Clown Triggerfish

• alimentaciónIts strong teeth can crush the shells of sea urchins and small crustaceans, and it gives an audible grunt when threatened.
• It owes its name to a locking mechanism: it raises the first dorsal spine and locks it with a second, smaller spine, wedging itself into a crevice so that it is impossible to pull out.
• It attacks sea urchins from below, blowing jets of water at them to turn them over and reach the side without spines.
• Triggerfish defend their nest aggressively and will charge divers who come close during the breeding season.
• Its first dorsal spine works like a trigger, hence the family's name: it raises it and locks it with a second, smaller spine, wedging itself into a crevice so that no predator can pull it out.
• It swims by undulating its dorsal and anal fins rather than with its tail, which gives it enormous manoeuvrability at low speed.
• Its teeth are strong, capable of breaking sea urchins, molluscs and crustaceans; it can turn an urchin over to attack it from the soft side.
• It is territorial and aggressive when breeding: triggerfishes defend their nest on the bottom with charges, and some related species have attacked divers.
• Its pattern of large white spots on a black belly makes it unmistakable and much sought after in the aquarium hobby.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (fish)

Habitat and environment

Coral reefs with drop-offs and crevices in the Indo-Pacific, from 5 to 75 m

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Balistoides conspicillum