Trigger for 55

[RoyalGramma001]

Question reefers, 

I have decided on a 55 gallon tank and it will be a FOWLR tank. Is there any triggers that can be bought small and be fine in a 55 for a few years and then trade him in when he gets to big for the system. I was thinking a bursa or a blue throat. Also will get an eel and put my tomato clown in it. Is this a good stocking list?

[sr2z]

The Pinktail trigger could be ok for a while, so could the Blackbelly triggerfish, or a Picasso trigger. Or maybe a Orange-lined triggerfish. But they MUST be traded (or buy a new tank 😉) when they grow up. I wouldn´t personally put an eel inside, they are A) Too messy or B) Miss out for food. The tomato clownfish is OK, what about getting another one instead of the eel? You could have a breeding pair.

[RoyalGramma001]

4 minutes ago, sr2z said:

The Pinktail trigger could be ok for a while, so could the Blackbelly triggerfish, or a Picasso trigger. Or maybe a Orange-lined triggerfish. But they MUST be traded (or buy a new tank 😉) when they grow up. I wouldn´t personally put an eel inside, they are A) Too messy or B) Miss out for food. The tomato clownfish is OK, what about getting another one instead of the eel? You could have a breeding pair.

That sounds like a great idea how long would the trigger be good for I can trade him after he gets too large and I can get a new small one? Definitely staying away from the orange line, I heard they will kill everything. Maybe a pink tail or the black belly. I also have a goby would he be fine?

[sr2z]

Well, I´m not a fan of  buying fish that I cannot take care of for their whole lives, but I think the Picasso triggerfish (I think this one is the best) grows up to about 12 inches (30cm) so depending on the dimensions of your tank, it could be there for a year or two (some triggerfish grow quite darn fast). But there is a problem. Lack of swimming room. I highly advise you =  don´t buy a triggerfish for your tank. There are plenty fish that are similiar to triggers and do not need so much space and swimming room...

For example: Aiptasia-eating filefish etc. Get a filefish, one or two firefish gobies and a new tomato clownfish. That could be fine.

[RoyalGramma001]

5 minutes ago, sr2z said:

Well, I´m not a fan of  buying fish that I cannot take care of for their whole lives, but I think the Picasso triggerfish (I think this one is the best) grows up to about 12 inches (30cm) so depending on the dimensions of your tank, it could be there for a year or two (some triggerfish grow quite darn fast). But there is a problem. Lack of swimming room. I highly advise you =  don´t buy a triggerfish for your tank. There are plenty fish that are similiar to triggers and do not need so much space and swimming room...

For example: Aiptasia-eating filefish etc. Get a filefish, one or two firefish gobies and a new tomato clownfish. That could be fine.

Ok I won't get a trigger,😢 

I figure wouldn't be the best, I'll get a filefish and maybe an angel and some others.

would a tassel filefish work? I heard they can get kind of large though?

[sr2z]

5 minutes ago, RoyalGramma001 said:

Ok I won't get a trigger,😢 

 

Thanks man, I know it is hard for you. Triggers surely are beautiful fish, but they deserve the best, and need the largest tanks possible...

6 minutes ago, RoyalGramma001 said:

would a tassel filefish work? I heard they can get kind of large though?

I don´t have experience with the tassle filefish (I think they get to about a foot long, so too big I would say), but the aiptasia eating filefish grows up to 3½", and most filefish don´t grow bigger than 6 inches. The mimic saddle "puffer" is a filefish that looks somehow similiar to a trigger: 

(source: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/1724/mimic-saddle-puffer?pcatid=1724&c=15+30+1724)

It isn´t too expensive, grows to about 4-5 inches. A beautiful fish for sure.

 

As for the angel, I think a flame angel would look spectacular:

(source: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2971+444&pcatid=444)

 

This angelfish grows up to 4 inches. It is a bit more expensive than the filefish, but the colours are awesome.

[RoyalGramma001]

11 minutes ago, sr2z said:

Thanks man, I know it is hard for you. Triggers surely are beautiful fish, but they deserve the best, and need the largest tanks possible...

I don´t have experience with the tassle filefish (I think they get to about a foot long, so too big I would say), but the aiptasia eating filefish grows up to 3½", and most filefish don´t grow bigger than 6 inches. The mimic saddle "puffer" is a filefish that looks somehow similiar to a trigger: 

(source: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/1724/mimic-saddle-puffer?pcatid=1724&c=15+30+1724)

It isn´t too expensive, grows to about 4-5 inches. A beautiful fish for sure.

 

As for the angel, I think a flame angel would look spectacular:

(source: https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2971+444&pcatid=444)

 

This angelfish grows up to 4 inches. It is a bit more expensive than the filefish, but the colours are awesome.

I love bicolores angels they get to 7 inch is that too large tank is 55 in long and 14 in wide

[RoyalGramma001]

Just found a really cool filefish that looks like a trigger it's called a fantail filefish gets 7 inches but I doubt that they get that big in aquariums would that be a good option?

[sr2z]

Well, my sources say that it gets only to about 4 inches or so. I think it will be pretty fine 😁😁

[RoyalGramma001]

52 minutes ago, sr2z said:

Well, my sources say that it gets only to about 4 inches or so. I think it will be pretty fine 😁😁

Ok thanks!

[RoyalGramma001]

So I was thinking of doing an aggressive tank here is the stocking list

 

1x coral hogfish

1x bicolor angel

1x white spotted puffer

1x jewel damsel

1x tomato clownfish

1x yellow watchman goby

 

55 gallon tank

is this overstocked or good?

[sr2z]

Half of those fish should not be in there 😐

Coral Hogfish = 8 inches, 70 gallons minimum

Bicolor angelfish = 6 inches, very active, minimum 70 gallons

White spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus) = almost two feet! Too big

Jewel damsel = OK

Tomato clownfish = OK

Goby = OK

[sr2z]

I highly advise you:

Get a pair of Yellow Watchman gobies.

Get another tomato clownfish, so you have a pair.

Get a filefish of some sort (fantail, or the mimic saddle puffer) as a centerpiece fish.

You can get the jewel damselfish as a nice active addition.

I would not put in more fish than this if I were you. Remember, it is always better to have a maximum of 4 species of fish in a smaller reef than a goulash of everything. I think it looks better. If you had a larger tank (more than 100 gallons), adding more species would not be a problem. And maintance. Yeah, less fish means less nutrients in the system for the algae to grow.

[RoyalGramma001]

18 minutes ago, sr2z said:

Half of those fish should not be in there 😐

Coral Hogfish = 8 inches, 70 gallons minimum

Bicolor angelfish = 6 inches, very active, minimum 70 gallons

White spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus) = almost two feet! Too big

Jewel damsel = OK

Tomato clownfish = OK

Goby = OK

I meant the Central American white spotted puffer they get 4 inch. I really want a hogfish of some sort instead of the damsel would a red striped hogfish work, 5 inch maximum?

[sr2z]

3 minutes ago, RoyalGramma001 said:

Central American white spotted puffer

Canthigaster punctatissima? Yeah, that could work quite fine. Well, although the red striped hogfish gets only to 5 inches, it is quite agressive and therefor needs a minimum of 75-80 gallons... sorry man. The yellow candy hogfish could work, Bodianus bimaculatus. Max size of about 4 inches. So for the stocking:

1 CAWS puffer

1 candy hogfish

1 tomato clownfish (you could get a pair)

1 yw goby (you could get a pair)

This should work quite fine, but I would be cautious about the puffer and hogfish. They are listed as peaceful, but you never know what can happen in the tight confines of a 55 gallon tank. 

[RoyalGramma001]

Just now, sr2z said:

Canthigaster punctatissima? Yeah, that could work quite fine. Well, although the red striped hogfish gets only to 5 inches, it is quite agressive and therefor needs a minimum of 75-80 gallons... sorry man. The yellow candy hogfish could work, Bodianus bimaculatus. Max size of about 4 inches. So for the stocking:

1 CAWS puffer

1 candy hogfish

1 tomato clownfish (you could get a pair)

1 yw goby (you could get a pair)

This should work quite fine, but I would be cautious about the puffer and hogfish. They are listed as peaceful, but you never know what can happen in the tight confines of a 55 gallon tank. 

Ok thank you so much for the suggestions! Sorry for all the questions very excited!

[sr2z]

1 minute ago, RoyalGramma001 said:

Ok thank you so much for the suggestions! Sorry for all the questions very excited!

No problem. Good luck!

[RoyalGramma001]

Just now, sr2z said:

No problem. Good luck!

Thanks!

[RoyalGramma001]

Are there any more small hogfish species that would work in a 55 other than yellow candy hog. Are there any around the same size that have the shape of a coral hog or Cuban hog?

[sr2z]

12 hours ago, RoyalGramma001 said:

Are there any more small hogfish species that would work in a 55 other than yellow candy hog. Are there any around the same size that have the shape of a coral hog or Cuban hog?

Not really, I think the candy hog is one of the smallest hogfish you can get...

[Leo_ian]

i dont know much about the larger hogs but i think a lyre tail hog could do nicely

oh nvm according to reefs.com they need 120 gallons

[sr2z]

Just now, Leo_ian said:

i dont know much about the larger hogs but i think a lyre tail hog could do nicely

It´s a risk, the lyretaile can grow up to 8 inches... I would say 70-80 gallon minimum...

[Leo_ian]

for a 55 gallon fowlr predator here would be my stocking list

 

1-dwarf moray species: snowflake, Gymnothorax melatremus, banana, golden dwarf. IMO 20-55 gallons min for these guys

1-dwarf lion eg. hawaiian dwarf, fu manchu, dwarf zebra, radiata, white ray, clearfin(if im not wrong the last three are the same thing) 

1- scorpion fish (lionfishlair.com)

1-Clarkii/tomato/maroon clown/domino/threestripe/fourstripe damsel

 

[RoyalGramma001]

15 hours ago, Leo_ian said:

for a 55 gallon fowlr predator here would be my stocking list

 

1-dwarf moray species: snowflake, Gymnothorax melatremus, banana, golden dwarf. IMO 20-55 gallons min for these guys

1-dwarf lion eg. hawaiian dwarf, fu manchu, dwarf zebra, radiata, white ray, clearfin(if im not wrong the last three are the same thing) 

1- scorpion fish (lionfishlair.com)

1-Clarkii/tomato/maroon clown/domino/threestripe/fourstripe damsel

 

Hey guys just saw replies,

I really like the Cuban hogfish and my lfs said they could be kept in a 55 for a couple years if I got a small one. Would it be bad husbandry and bad on my part to sell him when he gets to large and buy a new juvenile? If not that's fine I still like the yellow candy hogfish.

 

Also would this stocking list be acceptable 

 

1x lemon peel angel

1x watchman goby

1x tomato clownfish

1x Cuban hog (get a juvenile sell when gets to big) if that's bad husbandry I will get a yellow candy hogfish which I also like

 

[RoyalGramma001]

Also I have plans to upgrade to a 180 in 5 or so years how fast would a small juvenile blue face angle grow? At what point in that 5 years time frame should I get the blueface so it won't grow to big for the 55 while I am upgrading?