Redtooth Triggerfish
Odonus niger
Forms large blue-violet aggregations in the current over Red Sea drop-offs.
Family
Balistidae
Avg Size
30-50 cm
Habitat
Widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, the redtoothed triggerfish ranges from the east coast of Africa out to the Marquesas and Society Islands. Its range reaches as far north as southern Japan and as far south as Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Behaviour
This species favours reef channels and steep slopes swept by strong currents, sheltering among rocks and crevices to avoid being carried off; it also occupies shallow inshore waters at depths of roughly 30 to 100 feet (9.1 to 30.5 m). An opportunistic omnivore, it feeds mainly on crustaceans but also takes zooplankton and algae, and remains of cephalopods and fishes have been found in its stomach.
Where & When to See It
Amphoras
Abu Nuhas
Banana Reef
Big Giftun
Careless Reef
Carnatic
Dunraven (Beacon Rock)
Eel Garden
El Erug
El Fanous West
El Mina Wreck
Elphinstone
Erg Abu Ramada
Erg Sabina
Erg Somaya
Fiddle Garden
Giannis D
The Alternatives
The Ulysses
Thistlegorm
Tower
Umm Gamar North
Laguna Reef
Turtle Reef
Gota Abu Ramada
Habili Ali
Hamda
Jackfish Alley
Kimon M
Middle Garden
Panorama Reef
Ras Burg
Ras Disha
Ras Ghozlani
Ras Katy
Ras Um Sid
Ras Zaatar
Salem Express
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Shaab Abu Nugar
Shaab Claudia
Shaab Eissa
Shaab El Erg
Shaab Eshta
Shaab Maksur
Shaab Petra
Shaab Sabina
Shaab Sataya
Shabrur Um Gamar
Shag Rock (Kingston)
Shark & Yolanda Reef
Shark Observatory
Siyul Kebira
Small Crack
Sodfa
Soma Bay Garden
Temple
The Barge at Bluff Point
Turft El Shahed
Turtle Bay
Umm Gamar South
White Knight
Abu Dabbab
Abu Ghalawa
Abu Kifan
Abu Ramada North
Abu Ramada South
Abu Hashish
Belina Wreck
Bluff Point
Chrisoula K
El Fanadir
Far Garden
Fury Shoals
Kormoran
Near Garden
Paradise
Pinky Wall
Rosalie Moller
Sha'ab Sharm
Shark's Bay
Small Giftun
Gordon Reef
Ras Ghamila
Ras Nasrani
Ras Bob
Thomas Reef
Jackson Reef
Woodhouse Reef