Bursa Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus verrucosus)

The Bursa Triggerfish or Rhinecanthus verrucosus is one of the many different species of Triggerfish on planet earth. This particular species can grow to about 9" in length and originates from Indonesia. They are called several different names throughout the world including the Black Patch Triggerfish and the Blackbelly Triggerfish.

The Bursa Triggerfish has a mustache of sorts that really gives them an unusual appearance. They also have a colorful mask around their eyes and the classic Triggerfish beak-like mouth, not to mention their dorsal spines that give the Triggerfish its name. This fish will use these spines to wedge itself into tight crevices when threatened.  Bursa Triggerfish can also be identified by a large black circle that is found on the lower half of its body towards it caudal fin (tail).

As you can imagine these saltwater fish are very popular in an aquarium setting and are fairly reasonably priced which makes them all the more popular. An aquarium of about 80 gallons or more with the following water conditions will work well, 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4 and sg 1.020-1.025. These fish are carnivores that should be fed meaty foods like small fish, squid, krill, clams, and plenty of hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth. One interesting fact about these fish is that they tend to make a grunting sound and will often rearrange the furniture in the aquarium.