Fun Black Triggerfish Facts For Kids

The black triggerfish, also known as the Hawaiian black triggerfish or black durgon, belongs to the Balistidae family. The binomial or scientific name of this fish is Melichthys Niger.

It is often confused with the Indian Triggerfish. The habitat of this fish includes open waters, exposed coral reefs, shallows, and also inhabit shores and islands.

This fish is known to be circum-tropical, that is it can be spotted in oceans all around the world which have the same tropical latitude. It can be found on the shores of Hawaii, Polynesia, the East Indies, and the Indian Ocean.

This fish usually hides in the coral reefs and the rock crevices. These fish feed on small fish, squid, algae, and other marine life plants.

This fish appears to be black but in good or bright lighting, it is observed that it is dark blue or blue-green. It has bold or noticeable white stripes or lines on its anal and dorsal fin.

The nest of these fish is dug in the seafloor and these eggs are glued until they hatch. Females are known to guard these eggs most of the time.

The males and females are known to be quite aggressive during this period.

These fish are known to be kept as pets but they require big tanks and you should be careful in placing them with other fish as not all fish can be kept as tankmates for these fish. These fish are known to live for about 8 years in the wild.

The tank should be like the marine environment and include reefs and rocks for this fish's hiding. The conservation status of this fish is Least Concern.

It is quite fascinating to know about this species of fish and if you are interested, read about reef shark facts and zebra shark facts.

Black Triggerfish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a black triggerfish?

The black triggerfish is a fish.

What class of animal does a black triggerfish belong to?

It belongs to the class Actinopterygii of fish.

How many black triggerfish are there in the world?

There is no specific number of these fish that has been recorded or estimated.

Where does a black triggerfish live?

This fish is known to be found all around the world and some of its ranges include Hawaii, Polynesia, East Indies, Indian Ocean, and Africa.

What is a black triggerfish's habitat?

The Hawaiian black triggerfish can be found in tropical regions in open waters, exposed coral reefs, and shallows, and also inhabit shores and islands. The preferred depth of this fish includes 15-115 ft (5-35 m).

These tend to live in the rock or coral formations outside the reef and tend to emerge on the surface to feed on algae and zooplankton.

Who do black triggerfish live with?

These species are known to be solitary but can sometimes be spotted in small groups.

How long does a black triggerfish live?

These species can live up to eight years in the wild and are known to live for up to 20 years in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

The rare black triggerfish just like other fish choose or select a mate, lay, and then fertilize their eggs. The mating period of these fish is known to be associated with certain tidal aspects or factors or the moon.

After this, the nest is dug in the seafloor. The eggs of this species are glued until they hatch. Sometimes, the eggs are covered with broken, hard shells.

Both the males and females are known to guard the eggs but the females guard them for more time. The males and females of this species are known to be very aggressive during this period.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of this species is Least Concern.

Black Triggerfish Fun Facts

What do black triggerfish look like?

This fish is balloon-shaped and has bright white lines or stripes on its anal and dorsal fin. The body color of this fish appears to be black but the actual color of this fish is dark-blue or blue-green.

There is an orangish hint towards the head of the fish. Around the eyes and on the face, this fish has thin turquoise-blue lines. The dorsal fin is hard and spiny and is carried flat while they swim.

How cute are they?

The Hawaiian black triggerfish is considered cute because of its size and color.

How do they communicate?

Not much information is available about the communication of the black triggerfish or the Hawaiian black triggerfish but it is known to use chemical and tactile cues or methods.

How big is a black triggerfish?

This species is quite smaller than the stone triggerfish and on average is 12 in (305 mm) long but can be up to 18 in (457 mm) long sometimes.

How fast can a black triggerfish swim?

The exact speed of this fish is unknown but is known to be fast.

How much does a black triggerfish weigh?

The weight of this is unknown.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for a male and females of these species.

What would you call a baby black triggerfish?

There is no particular name for a baby black triggerfish.

What do they eat?

Hawaiian black triggerfish are known to be omnivorous and feed on marine plant life, zooplankton, algae, squid, and other small fish.

It has been observed or found in a study that there has been evidence of spinner dolphin vomit and feces in the diet of this fish.

Are they poisonous?

This fish is not considered poisonous and is not dangerous to humans as they are not venomous and carry any sort of unusual marine pathogens.

Would they make a good pet?

This species makes a manageable pet but it should be housed with other fish carefully and its tank or aquarium should be big enough as this species needs a lot of space to move or swim around and a lot of place for hiding and thus, include reefs and rocks in the tank.

Feeding of these fish should be done three times a day. These fish can be fed squids, shrimps, clams, and some vitamin-enriched herbivore food items.

These fish are known to live for about 20 years in captivity while living around 8 years in the wild.

Did you know...

There are various other common names for this species that include black durgon, black oldwife, blackfish, black durgon triggerfish, ebony triggerfish, negro trigger, Hawaiian black trigger, and Hawaiian black triggerfish.

This species of fish can often be confused with other species of fish like the Indian triggerfish and the black-finned triggerfish.

This triggerfish uses its dorsal fin spine to hold itself in its place during sleeping so that it is not easy for the predator to pull it out of its hiding place and it is also used to warn them off and sometimes as a weapon too.

Predators of these fish or other animals that feed on the fish include sharks and other larger fish.

The range of these Hawaiian black triggerfish is known to be around 20 degrees north and south of the equator, that is tropical regions around the world.

It is believed that the black triggerfish can change color according to its surroundings.

Some other fish that can be put in a tank with this fish include angelfish, eel, and snappers, and should not be kept in a tank with lionfish.

Some or most of the species of the triggerfish can bite and can get aggressive and the most fearsome species is considered to be Titan triggerfish.  

Do humans eat them?

Not much information is available about this fish used for human consumption but some species of triggerfish are edible and consumed or fed on by humans.

Are triggerfish aggressive?

Most of the triggerfish species are known to be aggressive and the black triggerfish is known to be the least aggressive but still can be aggressive.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish including catfish facts and herring facts.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Black triggerfish coloring pages.