Triggerfish

Picasso or Huma Huma Trigger   
A huma huma (Picasso) trigger and a fuscus trigger

General
Triggerfish are generally very hardy fish. They are also extremely intelligent and there is a wide range of temperaments within each species. Care should be taken when cleaning the tank because these fish will literally bite the hand that feeds them. Individual personalities will show in these fish and a broad generalization may not hold true for your particular specimen.

Feeding/Diet
In nature, triggerfish eat crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, starfish, snails, urchins, etc.) so the diet you offer them should reflect this. A variety of meaty frozen foods is best. Some examples are krill, plankton, clam, and bloodworms, as well as, Ocean Nutrition prepared foods.

Compatibility
Triggerfish are usually fairly aggressive so care should be taken when choosing tank mates. Suitably sized eels, groupers, snappers, squirrelfish, tangs, and wrasses would all be good choices. Invertebrates are probably best left out of the triggerfish aquarium, as they will probably become a meal.

The most aggressive are usually the Undulated (Balistapus undulatus), the Clown (Balistoides conspicillum), and the Queen triggerfish (Balistes vetula). A few of the more mild mannered are the Pink-tail (Melichthys vidua) and the Blue-throat triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus).

Habitat
Most triggerfish grow fairly large, so a 75-gallon should be considered the minimum. They are big eaters so strong filtration is necessary to keep the water quality up. Triggerfish like to hide at night and whenever spooked, so provide some hiding spots.

Best Bets
All Triggerfish are fairly hardy, but do try to take into consideration the aggressiveness of the one that interests you.
Picasso (Humma Humma) Trigger  (
Rhinecanthus aculeatus)
Blue-throat trigger   (Xanthichthys auromarginatus)
Clown Trigger   (Balistoides conspicillum)
Pink-tail Trigger   (Melichthys vidua)
Niger Trigger   (Odonus niger)

Advanced Care
Undulated Trigger  (Balistapus undulatus)
Queen trigger   (Balistes vetula)
 

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Elmer's Aquarium    4005 William Penn Hwy.  Monroeville Pa. 15146,   (Mon-Sat  10-9:30,  Sunday  12-5)   ( 412-372-6535)
Aquarium Specialist Since 1969