Mixing Triggerfish?

[Betta5]

Are triggerfish able to be mixed? I would like a picasso and a Niger would it be possible to mix them? If not could i keep a Imperator Angelfish in the Niger triggers place? This is all in a 6x2x2 BTW

If you had to choose, would you have a yellow tang or regal tang? I know they cant be mixed so that is defo one OR the other.

thank you

 

[Colin_T]

Peaceful triggers can be mixed. A picasso and Niger should be fine as long as they are similar sized.
I probably wouldn't mix a trigger and angel. If you had to make sure the trigger is small and the angel is feeding properly before the trigger is added.

You can mix yellow and blue tangs. My LFS has 6 yellow and 1 regal blue tang in their 8ft coral tank. They get along fine.

 

[Betta5]

If the 2 triggers will be ok together then i wouldn't get the angel. I read lots about blue and yellow tangs fighting in home tanks. i just wouldn't want to buy one then have to take it back.

 

[Lynden]

I mixed a pinktailed trigger and a ****** trigger and the two would occasionally fight, but not inflict any damage, physically or mentally. I would assume that a picasso and a niger would work fine as well, probably even better since the two occupy very different ecological niches in nature.

I will echo Colin T's statement that the two tangs wouldn't fight, especially in a 6'x2'. If you wanted you could even have more tangs than that. It is, however, important to add the least aggressive first; so in your case, add the regal and give it a week or two to get established. If the two tangs are of similar size, or the regal is bigger, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Betta5]

I mixed a pinktailed trigger and a ****** trigger and the two would occasionally fight, but not inflict any damage, physically or mentally. I would assume that a picasso and a niger would work fine as well, probably even better since the two occupy very different ecological niches in nature.

I will echo Colin T's statement that the two tangs wouldn't fight, especially in a 6'x2'. If you wanted you could even have more tangs than that. It is, however, important to add the least aggressive first; so in your case, add the regal and give it a week or two to get established. If the two tangs are of similar size, or the regal is bigger, you shouldn't have a problem.

Thanks for your help, that is such great news, they are the 4 fish i really wanted and i am gald i can get them all. As far as stocking goes i have no idea what i would get to go with them, would smaller fish get eaten/bullied?. I will follow your advice and add the regal first and give it a month atleased before i think about adding a yellow tang.

well thank you guys for the help and any more questions and i will post them up

 

[Colin_T]

you can try wrasses, small species of lionfish, bigger damsels, hawkfish, big gobies and blennies, eels. Generally fish that are big enough to take a bit of bullying and that won't sulk if someone looks at them the wrong way.

 

[Lynden]

Hell I kept my two triggers with a dartfish. He would occasionally be chased by the niger, but no injuries occurred. Whether it is related or not, I found the darfish on the floor one day.

 

[Betta5]

would the niger not have tryed to eat the firefish? i would like a group/school of a type of fish, any ideas other than green chromis?

 

[Colin_T]

anthias squammipinnis perhaps

 

[Lynden]

Melichthys triggers and the niger can both be kept in groups. Most lionfish, morays, several species of tangs (my favourite being the convict; others include the regal and yellow), batfish, Monodactylus, dwarf angels, Fairy, Flasher and Halichoeres wrasses... the list goes on. Really the options for grouping fish, especially in a 6' x 2', goes worlds beyond Chromis and Anthias, and though they are beautiful fish they wouldn't be my first choice.

As for the other question, if the niger trigger wanted to eat the darter (it was a barred darter) it would have done so after day one. The size difference was quite significant, but I added the niger full knowing that they are docile. The pinktailed, the other trigger I owned then, was a "kindly dictator"; he was the top dog, but didn't touch any of the other fish, including two blennies and two clownifsh in addition to the darter. He did, however, defend himself against the niger when he attacked, occasionally leaving bite marks, especially in the niger's tail. Keep in mind these two triggers were both several times the size of the other fish.

Read my profile of pinktaileds in the TFF SW profiles section, if interested. Was and still is my choice for best all-round aquarium fish.

 

[Betta5]

Yeah i did see a pink tail yesterday as i was picking up some bits from the pet shop and they have expanded their marine section. seahorses and pipefish, clowns, damsels, lionfish, tangs, triggers loads so i know i will have a nice place to get some fish when i start stocking. They are the only shop also that give good advice and sell usful products.

Its really hard getting around the fact i can have quite a few fish (meaning more than say 5) as i think marine and think, only a few fish so when i read group of triggers i just think of a packed tank.

I have been having a look through live aquaria just to get some ideas... but there are just to many options.

thanks for your help Lynden, you always give me good information packed answers, thank you aswell Colin