It seems like it has been a while since we came across a newsworthy xanthic fish, so when we spotted these two knockdown gorgeous yellow undulate triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus) from Ocean and Sea BKK Thailand on the net, we knew we had to share them. Normally, the species exhibits a green body with yellowish-orange stripes, but these xanthic forms have an entirely yellow body with orange stripes and a significant amount of spots. There are remnants of their natural coloration located below the second dorsal fin and a little behind the eye, but for the most part, the fish ditch their old look entirely. The second specimen (pictured at the end of this article) seems to have none of its natural color at all.
We reached out to Ocean and Sea BKK Thailand for more information, but all we got were a few pictures. We’re not complaining by any means, but due to certain language barriers and time constraints on their part, our questions went mostly unanswered. However, we did find out that there were two individuals that have come into the aquarium trade.
We do not know what will become of either of these fish. Certain wholesalers and collectors have already reached out to the Bangkok-based Ocean and Sea in order to purchase them, but we keep hearing that the person running their page will answer a question or two then disappear. We have the same experience, but decided to press on without any additional information anyways.
For those unfamiliar with the species, the undulate triggerfish are quite interesting to say the least. They can get pretty sizable and can be fairly aggressive, though we’ve come across many individuals that have just had the best personalities.
We hope to hear more about these fish as time goes on, but until then we’ll just have to stare longingly at their images.
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