Niger Triggerfish
Updated August 6, 2019
Author: Mike - FishLore Admin
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The Niger Triggerfish has a few different common names like the Red Tooth Triggerfish and the Black Triggerfish. The Niger Trigger's colors can look quite different depending on the lights they are under. Sometimes they will look teal green under high output lighting and under subdued lighting they look almost black. In the ocean they form schools to feed on zooplankton and sponges and are found on the seaward side of coral reefs (re.fishbase).
The Niger Triggerfish can get to be over 12 inches (30 cm) with some of the biggest being found in the ocean up to 18 inches (46 cm)! Given their potential adult size not many home aquariums are big enough to keep them in groups. Even keeping just one though you need at least a 180 gallon fish tank.
This triggerfish has a reputation amongst hobbyists as being one of the less aggressive triggerfish but they are still triggers and each fish can be different. One may be easy going and the next could be quite the terror. As juveniles they will need lots of hiding places (using live rock) to help make them feel secure. As they get bigger, they often get bolder and more aggressive.
This triggerfish will go after and eat nearly all foods offered. Lots of saltwater origin meaty foods, along with a good pellet type food for omnivores, like NLS pellets would be good. They may even eat seaweed (nori or sea veggies) you put in the tank for other species too.
Niger Triggerfish Care
Scientific Name : Odonus niger
Common Names : Red Tooth Triggerfish, Black Triggerfish
Fish Care Level : Easy to moderate
Size : Up to 18 inches (46 cm), usually found in the ocean around 12 inches (30 cm)
Life span : 10 years, likely longer
pH : 8.1 - 8.4
Temperature : 76°F - 82°F (24°C - 28°C)
Specific Gravity : 1.021 - 1.025
Carbonate Hardness (dKH) : 8 - 12°
Origin / Habitat : Indo-Pacific, South Africa, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef Australia, New Caledonia
Temperament / Behavior : In the ocean they can form large schools but given the size of most home aquariums this isn't going to be feasible to recreate. They may fight with other triggers but should do fine with similarly sized fish such as tangs. The bigger they get, the more aggressive they get.
Breeding : these triggerfish are nest builders and males will guard the eggs waiting for them to hatch. 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.
Aquarium Size : 180 gallon minimum for one Niger Triggerfish, much larger for keeping multiples.
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. I wouldn't keep them in a reef tank, though some hobbyists do. Inverts such as crabs and shrimps may become food for this trigger. Female to female aggression is common with this species.
Fish Disease : Saltwater Fish Disease Section. These triggers are hardy, but Quarantine and even consider doing a freshwater, pH adjusted dip before introducing them to your display.
Diet / Foods : Niger Triggerfish form large schools in the ocean to feed on zooplankton. In the home aquarium you can give them nearly anything and they will go after it. Being omnivores you should try to give them a varied diet of marine origin meaty foods like Krill, clams on the half shell, thawed mysis, brine, etc. Rod's marine omnivore foods are good and have a lot of different foods in it.
Tank Region : All over
Gender : Don't know of any external characteristics to be used to identify male from female.
Photo Credit : Photos copyright JJPhoto.dk
Site References :
Fishbase
Wikipedia
Forum : Triggerfish Forum
References / Recommended Reading :
Michael, S. W. (2001). Marine Fishes, 500+ Essential to Know Aquarium Species. T.F.H. Publications.
More Triggerfish Profiles
Picasso Triggerfish
This is an amazing looking triggerfish and this triggerfish is one of the more easy going of the trigger fishes but it can still become dangerous in a tank full of smaller aquarium fish and invertebrates.
Pink Tail Triggerfish
The Pink Tail Trigger is just like other triggers when it comes to modifying the rock work to their liking. Keep this in mind if you have any loose fitting rocks to prevent damage to your fish tank, corals and fish.