About Redtooth Triggerfish
The redtooth triggerfish is a comparatively peaceful trigger that swims in the open water column rather than picking apart rockwork. Reef-safe with caution — it tolerates corals but will sample small ornamental inverts.
The redtoothed triggerfish 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, Niger triggerfish, blue triggerfish, redfang triggerfish, and redtooth filefish.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Sleek triggerfish with deep blue-purple body and characteristic red teeth visible when feeding. Sickle-shaped tail. More streamlined and elegant than most triggers.
In your tank. Among the most peaceful triggers — swims in the open water column rather than tearing apart rockwork. Reef-compatible with caution: tolerates corals but will sample small ornamental shrimp and crabs.
Care notes. Aggressive toward other triggers and similar-shaped tankmates. Usually housed singly. 100+ gallons for adults.
Sourcing and feeding. Wild-collected from Indo-Pacific reefs; widely available ($40–100). Carnivore — meaty foods, krill, squid, hard-shelled foods to manage tooth growth.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related fish
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 219883).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: (c) Ahirbudhnyan M, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).