Odonus niger

Common Name: Red-toothed Trigger	Red-toothed Trigger More Photos
Common Names: Akamongara (Japanese) Baliste bleu (French) Baliste dents rouges (French) Bbugesaf (Woleaian) Black triggerfish (English) Blue triggerfish (English) Bourse manène (Creole) Green triggerfish (English) Himarah hamra'a sin (Arabic) Jebong (Malay/Indonesian) Karkamba (Arabic) Mwáánni weneyité (Satawalese Carolinian) Pejepuerco dentirojo (Spanish) Porco dentes vermelhos (Portuguese) Ppwukusaf (Satawalese Carolinian) Purple triggerfish (English) Redtooth triggerfish (English) Red-toothed triggerfish (English) Vaalan rondu (Dhiveli)	Scientific Synonyms: Odonus erythrodon (Günther 1870) Odonus niger (Rüppell 1836) Xenodon niger (Rüppell 1836)

Distribution : The tropical Western Pacifc, The Great Barrier Reef, Northern and Western Indian Ocean. Occurs in current-swept seaward coral reefs. Juveniles are often associated with isolated patches of rubble or crevices with proper-sized shelter holes. Usually forms loose aggregations.

Size : Grows to about 50 cm in length.

Description: As can be seen from differing common names, the colouring of the Red-toothed Trigger is highly variable, but despite body colour the fish always have distinctive red teeth.. The torpedo shaped body is a dark, dull charcoal grey (or blue, green or purple) with slightly brighter colouring at the head. Deep blue lines radiate from the mouth to the pectoral fins and the eye sockets. The lower jaw is marginally more protusive than the upper. The caudal fin displays a blue sheen, with distinct pale grey rays. The anal fin and second dorsal fins share the basic body colour and are edged in blue, with white or blueish lines at the base. As these fins are opaque, the Red-toothed Trigger shows the "balistiform" method of propulsion to good effect. The scales of the fish are shaped in a way that give it a diamond shaped pattern all across its body. with dorsal and anal fin at the caudal area; Greenish-blue body with black longitudinal lines but can look all black;

Diet : Feeds on zooplankton as well as on sponges, crustacea, molluscs. Like many other species the Red-toothed Triggerfish can eject a powerful jet of water from its jaws. By holding its body vertically this jet may be directed at the sandy substrate, and is used to scare up shrimps and other small crustacea from the sea floor.

Comments : Red-toothed Triggers are friendly and inquisitive fish and adapt well to aquarium life. Growing to nearly two feet these fish are not for the average home aquarium. Provide a large tank with lots of open swimming space and cover the aquarium because these fish will jump. In the home aquarium we've noted that both of our Red-toothed triggers would swim at the top of the tank spitting up at the cover, presumably to dislodge any food lodged there. The Red-toothed Trigger isn't as aggressive as other members of the family, but care should still be taken in selecting tank mates. Only fishes that will grow to the same large size should be kept with them, or these fish will outgrow their tank mates and soon take over the tank.

Occasionally seen as a food fish, the Red-toothed Trigger is marketed fresh or dried-salted.