All fish / Balistidae

Niger Triggerfish

Odonus niger

Also known as niger trigger, redtooth triggerfish, red-toothed triggerfish, blue triggerfish, black triggerfish, purple triggerfish, odonus niger, アカモンガラ, ikan pakol, 红牙炮弹, 红牙鳞鲀, 魔鬼炮弹

A deep-bodied triggerfish in dark blue to purple, often with a greenish head, red teeth and long lyre-shaped tail tips. It is one of the calmest triggers, so it is popular for large fish-only marine tanks with other robust species.

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

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: shrimp, squid, mussel, krill, chopped fish and marine pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesas, north to Japan and south to Australia

Breeding

In the wild it lays demersal eggs in a nest guarded by the parents. Captive breeding in home aquariums is essentially unrecorded, so almost all fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

It grows large and needs a big tank with caves for hiding, and it may nibble invertebrates, so it is not reef safe. Older or crowded specimens can become territorial, and its sharp teeth can damage equipment.