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Rectangle Triggerfish
Triggerfish

Rectangle Triggerfish

Rhinecanthus rectangulus

The wedge-tail wears a broad black bar running from the eye to the tail, and it is confused with the Picasso often enough that the literature says so outright. It forages over surge-swept shallows, sifting and spitting sand, crushing snails and crabs and rearranging the aquascape as it goes — a cleanup crew does not survive it. Unlike the Picasso, no diet study has ever found coral in it, including one stomach-content survey that listed thirteen other prey items. Territorial from the start and sharper with age, it is a one-per-tank fish that will bite the hand that feeds it.

Temperament
Aggressive
Max size
11"
Min tank
180 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Sand bed, Bottom
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Rectangle 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 ClownfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Percula Clownfish and may harass it.Purple Queen AnthiasRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Purple Queen Anthias and may harass it.Banggai CardinalfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Banggai Cardinalfish and may harass it.Radiant WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Radiant Wrasse and may harass it.Pajama CardinalfishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Pajama Cardinalfish and may harass it.Green ChromisRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Chromis and may harass it.Blue DamselRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blue Damsel.Yellowtail DamselRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellowtail Damsel.Flame AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Angelfish.Coral Beauty AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Coral Beauty Angelfish.Helfrich's FirefishRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Helfrich's Firefish and may harass it.Yasha GobyRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yasha Goby and may harass it.Tailspot BlennyRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Tailspot Blenny and may harass it.McCosker's Flasher WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful McCosker's Flasher Wrasse and may harass it.Sixline WrasseRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sixline Wrasse.Leopard WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Leopard Wrasse and may harass it.Lubbock's Fairy WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Yellow Coris WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Coris Wrasse and may harass it.Red Head Solon Fairy WrasseRectangle Triggerfish (aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse and may harass it.Cleaner WrasseRectangle 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 TangRectangle Triggerfish and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseRectangle Triggerfish and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyRectangle Triggerfish and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishRectangle Triggerfish and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseRectangle Triggerfish and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishRectangle Triggerfish and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyRectangle Triggerfish and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Pearlscale AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Pearlscale Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Keyhole AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Keyhole Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Queen AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Queen Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Blueface AngelfishRectangle Triggerfish and Blueface Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Chevron TangRectangle Triggerfish and Chevron Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Redlip BlennyRectangle Triggerfish and Redlip Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Arc-Eye HawkfishRectangle Triggerfish and Arc-Eye Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Dragon WrasseRectangle Triggerfish and Dragon Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Fuzzy Dwarf LionfishRectangle Triggerfish and Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Golden Dwarf MorayRectangle Triggerfish and Golden Dwarf Moray both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clown TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish and Clown Triggerfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.