All fish / Balistidae

Orange-lined Triggerfish

Balistapus undulatus

Also known as orange lined trigger, orangeline triggerfish, undulated triggerfish, orange-striped triggerfish, undulate triggerfish, green triggerfish, orange lined triggerfish, ปลาวัวลายส้ม, クマドリ, ikan pakol, 波纹钩鳞鲀, 黄纹炮弹

This is a stocky dark green to brown triggerfish with wavy orange lines across the body and an orange tail, and adults have a black patch around the tail base. Keepers prize it for its striking colour, hardiness and bold, intelligent character.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

25 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: shellfish, squid, krill, crab, urchins and meaty frozen foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific

Breeding

In the wild, pairs lay eggs in a pit dug in the sand and the female guards them fiercely. It has not been bred in home aquariums in any meaningful way.

Good to know

This is one of the most aggressive triggerfish. It will kill tankmates and eat invertebrates and corals, so it is not reef safe. It can rearrange rockwork, bite through equipment and give a painful bite to hands.