Butterfly/Trigger Fish with Live Rock tank

Question
Hey Jen, my 150G reef tank is doing really well. water parameters are great and the colors are popping and things are happy in there.  so now I do not need my 90G reef tank. I have put all of my coral in the 150G and left a good bit of live rock.  I have always wanted Butterfly fish, Angelfish and Triggers.  I was thinking of the following:  One Pygmy Angel. 1 Picasso Trigger, 1 Bursa Trigger, and about 3-5 Butterfly fish.  I know the Triggers are pretty aggressive, I am planning on getting really small Triggers..will they harm Butterflies? will Butterflies harm each other? Do I have to commit to either a Peaceful tank or an Aggressive tank?  Any advice on a fish only tank would help.  thanks. Vu

Answer
Hi Vu. Glad to hear everything is doing great! Butterfly fish can usually hold their own with more aggressive species of fish provided that you introduce them first. Butterfly fish do not get along too well with one another unless they are of different species and very dissimilar in color and body shape. They also will get along better in a larger aquarium where there is more space for individual territories. In order for them to get along they must be introduced at the same time before any one can establish its territory. Butterfly fish are extremely sensitive to parasites, bacterial infections and other diseases brought on by poor environmental conditions and will succumb very quickly. Make sure you add a trigger only after the butterfliyfish have established themselves and also make sure the trigger is slightly smaller than the butterflies. Triggers do not get along well with one another, and it is not recommended to keep two with in the confines of a tank. Too much aggressiveness in a tank is one sure way to bring about all kinds of problems such as disease, starvation and parasites. You will only want to keep up to two butterflies in a 90 gallon tank with the trigger to ensure there is enough territory space and limit the amount of picking that can go on in your tank. Once picked a butterfly does not recover well. One other thing; you may want to think about a different species of angel for this tank. Pygmy angels stay very small and will not be able to hold its own with much larger and aggressive species of fish.