Black Durgeon/Hawaiian Trigger fish

maeistero

Active Member

yes as far as i know from the paperwork i was privvy to all the fish were collected from hawaii or indonesia area. we had discussions on how they were collected as we didn't know. very problematic though parasite-wise, and from this point forward i will stick with fish i can rescue from local rich people that have to move without their fish/turtles/lizards. then quarantine them as they don't know anything usually. i think it's better to have a history than just taking in something and quarantine. quarantine seems half and half to me so i will wait for someone to move. luckily (sp?) i live near ku so i get all my stuff free come semester! :cheer:
i'm just lucky to live so close to so many heartless pet owners i guess!

btw, landry's fired 5 of 7 after things were sorted out aquarium-wise and ran smoothly. don't quit a good job to follow your dream job.
if you want to work for the new 'straunts, plan on not doing what you want. they will move you to waiter.
don't worry about me, i have a punching bag setup to figure out and stupid stuck windshield wipers.
is there a smiley for rage? and a link for no holes in the wall? freaking crickets and carpenter ants are driving me to checking out morgage rates and a new area.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
AGRSIV210 wrote;
Hates Sushi the fish you currently own is an indian ocean trigger Melichthys Indicus, it is not a black hawaiian trigger Melichthys Niger. If you look at the link of the aquariums in the restaurant those are Black Hawaiian triggers. Very similar in appearance but the colors the hawaiian displays are much more colorful than that of the Indian Ocean Trigger. The indian ocean trigger color range is black to a yellowish green. Black hawaiian displays teal, gold, red, green, not to mention the lines on the head of this fish are much more appealing than that of the indian ocean trigger.

With all due respect the one I have is a Hawaiian Black Trigger. He has changed his colors a bit in those pics and they are under incandescent light giving him more of brownish yellow in one. He never has looked green.
Mine actually looks like the ones in your restaurant pics only a bit prettier. Since I put him in the DT the lines around his eyes really stand out as blue or teal. I have seen black, teal, gold, red, and lots of blue in the tail but no green yet.
Also, I bought him from this website as a Hawaiian Black and waited about 2 months for him although he is bigger then I expected. If he is by chance not a Hawaiian Black then this site will have something to answer to.
I will try to get some decent pic tomorrow when he is awake.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
As an update, I moved the Trigger to the DT and the other fish took to him nicely so far. My 2 inch maroon clown was a bit intimidated by his size at first and hid. In the last few days the clown has agressively let the trigger know what her territory is around her GSP coral. She would swim up really fast and nip at the triggers side and the trigger ignores her (no damage), but anyway the Trigger slowly swims around happily avoiding the clowns diggs and the clown doesn't hide anymore. Even the Goby came out the next day and isn't scared of him like he was with the tang.
The Trigger acclimated so well he would spit water out of the bucket. when I put him in the tank he never hid and never got shy. He swam around and his new tank mates seemed to take to him really quick. The Kole tang, Coral Beauty, and Trigger swim together now, of course the tang still chases the coral beauty once in a while for fun.
 

aw2x3

Active Member
I strongly agree...definately a black Hawaiin Durgeon and and not the Indian Ocean Trigger. I was going to say so, before the other posts, but completely forgot.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
I must say AW2x3 that you were right about them all getting along in the tank together. They all seem to be best of buds now. I hope it stays that way.
 

agrsiv210

Member
I understand what you are saying but look at the difference in pics. Here are yours and compare them to the others. BIG DIFFERENCE. AW2 I know you know your stuff but I am going to have to disagree with you on this. Please take this with all do respect. This is my favorite fish in the hobby, I have done a ton of research. There is no way you can say that the pic i have posted that is the one in your tank looks like the one that is a black hawaiian. I am just saying email this site and get your money back or get the right fish that you have paid for. Have a good day.


 

hatessushi

Active Member
I see what you mean. The marking between the 2 are different, my mistake. I still would not go by the coloring since they change colors. I did some more research late last night and found that the information is pretty skewed between sources. What I mean is that some call the Hawaiian Black Trigger and when they list other names for it they would say the Black Durgeon or Indian Trigger. After comparing markings and fin shapes of the 2 I found that the Hawaiians (M.niger) tail fin comes to a more pointed tips on each end and that thin point gets longer with age. The Indian (M. indicus) stays rounded like mine. Also the fact that the Hawaiian (M. niger) size gets to about 20 inches and the Indian (M.indicus) gets to about 10. I believe you are correct and the commercial fish sellers may be just mixing them up or this site mixed it up. Hmm, I really don't think they would replace it. Besides we really love this fish, such personality.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
Wait, now you threw me off. Your link shows just the opposite of what I just said. The tailfin is pointed on the indicus. Ok, now I am confused. I have seen the same information for both fish. Now i don't know what to think. I guess I flunked the course.
 

hatessushi

Active Member
You mentioned that before. It makes me wonder why they are rare. Are they just hard to come by or to take care of? To me it seems they are easy to take care of but I have no real information on temperment and such. The other thing is that if this was a hawaiian it would get to big for my tank and I could only keep it for a year or so since they get to 20inches whereas the Indian gets to 10inches. Do you have any information on temperment? I sent this company an email that they are advertising the wrong fish for sale but I don't expect a response.
Sorry to have hijacked this thread
 

maeistero

Active Member
:thinking: i've worked with some of the premier (or so they say) national aquarists. i don't think i would vouch for that as a niger. it is something i haven't seen so you have something pretty exceptional there!
i'd grab it up and keep intense coverage and notes on water quality. you could have a publication on this guy/gal.
 

aw2x3

Active Member
Originally Posted by AGRSIV210
I understand what you are saying but look at the difference in pics. Here are yours and compare them to the others. BIG DIFFERENCE. AW2 I know you know your stuff but I am going to have to disagree with you on this. Please take this with all do respect. This is my favorite fish in the hobby, I have done a ton of research. There is no way you can say that the pic i have posted that is the one in your tank looks like the one that is a black hawaiian. I am just saying email this site and get your money back or get the right fish that you have paid for. Have a good day.

No offense taken...that's one of the reasons this board is here...to try to find answers and not everyone is always gonna agree. Not a big deal.
I'm still not convinced tho. You've got two low light, non-flash pictures and then one VERY bright picture and you're calling them different fish, based on that.
I've been diving in Hawaii many time (10+) and have seen hundreds of these fish schooling. Never have I seen one with the colors of what you posted (the bright pic).
After looking around, I dont even see any different between the Melichthys Indicus and Melichthys Niger. What differences have you found, AGRSIV210?
Below are pics of the one that I had. It would sometimes be almost black, with dark green lines on its face. Other times, it would be lime green and a dull yellow, with neon green lines on it's face.


 

ledzep fan

Active Member
Hey everyone, i was wondering instead of a Hawaiian Black Trigger could i get a sohal tang?? He would be with all these fish. Thanks
 

hatessushi

Active Member
Sohal gets up to around 18 inches. IMO a small one could go in your tank but when it gets big it should have at least a 180g tank.
 
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