Care
The flamboyant ClownTriggerfish, with its outlandish body colours and patterns, is a solitary species known from clear seaward reefs, to a depth of 75m (246ft). The adult fish are often observed in open water, adjacent to steep drop-offs, whereas juveniles are much more secretive and spend most of their time in small,invertebrate-rich caves and crevices. The diet of adult fish largely consists of sea urchins, molluscs, tunicates, crabs, and other crustaceans. Despite many drawbacks (detailed below), this dramatic-looking fish is still hugely popular with aquarists. This is a species that grows quickly and requires an enormous aquarium due to its active nature and large adult size. There must also be plenty of suitable-sized shelters amongst the rockwork. The tank should be well filtered, as these fish are voracious eaters, and there should be decent current and good levels of oxygenation. Clown Triggerfish can be highly aggressive, so it is best to keep only one per tank, and not with any close relatives. Tankmates should be equally large and belligerent - this species should never be kept with invertebrates or small, passive fish. Although younger Clown Triggerfish have been known to be fairly amiable, they are notorious for being "Jekyll and Hyde" fish, abruptly turning nasty when least expected. They are quite capable of rearranging the decor, biting through pipework/heaters, and even attacking their owners, so much caution is required when arranging the decor/equipment and when carrying out maintenance on a tank containing a large ClownTriggerfish. Avoid purchasing the really tiny specimens that are sometimes seen in the trade, as these tend not to acclimatize so well to aquarium life. Instead, opt for a medium-sized specimen, and ensure it is the last addition to the tank - well-settled Clown Triggerfish do not take well to newcomers invading their territory. As the fish matures, it is likely to become quite tame with its owner and to a degree will interact through the glass. It is tempting to hand feed such a characterful pet fish, but this is not a good idea as it will be more than capable of taking a bite out of the fingers with its sharp teeth (which it uses to crush sea urchins, crabs, and other hard-shelled foods in the wild). Bear in mind that some specimens have been known to become so incredibly aggressive and territorial, that all tankmates have ended up having to be rehomed, culminating in the Clown Triggerfish being the sole resident of the tank. Nevertheless, kept alone in a spacious aquarium, the dog-like antics of the Clown Triggerfish cannot fail to please.
Feeding
Offer a wide variety of meaty foods such as Mysis shrimp, krill, cockle, prawns, mussel, squid, silversides, crab, clam meat etc. Include hard-shelled foods to help keep the teeth worn down. Will also eat frozen foods containing marine algae/greenfoods. Small amounts should be fed at least 3 times per day.
Breeding
Clown Triggerfish have beenbred in captivity for the ornamental fish trade, but few details are available.They are unlikely to breed in the home aquarium as even the largest of tanksmay not provide enough territory for more than one specimen. In the wild,spawning takes place over patches of mixed coral rubble/sand, and the lightgreen eggs (entangled in a circular mass, attached to the rubble) are guardedby one or both parents.
