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Undulate Triggerfish

Orange-lined Triggerfish Family: Balistidae

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Balistapus undulatus

   Even though he's a beauty, this guy has the reputation of being the most aggressive triggerfish! Which means the Undulate Triggerfish or Orange-lined Triggerfish may be the most aggressive fish, period! Actually they are okay when they are small, but get cantankerous as they get older.

   Make sure you have a large aquarium or not very many other fish. Give it lots of room and a cave or rocks to retreat into.

   The Undulate Triggerfish or Orange-lined Triggerfish can be worth keeping since it is lively, colorful, and will grow to be a nice pet, taking food from the owners' hand! Watch your fingers though, the teeth are very sharp and can deliver a painful bite.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance:
   Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. We generally feed squid, shrimp (the same kind people eat), mussels, and all kinds of chopped up fish.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
   Undulate Triggerfish or Orange-lined Triggerfish are found in the Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Natal, South Africa (Ref. 4420) and east to the Line, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. Occurs in coral-rich areas of deep lagoon and seaward reefs from the lower surge zone to at least 50 meters.

Foods:
   Feeds on a variety of benthic organisms such as algae, echinoderms, fishes, mollusks, tunicates, sponges, and hydrozoans. All kinds of meaty foods including starfish and sea urchins, snails, mussels, calcareous algae, and pieces of passing fish.

Social Behaviors:
   Generally this fish is aggressive towards other fish, especially other triggerfish. Has a territorial nature.

Sex: Sexual differences:
   Unknown. Eggs laid as one cluster in a shallow excavation on sand or rubble along channels.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Temperature:
   No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Undulate Triggerfish or Orange-lined Triggerfish adults can grow to 30 cm (12 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 60 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   No special requirements.

Availability:
   This fish is available from time to time.

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Latest Comments
I have an undulate trigger and a picasso with a foxface rabbitfish, coral beauty, and two clown fish. So far there have been no deaths but the undulate is very aggresive. No one dares go into his cave or there certainly would be a death. The picasso used to rule the tank but now he just stays out of the way and sleeps on the other side of the tank, not anywhere near his old cave (the undulates new home). The undulate also has nipped a lot of the tail from the coral beauty. Like other people said, very aggresive but also interesting and pretty. NP 2009-02-15
I had an undulate, about 4 inches, in a 75 gallon with a similar sized picasso, niger, and a 16 inch wolf eel. Well, I fed them more than the required amount daily, and he still ate the niger and ate a lot of the fins off the wolf eel. The picasso stayed out of his way for the most part. I loved the way he looked but I hated his appetite. He would snatch all the food immediately, take it to his domain and feast. I took him back to the store and got 45 bucks for him. Rob 2008-06-09
My Undulate is now 4" and well. Entertaining with a massive attitude against a 6" Picasso and at time a 9" Emperor Snapper. No permanent damage or fatalities in the last 12 months, so I'm adding a 5" Blue Trigger tomorrow! (Oh Oh?). By the way, my Tomato Clown also puts him in his place. STEVE NICHOLSON 2007-09-02
I've had an Undulated Trigger and a Volitan Lionfish in the same tank for quite some time now, and have not seen the two get into any territorial disputes or anything. However, the Trigger's reputation as being a killer is true, as I have had other fish introduced into the aquarium and they were killed shortly after by the Trigger. I guess it's a matter as to what sorts of fish your have in the same tank as the Undulated Trigger. Anonymous 2007-02-15
Am getting rid of a 6"er and real fat; he's just too crazy. Pulls the food out of every fish's mouth and then after eating attacks them all. His fovorite is a clown trigger about his size. Already ate a nice passive niger trigger and he's just too nasty to keep. Thought about starting a new tank but he's too nasty. It's back to the pet shop for him. Barry Asrelsky 2006-11-25
Some of the coolest comments:
I have an Undulate Trigger living with a Yellow Tang... they have been together since they were babies and believe it or not they are best buds... every now and then the tang will cross the line and the Undulate gets a little nasty but the next day all is well. What I find most odd is the Undulates behavior of building... this guy will literally move all of the sand, gravel, rocks and coral in the tank to one side... he builds these huge mountains on one side of the tank and leaves only the glass on the other side... each time I go in to clean the tank I level off the sand and gravel and move the rocks back, he goes crazy and starts attacking me... than within a few days the mountain is rebuilt... I have had saltwater aquariums for years and have never encountered this behavior.. it's amazing to watch him work tirelessly and I am actually starting to feel bad about re-arranging his home...:-) AR 2009-03-13
I agree when you said this trigger is the most agrressive of them all with the excemption of course of the clown trigger. My undulate trigger is only about 2 inches long but his appettite is unexplainable, he eats anything & his favorite; small clown fishes. His peaceful towards his tankmates but when he sees any dying fish he bites them until death together with my niger. A very active fish but be careful of putting it with smaller vulnerable species. Pipo 2004-04-30

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