Picasso Trigger Fish Teeth
Called lagoon triggerfish blackbar triggerfish jamal and even humuhumunukunukuapua a rhinecanthus aculeatus is a fish of many names.
Picasso trigger fish teeth. This triggerfish is one of the more easy going of the trigger fishes but it can still become dangerous in a tank full of smaller aquarium fish and invertebrates. The picasso triggerfish why the name. The picasso triggerfish offers a great deal of entertainment especially if they share the tank with compatible species.
There s probably not one longtime hawaii resident who doesn t know or at least can t recognize the hawaiian name for the reef triggerfish sometimes called the picasso triggerfish. The picasso triggerfish is a bold beautiful aggressive fish that is fun to watch and easy to keep alive but extremely territorial. They grow quite large 10 inches and require a large tank.
Triggerfish teeth triggerfish teeth. The mouth of a picasso triggerfish rhinecanthus assasi is shown in the red sea of egypt. Triggerfish have a reputation for being aggressive at times and under certain circumstances.
In the wild triggerfish rely on their powerful teeth to crush the shells of crustaceans mollusks and even coral which they eat. The picasso has sharp teeth which are used for moving rocks but they will also use them aggressively if threatened so be careful when working in the aquarium. Jeff rotman getty images others such as the clown triggerfish are a few teeth short of a joker smile.
Of all its common aliases the most poetic and my favorite is the picasso triggerfish. Others eat tiny drifting animal life. The small picasso triggerfish poses little threat to humans however the titan triggerfish which can grow up to 75cm in length can cause serious problems for divers due to its size and powerful.
Although triggerfish have small mouths their powerful jaws have rows of teeth that can inflict a very painful bite. They are incompatible with nearly any reef invertebrates eating the mobile inverts and knocking over the others. Just hearing that name is enough to tell you this fish is a work of art.
Some triggerfish species use their jaws and teeth to crush invertebrate shells such as those of crabs snails and sea urchins. Of course the large titan triggerfish may attack an unsuspecting diver if you are not paying attention. A unique characteristic of the triggerfish species is that they have a mouth full of teeth.