The Starry Triggerfish is identified primarily by the white “stars” on it’s back. This juvenile specimen also has distinctive black markings extending to below the eyes and has the close-set spots on it’s body.
Pictures of adult specimens show the black coloration and the spots faded but the stars on it’s back are still identifiable.
Heather reports this about her Starry Triggerfish:
“On observing the Stellatus behavior for the past few months I have found it to be the least dominant Trigger in the tank. She does occasionally have a nip or two in her pectoral fins – given by the Niger also in the tank. The Stellatus avoids my juvenile Undulated, and though the Undulated does not act aggressive towards the Stellatus (yet) he often will steal the food right from her mouth and retreat to the rocks (he does not do this with the Niger). Of course this pecking order may change as they grow and it may just be particular to my fish.”
- For more information on keeping this fish see: Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
Family: | Balistidae |
Genus: | Abalistes |
Species: | stellatus |
Maintenance difficulty
The Starry Triggerfish is easy to keep. Triggers are among the hardiest of all marine fish.
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
Starry Triggerfish are found in the Western Pacific to East Africa and the Red Sea; usually found on mud or silty sand
bottoms.
Foods
All kinds of meaty foods including crustaceans, mollusks, and fish.
Social Behaviors
Usually is not aggressive towards other triggerfish, but we are not sure about other kinds of fish. See Heather Lettengarvers’ comment above.
Sexual differences
Recommended light levels
Breeding/Reproduction
Temperature
Length/Diameter of fish
Starry Triggerfish adults can grow to 60 cm (23.5 inches).
Minimum Tank Length/Size
A minimum 150 gallon aquarium is recommended.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
Availability
This fish is rarely available.
- Beginner Fish – Saltwater fish for beginners
- Community Fish – Peaceful Saltwater fish
- Hardy Fish – Hardy Saltwater fish
Starry triggerfish (Abalistes stellatus) (Image Credit: Rickard Zerpe, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)