side and hit a wall of the tank. As I wrote, all as to be well secured in place

therefore be sure all is well secured in place.

Also with Triggers you need to be careful about them biting and ripping off the silicone seams in the tank. This is actually very common and something that is very hard to stop once they start to do this.

True but I have a solution for that and implemented it in my tank... the silicone seams/joints are covered by a glass strip ... so no biting and no critters boring through it ... I will try to post a photo of that. Anyway to do that at this stage, the tank would have to be emptied, glass strips placed with silicone... etc...

You also need to be careful with any wires in the tank, as Triggers will bite through them. I recently lost 2 Magnum Koralia pump when my Large Black Durgen Trigger decided to eat through the wires.

About that there is a solution that I explained in post n? 2

and then you should start to mind your fingers when feeding it, as well as power cables that it may reach (just put a plastic or rubber hose covering the power cables - you just cut one side of the hose, and insert it over the power cable)

Pedro Nuno

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

This is one of the glass strips that protects the silicone seams/joints

I will get a photo of the power lines protected with a hose

Pedro Nuno

 

[marrone]

True ... there are cases of cracked tanks because of that and it does not even have to drop them, just let them slide to the side and hit a wall of the tank. As I wrote, all as to be well secured in place

Yes, but you never mention the tank breaking, just it causing a collapses, which can lead to a break or more offend just the rocks falling over. With large Trigger not only should the rock be secured but they should be on the large side, making it impossible for the Trigger to even pick up. The best situation is to limit the amount of LR, and just go with very large pieces, which can't be moved, and not to build the rock up high . This will also create more space in the tank for the fish.

True but I have a solution for that and implemented it in my tank... the silicone seams/joints are covered by a glass strip ... so no biting and no critters boring through it ... I will try to post a photo of that. Anyway to do that at this stage, the tank would have to be emptied, glass strips placed with silicone... etc...

This will work, through you would need to secure the glass by silicone from the back side, so no silicone is showing, and make sure the glass has rounded edges, as otherwise it will be sharp and could cause costs to you or the fish. You don't need to empty the tank to do this either, you could use epoxy, which will harden in the water.

About that there is a solution that I explained in post n? 2 "and then you should start to mind your fingers when feeding it, as well as power cables that it may reach (just put a plastic or rubber hose covering the power cables - you just cut one side of the hose, and insert it over the power cable)"
Pedro Nuno

If you do this you need to make sure the hose is secure, as Trigger can, and will, pull the hose and cord into the tank, which is what happen with me. The hose needs to be very thick too, as Trigger can bitter through fairly thick hose, especially near the bottom where the edge of the hose and the cord meet. The part on the bottom, where the cord and hose meet, need to be secure very well, as the Trigger will most likely go for that, so on top of the hose you may want to put a wrap around it, which will keep the hose connect to the unit, making it hard for the Trigger to get at.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Yes, but you never mention the tank breaking, just it causing a collapses, which can lead to a break or more offend just the rocks falling over. With large Trigger not only should the rock be secured but they should be on the large side, making it impossible for the Trigger to even pick up. The best situation is to limit the amount of LR, and just go with very large pieces, which can't be moved, and not to build the rock up high . This will also create more space in the tank for the fish.

As I said all has to be well secured in place ... to me it is obvious breaking is a possibility, so well secured in place it will not move. As for the set up, the more ample the better, which is also obvious as we are dealing with a fish that grows large or can, and nowadays the trend is more and more space, be it FOWLR or Reef.

This will work, through you would need to secure the glass by silicone from the back side, so no silicone is showing, and make sure the glass has rounded edges, as otherwise it will be sharp and could cause costs to you or the fish. You don't need to empty the tank to do this either, you could use epoxy, which will harden in the water.

The photo is displayed, the edges are rounded. I prefer silicone.

If you do this you need to make sure the hose is secure, as Trigger can, and will, pull the hose and cord into the tank, which is what happen with me. The hose needs to be very thick too, as Trigger can bitter through fairly thick hose, especially near the bottom where the edge of the hose and the cord meet. The part on the bottom, where the cord and hose meet, need to be secure very well, as the Trigger will most likely go for that, so on top of the hose you may want to put a wrap around it, which will keep the hose connect to the unit, making it hard for the Trigger to get at.

This is not the 1st time I do it, I've done it since I started with marine tanks back in 1988 and do it if I need to do it. Presently I have no Triggers but I can do a photo set if you do not have photos of your own, but I believe you can do the photo set as you probably have it ready in place after the problem you experienced.

Pedro Nuno