Indian triggerfish
Indian triggerfish | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
Family: | Balistidae |
Genus: | Melichthys |
Species: | M. indicus |
Binomial name | |
Melichthys indicus J. E. Randall & Klausewitz, 1973 | |
The Indian triggerfish (Melichthys indicus), also known as the black-finned triggerfish, has a brown body and black fins with white lines at the base of the dorsal and anal fins. It is found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. They can grow up to 10 in (25 cm) long.
The Indian triggerfish usually feeds on hard-shelled mollusks and echinoderms, but some feed on algae and zooplankton. They are often very aggressive over their eggs, but are otherwise harmless. Indian triggerfish are very easy to keep at home, Some are peaceful but some are very aggressive towards other fish.
These are not to be confused with the Hawaiian black triggerfish or black durgon (Melichthys niger), which is often mistaken as being Indian triggerfish within the trade.
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