Saltwater Fish
Pink-tailed Triggerfish.
A dark-bodied trigger with a striking pink-white tail and yellow-edged fins — one of the more reef-tolerant triggers, with caution. It grows large and is best in a big 180-gallon-plus tank with rockwork and tankmates that can hold their own.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 14"
- Min tank size
- 180 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Melichthys vidua
Good tank mates
One of the more easygoing triggerfish, it can share a large tank with similarly sturdy fish like tangs, larger wrasses, and other semi-aggressive species, but it is still a triggerfish and may bully smaller or timid tankmates. It is not fully reef-safe: it generally leaves corals alone but is likely to eat ornamental shrimp, small crabs, snails, and other inverts. Avoid housing it with very small, delicate fish or any prized cleanup-crew inverts, and give it a big tank with caves to claim.
Good to know
Unlike many of its more aggressive relatives, the pink-tailed triggerfish feeds heavily on algae and zooplankton in the wild, which makes it one of the calmer triggers in the trade.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
- E
Emperor Angelfish
Explicitly listed as a compatible tankmate on the Top Shelf Aquatics pinktail triggerfish page. Adults reach up to 15 inches — similar to the trigger's 14-inch maximum — so no predation risk exists between them. Territory is the only concern; a 180+ gallon FOWLR (fish-only-with-live-rock) gives both fish enough room to establish separate zones, though 300+ gallons is ideal for long-term harmony.
- B
Blue Tang
Tangs are directly recommended as long-term compatible tankmates on the Top Shelf Aquatics pinktail page. The blue tang is a mid-to-upper water column swimmer while the trigger tends to occupy lower and mid regions, so the two naturally partition space and avoid direct territorial conflict. No size-predation concern at adult sizes.
- F
Foxface Rabbitfish
Explicitly named as a suitable companion on the Top Shelf Aquatics pinktail page. The foxface's venomous dorsal spines are its main protection and function as a reliable deterrent against trigger harassment — one of the stronger safety arguments in this list. Well-documented in the hobby as a workable pairing with semi-aggressive triggers in FOWLR setups.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.