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Picasso Triggerfish
Triggerfish

Picasso Triggerfish

Rhinecanthus aculeatus

Hawaii's humuhumunukunukuapua'a, painted in white, black and yellow like nothing else on the reef. It is also the one triggerfish in this group with coral in its documented diet, alongside urchins, molluscs, crustaceans and small fish — so it belongs in a fish-only system, not a reef. It bulldozes: blowing pits in the sand, shifting rock, rearranging whatever you built. Territorial from young and worse with size, it is kept singly, and it will bite a hand that comes into its tank.

Temperament
Aggressive
Max size
11"
Min tank
180 gal
Reef-safe
Not reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Sand bed, Mid-water
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Picasso Triggerfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Percula ClownfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Percula Clownfish and may harass it.Purple Queen AnthiasPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Banggai CardinalfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Banggai Cardinalfish and may harass it.Radiant WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Radiant Wrasse and may harass it.Pajama CardinalfishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Green ChromisPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Chromis and may harass it.Blue DamselPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blue Damsel.Yellowtail DamselPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellowtail Damsel.Flame AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Angelfish.Coral Beauty AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Coral Beauty Angelfish.Helfrich's FirefishPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Helfrich's Firefish and may harass it.Yasha GobyPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yasha Goby and may harass it.Tailspot BlennyPicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Tailspot Blenny and may harass it.McCosker's Flasher WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful McCosker's Flasher Wrasse and may harass it.Sixline WrassePicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sixline Wrasse.Leopard WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Leopard Wrasse and may harass it.Lubbock's Fairy WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Yellow Coris WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Coris Wrasse and may harass it.Red Head Solon Fairy WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Cleaner WrassePicasso Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Cleaner Wrasse and may harass it.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangPicasso Triggerfish and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrassePicasso Triggerfish and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyPicasso Triggerfish and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishPicasso Triggerfish and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrassePicasso Triggerfish and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishPicasso Triggerfish and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyPicasso Triggerfish and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Pearlscale AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Pearlscale Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Keyhole AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Keyhole Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Queen AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Queen Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Blueface AngelfishPicasso Triggerfish and Blueface Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Chevron TangPicasso Triggerfish and Chevron Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Redlip BlennyPicasso Triggerfish and Redlip Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Arc-Eye HawkfishPicasso Triggerfish and Arc-Eye Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Dragon WrassePicasso Triggerfish and Dragon Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Fuzzy Dwarf LionfishPicasso Triggerfish and Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Golden Dwarf MorayPicasso Triggerfish and Golden Dwarf Moray both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clown TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish and Clown Triggerfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.