Balistidae Balistoides conspicillum

A clown Trigger is a unique and interesting fish species. It has been described as being like a dog in your aquarium as on occasional they can have quite a lot of personality, just like your family dog!  It’s not uncommon for Clown Trigger owners to pat their fish.  Though be aware depending on the fishes individual personality they may bite!

Clown Triggers are found in coaster water of Africa, the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific region.  They range in depths of 1m to 75m.  They live mainly in corals reefs and when fully grown can be up to 50cm long.  It’s colouration is quite unique and they have an amazing personality.

Clown Triggers have no scales, rather they are a leathery type fish related to the Leather Jacket.  The pattern for the adult Clown Trigger a dark body with large white spots on the belly with very fine black spots with a yellow background on it’s top.  They are very different to the juvenile Clown Triggers which have small white spots allover it’s body with a small yellow section around the dorsal fin.  Both are a gorgeous!  Adults remain quite a solitary species seen openly swimming through the waters.  Whilst juveniles are quiter and quite secretive chosing to live in little caves.

While nesting Clown Triggers become very protective.  Often attacking others that may be seen as a threat or come too close.  They are known to bite divers, on occasions drawing blood!  When under threat by large fish the Trigger stands upright, flares out it spines making it an awkward shape for any predators to eat.  For this reason you should use a strong bag or double up on your bags when transporting them.  The clown Trigger will also use it’s spines to wedge itself into small sections of the reef by injecting it’s spines into the rock. The Trigger is known for its unusual sleeping locations because of this ability.

The Clown Trigger can be a huge pain in the ass whilst living in a community becoming the tanks resident psychopath attacking everything including your corals and you if you stick your hand in you aquarium or on the other hand they may live in perfect harmony with other tank mates.  You really can’t predict the personality of your Clown Trigger.  Though there is a better chance of producing a calmer fish by introducing the Trigger into your tank when it’s young.  If you keep it with other calmer fish and don’t allow it to feed on live food it’s probably got a better chance of getting on with the rest of your fish community.

Clown Triggers have very strong jaws which are used to crush crustaceans, urchins and are also know to crush hard-shelled mollusks.  Be aware that in you aquarium they may bit through power chords or airline.  So if keeping a trigger make try to keep safety switch.
The Clown Trigger is highly intelligent, it can be seen building its own towers out of small rocks, chasing peoples fingers along the glass of the aquarium and may do anything to grab your attention when it wants a feed!

Feeing the Trigger can be quite fun as they can be very comfortable grabbing the food straight from your hand.  Over time they may even be jumping out of the water and with great accuracy pin point the food and grab it out of your hand.

The Clown Trigger is an amazing fish and a fantastically interesting fish to keep!  It’s very beautiful colours and fantastic personality makes it one fish you just won’t regret buying!

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Paul Talbot