Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've made up my mind on a tank,

60"x24"x18" (LxWxH) is what I've gone with.

My two must-haves are a Regal tang and a Niger triggerfish - that's as far as I've got so far.

Would those two be alright in my tank?

Thanks

Will your tank be a reef setup or fish-only? I'm pretty sure the Niger trigger isn't reef compatible, but I could be wrong. If it's not a reef tank, it's a different story, but if it is, some of the bigger angels might work.

No reef, just a simple fish only tank with no live rock.

Trigger would be fine, it can even be kept in a reef if you ever decide you wanted to go that way. That said, I think you might want to reconsider with a regal tang, they're not the most compatible.

You've got a lot of options for a fish-only tank that size, I don't envy you one bit - the possibilities are endless. Could get a nice FableRyde, I reckon, since in a tank that size you can get it bigger tankmates.

I ruled out a dwarf lion, my two-year-old nephew's taken over fish-feeding duties and I can just picture him sticking his hands in. I'm guilty of it too, I often do a lot of hands-in cleaning and don't always pay attention to the fish - my tomato clown's the exception lately.

I'd like to make the most of the space, so I was thinking of just having sand and water, no rocks or anything. External filter and heater, that's it.

I'd say it's best to steer clear of anything poisonous then. You'll want to provide some hiding spots for them, or they'll get stressed out easily. I think the trigger's one that likes to have a place to hide when it's scared, and most fish are similar. When you first introduce them to the tank, they'll want somewhere to hide, so having something in there, even just in a corner, would be a good idea.

no way for anything poisonous then

you'll need some hiding spots for them, or they'll get stressed. triggers like to hide when frightened, and most fish want a place to hide when they're new to the tank. so maybe just stick something in a corner for them to duck into when they're scared

just having sand and water with no rocks or anything wouldnt be making the most of the space, fish need places to hide and feel secure, without that they'll get stressed and probably become more aggressive, i'd get some rock or decorations in there for them to hide in

Niger Triggers have plankton-based diets, so they won't bother your inverts, except for the odd sponge. However, those powerful jaws and sharp teeth can cause some serious damage if they were to bite down on a finger - and I'm pretty sure a small child wouldn't take kindly to a playful nip either.