Pinktail Triggerfish
Classification
  • Order: Tetraodontiformes
  • Family: Balistidae
  • Genus: Melichthys
  • Species: vidua

Pinktail triggerfish are medium-sized fish with large, deep green scales, small mouths and high-set eyes. This species can grow to be up to 15 inches long. Their tail fin is a pale pink color with dark bands around the outer edges while the pectoral fins are bright yellow and dorsal fins are blue. They are often found in loose groups with other pinktail triggerfish.

Triggerfish spend most of their time looking for food and eating. They have four beak-like teeth which continue to grow throughout their life. In order to prevent these teeth from becoming overgrown, triggerfish consume many hard, shelled items as a part of their diet. Their strong jaws help with this.

Fun Fact

Triggerfish are named for a triggering mechanism found in their three dorsal fin spines. When a triggerfish feels threatened, it will swim into a tight crevice and lock the first spine in an upright position using the second spine as a “trigger” and wedging the fish in. Once the threat has passed, the second spine is triggered again, releasing the first spine and giving the fish enough room to swim free.

Pinktail Triggerfish at the Akron Zoo

Our pinktail triggerfish can be found in Curious Creatures, located in the Komodo Kingdom building.