Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Not Reef Tank Suitable
Not Suitable for Fish-Only Tank
Range: Indo-Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to Natal South Africa, east to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamotu Islands, north to Southern Japan, and south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.
Size: 12 inches (30 cm)
Natural Environment: Inhabits coral rich areas in deep lagoons and seaward reefs at depths of 10 – 150 feet (3 – 45 m) and feeds on algae, urchins, crustaceans, mollusks, smaller fish, tunicates, hydrozoans, and sponges. Seeks caves in the reef structure to hide or rest during evening hours. Highly territorial in the wild!
General Husbandry: This very pretty and hardy fish has a bluish green body with slanting orange lines on the rear of the head and throughout the body. There’s also slanting blue and orange stripes from around the mouth to below the pectoral fins and a large round black mark at the peduncle. Yet it’s rarely seen in the general trade/local shops because it's the most aggressive of all triggerfishes! It fact, its highly recommended this species be maintained by itself as it will attack even much larger fish and invertebrates of all types. Simply not safe with any type tankmates, nor interior aquarium equipment, e.g., hoses, electrical wiring, etc. May even disfigure, using its teeth, aquarium side panels, glass or acrylic.
In the home aquarium, they require a meaty diet, e.g., chopped fish flesh, shrimp, squid, clam flesh, and/or meaty type frozen carnivore foods, and occasionally some foods containing Spirulina, with two or three feedings per day highly recommended. As to its environmental needs, provide enough rocky caves for it to hide or sleep in.
May also re-aquascape your aquarium to its liking, e.g., make a mess of the sandbed due to its constant searching for infauna/invertebrates. Will also bite the hand that feeds it, so do not place your hands in the aquarium! Keep in mind that generally its recommended not more than one triggerfish be kept per aquarium unless a mated pair, and furthermore, that it be the last fish to be placed into the aquarium. Nevertheless, this species is best kept by itself!
Taxonomy:
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Suborder: Tetraodontoidei
Family: Balistidae
Genus: Balistapus
FYI: Their common name, triggerfish, comes from their ability to lock and unlock their first dorsal fin. This fin is normally retracted and carried in a groove on the upper body. When frightened, the fish will dart into a crevice or branch of coral and raise this trigger-like fin, securely locking itself into its place of protection.
They should be housed with small pieces of seashells since they like to bite on them or turn them over in the search of prey. Better these shells than other aquarium decor. It also helps keep their teeth worn-down, which actually could get too long and pointed and cause them some difficulty in feeding.
In general, triggerfish are like angelfish and surgeonfishes, as they have laterally compressed bodies with small mouths with strong jaws and chisel-like teeth for crushing hard-shelled prey. Eyes are set back and located high on their large head to avoid damage when feeding on urchins, one of their favorite foods.
Preys on sea urchins by squirting water from the mouth under them to overturn, then attacks its meaty underside.
Even though specimen and confines specific, those in the genera Balistes, Balistoides, Pseudobalistes, Rhinecanthus, and Sufflamen are generally thought of as the most aggressive in the Triggerfish family. Those in the Melichthys, Odonus and Xanthichthys genera are more suitable community fish candidates, yet all are not trust worthy when it comes to invertebrates as mentioned above. Nevertheless, this species, Balistapus undulates, the only one in its genera, is by far the most ferocious.
Care Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Very Aggressive/Needing its own private environment
Diet: Carnivore
Acclimation Time: 15 minutes+
Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium
Coral Safe: No
Invertebrate Safe: No
Tankmates: None
Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 – 27°C)
Specific Gravity: 1.020-1.026
pH: 7.9 - 8.5
