Redtoothed triggerfish

Redtoothed triggerfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Balistidae
Genus:	Odonus
Species:	O. niger
Binomial name
Odonus niger Rüppell, 1836

The redtoothed triggerfish or Niger trigger, Odonus niger, is a triggerfish of the tropical Indo-Pacific area, the sole member of its genus.

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 fin 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 plankton brought in by the current. Sponges are another part of their menu.

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  Group of Redtoothed Triggerfish feeding on plankton.

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  The red teeth are its distinguishing feature.

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 triggerfish. It is still however a triggerfish and can therefore not be easily kept in an aquarium with invertebrates, 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.

References

• "Odonus niger". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=173222. Retrieved 24 January 2006. 
• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Odonus niger" in FishBase. November 2005 version.
• centralpets.com Page on Niger Triggerfish
• advancedaquarist.com Page on Triggerfish