The Picasso Triggerfish stuffed animal shown above was made by Douglas Cuddle Toys. Unfortunately it has been discontinued. Our sponsor, Jeannie's Cottage LLC, carries several fish stuffed animals including the Mahi Mahi, Moorish Idol Fish and the Sailfish.
The Triggerfish belongs to the Balistidae family. When endangered, its dorsal spine becomes erect. The second dorsal spine also becomes erect, locking the first spine in place. This defensive mechanism can make for a very unpleasant meal for a predator. This mechanism is also used to wedge the fish into a tight place and when the dorsal spine is erect, it is almost impossible to remove the fish from its hideout. Triggerfish are fearless, aggressive and ill-tempered. They feed on crustaceans, echinoderms, mollusks and fireworms and starfish.
There are about 40 species of Triggerfish, which are often brightly colored. Marked by spots and lines, they can be found in tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world. Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, such as coral reefs, but a few are pelagic (found in open seas). Several species from this family are popular aquarium fish, though they can be ill-tempered. Their lifespan in an aquarium environment can be 5 to 10 years.
The average size of the Triggerfish is from 8 to 20 inches. The largest member of the family, the stone triggerfish (Pseudobalistes naufragium) reaches 3.3 feet. The Picasso Trigger is about 10 inches.
Triggerfish have a compressed body, oval in shape. The head is large, terminating in a small but strong- jawed mouth with shell crushing teeth. Unusually intelligent, these fish have the ability to learn from previous experiences.
Some triggerfish species will exhibit aggressive behaviour when guarding their eggs. Both the Picasso (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) and titan triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) viciously defend their nests against intruders. Any scuba divers or snorkelers confronted by an angry Triggerfish should swim away horizontally, since the Triggerfish territory extends in a cone from the nest toward the surface, so swimming upwards can put a diver farther into the fishes' territory. Unlike the relatively small Picasso triggerfish (shown above), the titan triggerfish (30 inches) can be a serious threat to inattentive divers because of its large size and powerful teeth.
