Latin Name: Balistoides viridescens
Location: Indian and Pacific Oceans
Size: 75cm
Fun Fact: Also known as “Mustache Triggerfish’ or “Giant Triggerfish”
The titan triggerfish is pretty famous around the world and most divers are more afraid of them than sharks!
Appearance
The triggerfish shape is very easy to spot as they have a unique body shape similar to a rhombus or diamond. The titan triggerfish effortlessly stands out, their base colour is green with dark blue scales, they also have a little mustache above their blue lips and some human looking teeth and this is what makes them so scary.
Their eyes are set high and far back from their mouth so they can feed on urchins. In between their eyes, they have a little spine that can sit in an upright position and fold back down inline with their dorsal spine. The triggerfish erects this spine as a warning sign to other fish and divers to stay away, this is called the trigger and where the fish gets its name from.
The Trigger
The trigger is used for a number of different reasons. The trigger spines can lock into place. Not only does the trigger act as a warning to other fish and divers, but it can also help protect the fish. With its unique body shape, the titan can maneuver sideways into narrow crevices, deploying its trigger spine to wedge themselves in between the rocks. This will trap the fish inside the crevice making it difficult for any predator to try and pull them out.
Why Are They So Scary?
When it comes to the nesting season (this time varies depending on where you are in the world) the females will build a nest which is a circular shape in the sand and their territory expands and runs all the way to near the surface, similar to an upside down cone shape. If you are ever attacked by one of these fish, then you should swim away on your back in a horizontal position, not towards the surface, as you are still in their territory and they will continue to chase you.
The female will mate with a single male. They will perform a dance together and once she has chosen her mate, she will lay her eggs inside the nest and he will externally fertilise them. Whilst the females guard the nest, this is when they can become aggressive, they will fend off anything that comes close to their eggs. Depending on the species, the male will also stay and help guard the nest and the female. This is what makes them great parents.
Different Colours and Sizes
The titan triggerfish shares its habitat with a spectrum of counterparts, each boasting unique colours and patterns, they all have the same body shape, but their colours vary from beautiful bright colours to just one colour all over. The clown and picasso triggerfish are popular with keen photographers. The juvenile flagtail triggerfish looks like half of its body has been dipped in white paint. For smaller ones it is harder to spot their teeth as they look like they are pouting all the time.
A Healthy Reef
You know you have a healthy reef when you see many of these guys around. The titan triggerfish will use its teeth to scrape against coral and bite off pieces of reef and the smaller fish will gather round it trying to catch the smaller pieces. The titan will typically eat small crustaceans, crabs, shrimps, urchins and mollusks. They will help maintain the invertebrate populations on the reef. They are also some of the only predators that will eat crown-of-thorns starfish.