TankBud

Triggerfish

Triggerfish are bold, intelligent and often aggressive, which makes them a FOWLR fish rather than a reef fish. They lock a spiny first dorsal fin upright to wedge into rock, and their strong teeth make short work of inverts. A few reef-safer species exist, but most need space and careful tankmates. Each profile lists adult size, tank size and temperament.

At a glance

Tank size
106–300 gal
106 gal (400 L) to 300 gal (1,135 L); half the list needs 180 gal (680 L) or more
Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C, most of the list
pH
8.1–8.4
Most of the list
Difficulty
2 easy
6 medium · 3 difficult
Temperament
5 mostly peaceful
6 aggressive
Reef safety
5 reef safe with caution
6 not reef safe

11 species

Start here

Triggers that leave a reef alone

The bluethroat triggerfish is marked easy and mostly peaceful at 9.1 inches (23 cm) for 125 gallons (473 liters), a plankton feeder that carries a caution rather than a no in a reef. The niger triggerfish is the other easy one, 11.8 inches (30 cm) for 180 gallons (680 liters), and it learns to take food from tongs. Keep fingers clear, since it can bite. The crosshatch triggerfish is the showpiece of the plankton group at 11.8 inches (30 cm) for 106 gallons (400 liters), marked medium. The pinktail triggerfish reaches 15.7 inches (40 cm) for 180 gallons (680 liters). The black durgon is the same size in 124 gallons (470 liters). The bluethroat, niger and crosshatch triggerfish and the black durgon pick plankton from the water column. The black durgon also grazes algae, and the niger triggerfish also eats sponges. The pinktail triggerfish is a generalist that hunts crabs, shrimp and small fish. All five are marked caution, mostly ignore corals and may take a small shrimp, crab or snail.

The rule

What every trigger asks for

A triggerfish is a big, smart, solitary fish with teeth that keep growing. Every profile here is marked solitary, and two triggers in one tank is usually a fight. Keep most species one per tank and add the trigger last. The bluethroat triggerfish can be kept as one male with several females added together. The crosshatch triggerfish can live as a pair or small group in a large tank. The teeth need hard food, clams in the shell, whole shrimp and crab legs, or they overgrow. They move rock to build a sleeping hole and to reach a snail, so the rockwork is stacked to stay put. And the split is by diet: the plankton feeders and the generalist pinktail triggerfish carry a reef caution. The ones that crush snails, crabs and coral are marked not reef safe.

  1. 01

    One per tank for most

    Bluethroat and crosshatch triggers can live in small groups

  2. 02

    Hard food

    Shells and whole shrimp keep the teeth worn down

  3. 03

    Rock that stays put

    They move rock to dig a sleeping hole

  4. 04

    Diet decides the reef mark

    Plankton feeders and the pinktail caution, crushers no

FOWLR

The fish-only triggers

The Picasso triggerfish is marked aggressive at 11.8 inches (30 cm) for 180 gallons (680 liters), the classic fish-only trigger. The wedgetail triggerfish is the compact one at the same length for 180 gallons (680 liters). The bursa triggerfish reaches 9.8 inches (25 cm) and lists 125 gallons (473 liters). The undulated triggerfish is marked difficult and aggressive at 11.8 inches (30 cm), and it attacks tank mates of any size. The queen triggerfish reaches 19.7 inches (50 cm) and lists 238 gallons (900 liters). The clown triggerfish is the same length for 300 gallons (1,135 liters), marked difficult and aggressive, and worth every inch of it to the keepers who have the tank.

By the numbers

Smallest

  1. 01
    Bluethroat triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus)

    Bluethroat triggerfish

    Xanthichthys auromarginatus

    9.1 in (23 cm)
  2. 02
    Bursa triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa)

    Bursa triggerfish

    Sufflamen bursa

    9.8 in (25 cm)
  3. 03
    Crosshatch triggerfish (Xanthichthys mento)

    Crosshatch triggerfish

    Xanthichthys mento

    11.8 in (30 cm)
  4. 04
    Niger triggerfish (Odonus niger)

    Niger triggerfish

    Odonus niger

    11.8 in (30 cm)

Largest

  1. 01
    Clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)

    Clown triggerfish

    Balistoides conspicillum

    19.7 in (50 cm)
  2. 02
    Queen triggerfish (Balistes vetula)

    Queen triggerfish

    Balistes vetula

    19.7 in (50 cm)
  3. 03
    Black durgon (Melichthys niger)

    Black durgon

    Melichthys niger

    15.7 in (40 cm)
  4. 04
    Pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua)

    Pinktail triggerfish

    Melichthys vidua

    15.7 in (40 cm)

FAQ

Common questions

Are any triggerfish reef safe?

Not outright. The bluethroat, crosshatch and niger triggerfish and the black durgon are plankton feeders, and the black durgon grazes algae too. The pinktail triggerfish is a generalist that eats crabs, shrimp and small fish. All five are marked caution, which means they leave corals alone and may take a small shrimp. The rest are marked not reef safe.

What size tank does a triggerfish need?

From 106 gallons (400 liters) for the crosshatch triggerfish to 300 gallons (1,135 liters) for the clown triggerfish. Most profiles list 125 to 180 gallons (473 to 680 liters).

Can I keep two triggerfish together?

Every trigger here is marked solitary. Most triggers fight when two share a tank, and the loser dies unless the tank is hundreds of gallons with rock between them. The bluethroat triggerfish can be kept as one male with several females. The crosshatch triggerfish can live as a pair or small group in a large tank.

What do triggerfish eat?

The shell crushers want hard food: clams and mussels in the shell, whole shrimp, crab legs and squid, plus pellets. The shells wear down teeth that never stop growing. The plankton feeders take mysis, brine shrimp and chopped seafood in frequent small meals, plus something hard-shelled for the teeth. The black durgon and the pinktail and crosshatch triggerfish also need algae or nori.

Which triggerfish is easiest?

The bluethroat and niger triggerfish are marked easy and mostly peaceful. The undulated, queen and clown triggers are marked difficult and aggressive.

Do triggerfish bite?

Yes, and hard. A trigger defends its sleeping hole and will bite a hand in the tank. Keep fingers clear when feeding.

Index

All triggerfish

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