Black durgon

Care at a glance

Overview

Give a black durgon a tank of at least 470 litres with open swimming space and some rock, at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.0 to 8.4. It is calmer than most triggers but can still nip ornamental shrimp and small inverts, so it is reef-safe only with caution. It generally leaves corals alone. Feed a mix of meaty foods and marine algae or nori, as it grazes as well as hunts. It is an active, hungry swimmer that appreciates strong flow.

In the wild

The black durgon looks plain dark from a distance but up close it glows with blue-green scales and pale lines along the fin bases. It is one of the more peaceful triggerfish and spends its time cruising the open water rather than hiding in rock. On the reef it feeds high in the water column on drifting plankton and algae.

Good to know

Melichthys niger reaches around 40 cm and, unlike most triggers, is largely a mid-water planktivore, which makes it one of the more reef-tolerant members of the family. Its dark body reflects an iridescent blue-green sheen in good light. Like all triggers it can lock its dorsal spine upright to wedge into a crevice at night.

Common questions

Related species

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