All fish / Balistidae

Black Durgon

Melichthys niger

Also known as black triggerfish, black durgon triggerfish, indian triggerfish, black trigger, durgon, no, ソロイモンガラ, 黑鳞鲀, 黑炮弹

A dark, deep-bodied triggerfish that looks black at a distance but shows greenish blue tones up close, with bright pale blue lines along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins. It is one of the calmer triggerfish and is kept for its bold personality and hardiness in large fish-only systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

680 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a mated pair in a very large tank

Diet

Omnivore: krill, mysis, squid, chopped seafood, marine algae and pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Circumtropical: Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, mainly around oceanic islands

Breeding

In the wild pairs lay eggs in a nest on sand or rubble, which the parents guard. It has rarely if ever been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Grows to around 30 cm or more and needs a very large tank with strong filtration; it may nip at invertebrates and small fish, so it is not reef safe. Keep only one trigger per tank unless the system is very large.