White-banded triggerfish

Biology

The White-banded triggerfish lives in coral reefs and protected lagoons up to four metres in depth, on sandy bottoms and loose rocks. There it spends the day searching for food, blowing strong water jets that remove the sand and expose its prey. At night it rests lying on its side on top of the rocks. When scared it makes a whirring noise and hides in crevices with its tail on the outside. It uses its dorsal fin as a hook for attaching itself, making it nearly impossible to pull it out.

Conservation

This triggerfish’s habitat is being modified by boat traffic, pollution and chemical or net fishing, which are endangering coral reefs, not only physically but also chemically.

Curiosities

These fish have the ability to swim forward, backward and hover above the reef. It is extremely aggressive and territorial, even toward individuals of its own species. In Hawaii, where it was the official state fish and where it is very abundant, the picassofish is affectionately called Humuhumu-nukunuku-ä-pu'a. Humuhumu is the common name for its family and nukunuku-ä-pu'a means ‘snout like pig’.