Hawaiian Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger) is an omnivore that can be fed a mixed diet of shrimp, squid, clams, fish, and other meaty fares suitable for carnivores, as well as marine algae and vitamin-enriched herbivore foods. Tang Tank Mates Tangs are a normally nonterritorial species.Tangs of different species but of same size canoften thrive in the same tank if introduced at the same time. Diet / Foods : Niger Triggerfish form large schools in the ocean to feed on zooplankton. The tank mates these guys have are two angels and two tangs and one clown. They are characterized by their rhomboid shaped, laterally compressed bodies and comparatively large heads. The Titan Triggerfish has a typical Triggerfish shape, with its eyes set high on the body and far back from the mouth. He's a hand biter. FishBase. I’ve seen the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a and the Pinktail trigger fish while diving in Hawaii and always wanted to add one to my show tank. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. They are very active fish and need plenty of room to move around. Inverts such as crabs and shrimps may become food for this trigger. Triggerfish reach an average size of six to ten inches in the home aquarium and often become very aggressive toward the same species and other tank mates. Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored fish 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.Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs, but a few, such as the oceanic triggerfish (Canthidermis … The blue-ish one is a Niger Trigger. Tangs also do well with most clownfish, cardinals, large angels, wrassesand chromis. Keep with other very aggressive fish that are able to defend themselves. Most Triggerfish are difficult to keep in a saltwater aquarium with other fish. Rod's marine omnivore foods are good and have a lot of different foods in it. Stan and Debbie have worked in the aquarium fish field for over three decades and written 300+ articles about pet fish. Sub-Species for Aquariums: Clown – One of the most highly sought after Triggerfish, the Clown Triggerfish is a large, black fish with large white spots on its belly and sides, bright yellow lips, and a “leopard” spotted back. In this section we will cover Angelfish tank mates, the answer to the question of "what can go with Angelfish" is often quite surprising and the variety of fish available, not only in my store but in any good fish store, means that the hobbyist can revive that ‘kid in a candy store’ feeling that we all have when stocking a new tank or adding to an already established aquarium. The trigger is endlessly curious and may nip at clams, crustaceans, and sponges. Breeding : these triggerfish are nest builders and males will guard the eggs waiting for them to hatch. The problem with most triggers is that they can be very aggressive towards other tank mates. As juveniles they will need lots of hiding places (using live rock) to help make them feel secure. The minimum tank size for keeping a Clown triggerfish should be 100 gallons. Avoid small decorative shrimp. Tank Mates : The Niger Trigger is not as aggressive as some of the other triggers but it does get big and the bigger it gets the more aggressive it becomes. Clown Triggerfish (Balistoides Conspicillum), Crosshatch Triggerfish (Xanthichthys Mento), Hawaiian Black Triggerfish (Melichthys Niger), Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus Aculeatus), Rectangular Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus Rectangulus), All About Saltwater Wrasses for Aquarium Hobbyists, How to Care for Black Triggerfish in Your Aquarium, Stunning Photos of Different Types of Wrasse Fish, Awesome Beginner Fish for a Saltwater Aquarium. Triggerfish will do this at night, ducking into a crevice and locking into place until morning, so tanks must be adapted to allow this behavior. Now that appropriately sized foods have been found to feed the larvae it hopefully will become more common place to see captive raised triggers for sale in the near future. They will accept most every fish food that you put into the tank but you need to give them a varied diet of vitamin enriched, fresh, meaty, marine origin type foods. Triggerfish, once acclimated into an aquarium, are fairly robust and will do well. The Clown Triggerfish has a dramatic coloration, making this species a most sought after addition to the home aquarium. Common Names : Red Tooth Triggerfish, Black Triggerfish, Size : Up to 18 inches (46 cm), usually found in the ocean around 12 inches (30 cm), Origin / Habitat : Indo-Pacific, South Africa, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef Australia, New Caledonia. When their nutritional and environmental requirements are met, they do quite well in a marine aquarium. The Clown Triggerfish is one of the most sought after triggerfish in the ocean due to their gaudy colors and "personality". Privacy Policy | SiteMap | Aquarium Dictionary | Affiliate Disclosure | Contact Us. This triggerfish will go after and eat nearly all foods offered. In the wild this fish is solitary outside the harem of females it will occasionally meet with during the breeding season. Learn about different types of triggerfish and how to care for them. You can pair one triggerfish with other large predators, such as a coral hind grouper, but pairing them with tankmates still has it's risks, as these fish are not totally predictable when it comes to their behavior towards tank mates. The bigger they get, the more aggressive they get. This fish is also known as Humu-Humu, Black-Wedgetail, Wedge-Tail, Pig-Nosed, Reef, and Painted Triggerfish. If more than one is to be kept in the same tank, it is best to add a male and up to several females at the same time. How Many Fish Can I Put in My Saltwater Aquarium? Lots of saltwater origin meaty foods, along with a good pellet type food for omnivores, like NLS pellets would be good. Sometimes they will look teal green under high output lighting and under subdued lighting they look almost black.