Black Durgon

About

The Black Durgon (Melichthys niger) is one of those triggerfish that breaks the mold. Most keepers expect aggression and destruction from the family, but this species is genuinely mild-mannered compared to its relatives, making it a reasonable choice even for hobbyists who are newer to marine fish. It's a deep, almost uniform black with thin pale-blue or white lines running along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, giving it a clean, understated look that stands out in a reef setting. In the wild it has a circumglobal range, though it's most densely concentrated around isolated oceanic islands rather than continental reef systems. Out on the reef it tends to hang around crests and drop-offs, sometimes drifting up into open water to pick zooplankton out of the current, and can form loose aggregations of varying sizes. One of the more remarkable behaviors documented in the wild involves groups following spinner dolphins and feeding opportunistically on whatever the cetaceans release. A behavioral flexibility that says a lot about how adaptable this species is as a feeder. In the aquarium it accepts a wide range of foods readily, which keeps feeding simple. A large tank is still a must given its potential adult size, and it should have plenty of open swimming room.