Pinktail Trigger

[Catpicklesdog]

Has anyone had any experience of keeping a Pinktail trigger (Melichthys vidua) in a reef?

My LFS has had one for about 3 months and no-one seems interested in it (apart from me!!!). It did have a white swelling on it's chin which looked like damage rather than parasitic/disease and it has been eating well and behaving "properly". Everytime I go in I drool over it but my LFS doesn't want to sell it to me (how's that for a decent LFS - doesn't want me to take a risk!!!!) From what I've read, they are the more reef safe Trigger and am really really tempted:grinyes:

Obviously if someone tells me a real horror story then I won't consider it anymore!!!

Current set up is

182 gal tank
34 gal sump

1 Maroon clown
2 Bangaai cardinals
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Cleaner Wrasse
1 Lamarks Angel
1 Yellow Tang
1 six-spot sleeper Goby
1 Spotted Mandarin
9 Chromis

2 cleaner shrimp
2 peppermint
1 reef lobster
variety of hermits and snails
variety of LPS, SPS and soft corals.

[Almondsaz]

I don't have any experience with them, but my LFS has a pair and they are beautiful. I thought that the only reefsafe trigger was the niger triger, and even with them you take a risk once they get older. From what I can glean from the web they are not reef safe (1 source noted: http://www.aquaristcourses.org/Fish%20Husbandry2 So not wishing to be the one to burst your bubble, maybe some who has kept them will chime in.

Not to steal your thread, but how do you like your Lamarks?

Good luck CPD.

Here is another cite/site that notes "with caution" http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/SaltwaterAndMarineFish/Triggerfish/Pinktailtrigger

[emptywallet]

i had a pink tailed trigger in a FOWLR tank but never in a reef tank but it was the best i kept it with a large maroon clown a puffer fish and a sf eel. i dont think they are invert safe though because i used to feed mine whole shrimp

[Amphiprion]

The good news is that they won't touch your corals. The bad is that they will make quick work of everything else--like your shrimp. The reason why they are one of the better suited triggers (albeit somewhat low on that "totem pole") is due to their dietary habits, which primarily includes crustaceans and algae (and detritus). There's also a potential aggression issue with your current fishes.

[HaKs310]

From what I have read theses are hit and miss. Just like people, fish will also have different personalities. If you search over at ReefCentral you will find that many have kept Sargassum, Bluechin, and Crosshatch tiggers successfully in their reef tanks.

[Catpicklesdog]

I don't have any experience with them, but my LFS has a pair and they are beautiful. I thought that the only reefsafe trigger was the niger triger, and even with them you take a risk once they get older. From what I can glean from the web they are not reef safe (1 source noted: http://www.aquaristcourses.org/Fish%20Husbandry2 So not wishing to be the one to burst your bubble, maybe some who has kept them will chime in.

Not to steal your thread, but how do you like your Lamarks?

Good luck CPD.

Here is another cite/site that notes "with caution" http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish/SaltwaterAndMarineFish/Triggerfish/Pinktailtrigger


The Lamarks is doing really well. Was taking food from my hand within 24 hrs!!!!

The info I've been looking at is as follows:

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist - Peaceful choice

PocketExpert Marine Fishes - One of the few triggers that can be kept in the reef aquarium. Will usually ignore sessile inverts but larger specimens may eat ornamental shrimps. (point to not here is that the same comment is also made about the sixline wrasse and a few other wrasses which people have with shrimps)

Marine Depot Live (http://www.marinedepotlive.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~ML089 1919-03~idCategory~LFTRPTOS~category~Pinktail_Trigger__ _Melichthys_vidua___Large_(Tahiti)_Fish_Triggers_P inktail_Trigger_Pinktail_Trigger_OS~vendor~.html) - General Notes: Better behaved than the Niger Triggerfish, the Melichthys vidua or Pinktail Triggerfish is probably the most desireable for the reef aquarium. Is very shy at first but will become friendlier than many of the other triggers and not become aggressive with age but more tame. It is very hardy and can be kept with peaceful fishes of equal size or larger. It not as likely to re-aquascape your tank as the other triggerfish species often will. Will eat shrimps and other crusteaceans.

I really really want one and know that if it didn't work out I could always take it back to the LFS.

Decisions, decisions:wall:

[salty420]

i'd sure like to see it in your tank! i guess it just really depends on how much you value your inverts in case he eats them...

[archer772]

I know a lady that had 1 in her 300 and never bothered her corals, her tangs were the nasty ones and the pink tail hid for almost 2 weeks. The reason she doesnt have it any more is because her 18 inch carpet caught it and made a dinner out of it and the trigger was almost 6 inches long.

[AnnetteG]

sounds like it's time to start your big FOWLR, CPD! :grinyes:

[Catpicklesdog]

sounds like it's time to start your big FOWLR, CPD! :grinyes:

Unfortunately that'll only come when my lottery win does:grinyes:

[Catpicklesdog]

i'd sure like to see it in your tank! i guess it just really depends on how much you value your inverts in case he eats them...

This is my dilemma. I like my cleaner shrimps but..................

A lot of people said my Reef lobster was a risk and he's been an angel!!!!

The six line wrasse is also a risk to ornamental shrimp - mine was just a risk to my fish!!!!

Lawnmower Blenny - may nip at stony corals - mine doesn't!!!

Someone tell me who I'm trying to convince here:grinyes:

[strangerdejavu]

It doesn't help with your specific fish in question, but I know a fellow who has an SPS dominated tank and a small (3" or so) blue throat trigger. He's quite well behaved, hasn't touched his peppermint or sexy shrimp, and has no interest in corals. I'm waiting for a small one to show up at my LFS for me to pick up!

Personally... I would probably take the chance. I love triggers :-)

[Amphiprion]

It doesn't help with your specific fish in question, but I know a fellow who has an SPS dominated tank and a small (3" or so) blue throat trigger. He's quite well behaved, hasn't touched his peppermint or sexy shrimp, and has no interest in corals. I'm waiting for a small one to show up at my LFS for me to pick up!

Personally... I would probably take the chance. I love triggers :-)

Well, blue throats and Xanthichthys triggers are better behaved, in general.

[Catpicklesdog]

I've been informed (by the young lad that works at my LFS) that a cleaner wrasse in the next tank managed to jump into the Triggers tank. Apparatnly the trigger totally ignored it. My cleaner wrasse was actually one of my fish that I was concerned about seeing as he is so slender!

[saltydunc]

i have heard that pink tails are ok with corals but will eat your shrimps mate....there was one in my LFS a couple of weeks ago and it was a beautiful fish so i can understand your dilemma....put it this way if i had room in my tank i'd certainly give one a go.....if it doesn't work out you can always return him or sacrafice a shrimp or two...:)

[saltydunc]

an example of a supposed reef safe fish is my PBT which has chomped its way through my toadstool....so it goes to show any fish can be destructive in a reef.

[Catpicklesdog]

Well, as I'm sure some of you are aware, I went and got him. I've had him just over a week and can still account for all my tankmates including the shrimps!!!:headbang2:

He hasn't gone near my corals apart from the sun coral when I target feed, but so does everything else in the tank!

52826

52827

He's an absolute stunner and full of character!

[Amphiprion]

Just keep an eye out. I never doubted he wouldn't harm the corals--that's not on their menu. I just fear for your crustaceans, but if you keep him fat, he may never go for them.

[mandy21]

very nice fish!

I can understand the dilemma and I sacrificed a few peppermint shrimp among a few hermits and snails for my Red Sea Lunare Wrasse.

[salty420]

he is a stunner indeed cpd! glad things are working out for you. what a beautiful addition!

[Almondsaz]

CPD: I can see why you wanted one. The PTT that you got is a stunner. Hope your success is long lived as well as your PTT. Beautiful.

[Catpicklesdog]

Cheers Almond. Today was the first time I've done a water change since I've had him. I always blast my rocks first with a trukey baster just before a water change and I was a bit nervous of his teeth:grinyes: Luckily he's a big wimp and hid in the rocks until I'd finished!!

[Catpicklesdog]

Just keep an eye out. I never doubted he wouldn't harm the corals--that's not on their menu. I just fear for your crustaceans, but if you keep him fat, he may never go for them.

That's one reason I went for it. I do "over feed" my tank slightly:lipssealedsmilie: I'll have to try and get a photo of one of the cleaner shrimp cleaning him. That's quite a sight to see!!

[Catpicklesdog]

Well, it's been 3 weeks now and "Trigger" (I know it's not original) has settled in well. I still have both of my cleaner shrimps so I'm really pleased about that. I always give my tankmates a squirt of food once a day from a mayonnaise bottle that consists of: mysis, krill, plankton, marine feast, mussel, cockle, cyclopeeze, crushed garlic, and abidec all mixed with RO water. On top of this I now get a jumbo prawn still in it's shell and hold that in the tank for Trigger to eat. Because his mouth is so small (but his teeth so sharp!!) I've noticed that he'll bite a bit off, chew it a bit, spit it out and then syphon it back in again. Unfortunately for him, my other fish have caught onto this and as soon as he spits it out they go in for the attack. Meal times can be such fun:grinyes: My cleaner wrasse sticks to him like glue!!!

Anyway, here's a couple of updated piccies for you all.

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54082

54083

I've got to say, he's fast approaching being my favourite fish!!!