Redtoothed triggerfish
Encyclopedia
The redtoothed triggerfish or Niger trigger, Odonus niger, is a triggerfish
of the tropical Indo-Pacific
area, the sole member
of its genus
.
with a yellow bar between the lobes. Like all triggerfish redtoothed triggers have a retractable dorsal spine.
Their pectoral fins are quite small; as a result they swim mostly with their dorsal and anal fins, which makes them not so fast, but very maneuverable.
brought in by the current. Sponges
are another part of their menu.
. It is still however a triggerfish and can therefore not be easily kept in an aquarium with invertebrate
s, although careful selection of invertebrates sometimes can make it possible to keep in a reef aquarium. A single small niger trigger can be kept in a 40 gallon aquarium, however because they are fast growing a larger tank should be strongly considered. For a full adult specimen a 200 gallon or larger aquarium is advised.
Triggerfish
Triggerfishes are about 40 species of often brightly colored fishes of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific...
of the tropical Indo-Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
area, the sole member
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
of its genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
.
Characteristics
The redtoothed triggerfish is a dark blue bodied fish, ranging up to 50 cm in length. The fins are all blue-green in color, having yellow and light blue trim. It has a lyre shaped caudal finFin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
with a yellow bar between the lobes. Like all triggerfish redtoothed triggers have a retractable dorsal spine.
Their pectoral fins are quite small; as a result they swim mostly with their dorsal and anal fins, which makes them not so fast, but very maneuverable.
Behavior
It inhabits open waters and current-swept seaward reefs between 0 to 35 metres (0-115 feet) and can often be seen in groups turning and circling just under the sea surface while feeding on planktonPlankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
brought in by the current. Sponges
Sea sponge
Sponges are animals of the phylum Porifera . Their bodies consist of jelly-like mesohyl sandwiched between two thin layers of cells. While all animals have unspecialized cells that can transform into specialized cells, sponges are unique in having some specialized cells, but can also have...
are another part of their menu.
In the Aquarium
Odonus niger is a hardy member of a saltwater aquarium. It has a reputation as one of the most peaceful of the triggerfishTriggerfish
Triggerfishes are about 40 species of often brightly colored fishes of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific...
. It is still however a triggerfish and can therefore not be easily kept in an aquarium with invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, although careful selection of invertebrates sometimes can make it possible to keep in a reef aquarium. A single small niger trigger can be kept in a 40 gallon aquarium, however because they are fast growing a larger tank should be strongly considered. For a full adult specimen a 200 gallon or larger aquarium is advised.