Titan Triggerfish (enhanced image) - Giant titan of the Reef

Titan Triggerfish (enhanced image) - Giant titan of the Reef

Titan Triggerfish close-up. Titan Triggerfish are the largest Triggerfish in the Indo-Pacific region, round mostly in lagoons and reefs. They are the workers of the reef, often busy turning over rocks, stirring up the sand and biting off pieces of branching corals. Triggerfish derive their name from their dorsal spine which can be locked into an raised position by an additional, smaller dorsal spine. The raised spine is released by depressing the smaller (trigger) spine. The more aggressive Triggerfish use their raised spine as a warning for fish or other creatures invading their territory. Also, very cleverly, they use their spine to lock themselves into coral crevasses. Female Triggerfish become very territorial and aggressive during the nesting season.

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Titan Triggerfish Facts
Other names: Moustache Triggerfish, Giant Triggerfish
Scientific name: Balistoides viridescens
Family: Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Max. size: 75 cm
Diet: Sea urchins, coral, crustaceans, mollusks, tube worms
Habitat: Lagoons, seaward reefs, inner reef slopes
Depth: 1 - 50 metres
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Delagoa Bay, Mozambique and east to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia.