Starry Triggerfish

About

The starry triggerfish (Abalistes stellaris) is one of the larger members of the triggerfish family, covered in a scattered pattern of pale spots across a tan or brownish body that makes it fairly easy to identify. Its range stretches across the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa all the way to Fiji, reaching as far north as southern Japan. In the wild, adults tend to favor deeper coastal slopes and sandy or muddy flats, and they're often spotted well up in the water column rather than hugging the bottom. Juveniles prefer sheltered bays and estuaries, hanging around rubble and debris on open substrate. A habit that gives them some cover while they grow into their considerable adult size. Like most triggers, this species is a carnivore that hunts benthic invertebrates, so expect it to make short work of any shrimp, snails, or crabs sharing its tank. Despite its size and the typical triggerfish reputation for attitude, it's generally considered manageable for a keeper who's new to the group, provided the tank is large enough to give it real room to move. This is not a community fish. Plan its tankmates carefully and give it space to claim as its own.