Niger Trigger Fish

The Niger Trigger is one of the better triggers for predator reef aquariums. It will not eat coral or anemones, but may go after shrimp, clams, and snails. If you plan to keep it with shrimp, add the shrimp first. It can be kept with a large variety of other fishes, except small reef fishes. Groups may be housed in the same aquarium if they are added together as juveniles. Provide with several hiding places where the Niger Trigger can retreat to. As with all triggerfish, the Niger Trigger will wedge itself into a rock when it sleeps and lock itself in by raising its dorsal fin. This defense mechanism makes it difficult for predators to attack it while it is resting.

Offer the Niger Trigger a mixed diet of mysis shrimp, silversides and other meaty foods 4-6 times per week. Soaking all fish food with vitamins will help keep your fish healthier and make them less susceptible to disease. We recommend soaking food in garlic as well when adding new fish and whenever your notice ich or other disease in the aquarium. Garlic will help repel external parasites and will boost the fishes immunity.

Offer the Niger Trigger a mixed diet of mysis shrimp, silversides and other meaty foods 4-6 times per week. Soaking all fish food with vitamins will help keep your fish healthier and make them less susceptible to disease. We recommend soaking food in garlic as well when adding new fish and whenever your notice ich or other disease in the aquarium. Garlic will help repel external parasites and will boost the fishes immunity.

Remember to feed slowly. Leftover food will cause nitrates and phosphates to rise. If you see food falling to the sand bed and into the rocks, you should feed slower and give the fish a chance to eat before adding a little more. Using a turkey baster allows you to target food to different fish. For example you can feed the aggressive fish on one side of the tank and then squirt a little bit on the other side for the less aggressive fish. This way all the fish get a chance to eat enough.

75-80° F; sg 1.024-1.026 (1.025 is ideal); pH 8.1-8.4 Ca 420-440 ppm, Alk 8-9.5 dKH, Mg 1260-1350, Nitrates <10ppm, Phosphates, < .10ppm

Maintaining Ammonia at 0 ppm, Nitrites at 0 ppm, and Nitrates below 10ppm will help to keep your Niger Trigger happy and healthy. We recommend doing a water change soon after Nitrates rise above 10 ppm. Maintaining proper calcium (420-440 ppm), alkalinity (8-9.5 dkh – run it 7-8 if you are carbon dosing), and magnesium levels (1260-1350 ppm) will help to keep pH stable in the 8.1-8.4 range. We recommend a specific gravity of 1.024-1.026 with 1.025 being ideal for fish. Temperature should remain stable as well and should stay within a 2 degree range.