The clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillumes) belongs to the Tetraodontiformes order and the Balistidae family. It is, therefore, closely related to 9 families, including triggerfish, filefish, and durgons.
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It is one of the most colorful fish that can be found in coral reefs and, although not very friendly to divers, it represents an unparalleled opportunity to take a beautiful underwater photograph. Known as “The clowns of the triggerfish family,” adults can reach a maximum size of 50 cm.
Distinguishing the clown triggerfish from any other reef fish is straightforward. With fantastic colors, the lower half of its body is dark with large white patches and the upper half has strange yellow patterns with black dots around its dorsal fin. The eyes are usually masked with a white or yellow band crossing the snout. Its unmistakable mouth is bright yellow with a white line surrounding it. The clown triggerfish juveniles have white spots on the upper half of the body, as well as the lower, but these fade as they reach maturity. Juveniles are rarely seen as they spend most of their lives hidden in caves and crevices on the reef until they are adults.
Like most species in its order, it propels itself with the help of the dorsal and anal fins instead of the caudal fin, using this fin only when it needs to achieve high speeds in a small space to escape from its predators. These fish do not use their tail to swim but rather undulate their dorsal and anal fins, keeping the body rigid, giving the impression that they “fly” more than swim.
It is a very shy fish that hides among rocks and corals when feeling threatened, so when you find one of these specimens, stay at a certain distance if you want to observe it before it retreats to its refuge. The clown triggerfish has the ability to “lock” itself in a crevice when feeling threatened. At that moment, inside the cave it has chosen as a refuge, it deploys both its dorsal spine and another located in its belly to “lock” itself in the crevice. If necessary, it is also capable of using its strong jaws to cling to the walls.
Clown Triggerfish Feeding
The clown triggerfish feeds on crustaceans and mollusks that it cuts with its powerful teeth. They are very voracious and there have even been cases of having devoured an entire bed of oysters in a short time. They also do not hesitate to remove a piece of coral if it hides a good prey to take to their mouth.
At the time of spawning, they excavate a shallow crater in the sand where the female deposits the eggs. Both sexes can protect the nest until the eggs hatch, and at that moment, the clown triggerfish becomes more aggressive, even attacking divers who approach the nest.
Habitat
The clown triggerfish can be found in the tropical and temperate waters of the western Indo-Pacific region, from southern Africa to the islands of the central Pacific Ocean. Like other reef fish, their main predators are jacks and tuna.
They inhabit both the inside and outside of the reefs, where mollusks and other invertebrates are found at depths ranging from 10 to 75 meters. Mostly seen swimming openly near walls, although sometimes they can be found in the shallower areas of the reefs.
The main threat to the clown triggerfish is the marine aquarium trade. These beautiful fish are captured in large quantities to meet the demand of aquarium enthusiasts. As expected, these fish, especially the juveniles, live for a short time in confined waters. It is a toxic fish due to its diet, so it is rarely consumed by humans.
