Grey triggerfish - Balistes carolinensis

Species Name: Balistes carolinensis

Synonyms: Balistes carolinensis, Nematobalistes forcipatus, Balistes carolinensis, Balistes capriscus, Balistes forcipatus, Balistes spilotopterygius, Balistes buniva, Balistes caprinus, Balistes fuliginosus, Balistes capriscus, Balistes taeniopterus, Balistes powellii, Balistes moribundus

Common Names: Grey triggerfish

Family: Balistidae (Triggerfishes)

Order: Tetraodontiformes (puffers and filefishes)

Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)

Max.Size: 60.0 cm / 23.6 inches

Environment: Marine-reef

Origin: Eastern Central and Western central Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea, Southeast Pacific

Temperament: Relatively aggressive

Company: Balistes carolinensis (Grey triggerfish) will not like an aquarium that is filled with a lot of other fishes from the same family. They can show aggressive behaviours in a reef tank or community aquarium, but a large aquarium will lower the risk of aggressive behaviour. Always avoid Lionfishes and eels.

Aquarium Setup: Balistes carolinensis (Grey triggerfish) enjoys a varied setup with a lot of things to investigate. A large tank will reduce the risk of aggressive behaviour. Water must be clean and well filtered. A deep sand bed is not suitable.

Food: Balistes carolinensis (Grey triggerfish) eat a varied diet in the wild, including crabs, molluscs, benthic invertebrates, other benthic organisms such as algae, echinoderms, fishes, hydrozoans, sponges and tunicates. A suitable aquarium diet can be based on shrimp, clams and fish fillet.

Breeding: We have no information about the breeding of Balistes carolinensis (Grey triggerfish) in aquariums.