White-banded Triggerfish

Rhinecanthus aculeatus

Also known as: Blackbar Triggerfish, Hawaiian Triggerfish, Huma Huma Trigger, Humu Picasso Triggerfish, Lagoon Huma, Lagoon Triggerfish, Painted Trigger, Painted Triggerfish, Picassofish, Picasso Triggerfish, Prickly Triggerfish, Reef Triggerfish, White-barred Triggerfish

ALSO KNOWN AS

Blackbar Triggerfish
Hawaiian Triggerfish
Huma Huma Trigger
Humu Picasso Triggerfish
Lagoon Huma
Lagoon Triggerfish
Painted Trigger
Painted Triggerfish
Picassofish
Picasso Triggerfish
Prickly Triggerfish
Reef Triggerfish
White-barred Triggerfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2022

Add a photo

White-banded Triggerfish adult, photographed at Gangehi, Maldives — @fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 64

Overview

Found singly or in small schools, protecting their territories, over shallow, protected reef flats and lagoons.
Juveniles found secretively, close to holes in rubble patches.

Picasso triggerfish dig their own shelters under solid objects. Pressing its mouth against the object, the fish swims hard, and the current this makes washes the sand away to leave a small nest area. They sleep on their sides and make a whirring noise when alarmed to deter predators.

Triggerfish have a hard spine dorsal fin that can be locked.
When sleeping this spine is used to wedge them into place in a crevasse and so deter predators from pulling them out of their bed!
The spine is also held erect as a warning to other fish to stay away.
Several large Titans blow shallow depressions in the sand for nesting and if approached will raise this spine as a warning, if ignored they may charge, even divers! especially the Titan Triggerfish who will take a tasty bite. Beware.

How to identify

COLOURS

Pattern: stripes
Head & Mouth: bandit mask
Behaviour: makes sounds schooling solitary territorial

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

Habitat & where to find it

Range · Indo-Pacific
Exact location · 10
Dive site · 1
Country only · 53

LIVES IN

Found singly or in small schools, protecting their territories, over shallow, protected reef flats and lagoons.

RANGE

Indo-Pacific

Adult photos 64

Discussion 2

2 comments

fishx6Top Contributor· 23 Mar 2016
Thank you
Helpful· 1
dreimers· 20 Mar 2016
This is not the state fish of Hawaii, and is not to be confused with the Reef Triggerfish. The state fish of Hawaii is the Reef, or Wedgetail Triggerfish. While the Wedgetail Triggerfish is plentiful in Hawaii, the Picasso is there also, but not near as plentiful.
Helpful· 1