Triggerfish

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 might 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.
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