Redtoothed triggerfish

The redtoothed triggerfish (Odonus niger) or

Niger triggerfish is a triggerfish of the tropical Indo-Pacific area, and the sole member of its genus. Some other common names include redtooth triggerfish,

Description

Redtoothed triggerfish are normally deep blue or purple with a light blue head,

Behavior and diet

thumb|In captivity

Redtoothed triggerfish may inhabit reef channels or long slopes that have strong water currents. They survive by hiding under between rocks and crevices so they don't get swept away by the water currents. They also may live in the coastal shallow inshore waters at depths of around . Redtoothed triggerfish are omnivorous and mostly opportunistic feeders, with crustaceans as its primary food source. They also feed on zooplankton and algae, and remains of cephalopods and fishes have been found in their stomach.

Reproduction

The redtoothed triggerfish have distinct pairing. They meet at mating grounds where males set up their territories. They build nests to lay their eggs in. The females take care of the eggs while both males and females guard the eggs waiting for them to hatch. While they can breed in the wild, they cannot breed in aquariums.

Gallery

File:Redtoothed triggerfish2.jpg|Group of redtoothed triggerfish feeding on Plankton.

File:Redtoothed triggerfish3.jpg|The red teeth are its distinguishing feature.

File:Taman-nasional-wakatobi cropped.jpg|Shoals of redtoothed triggerfish and threespot dascyllus in Wakatobi National Park

File:Odonus niger 296001703.jpg|In the Maldives

File:Odonus niger 283438686.jpg|In the Red Sea

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References

External links