Triggerfish - Titan

Dispatch Method:

Beware of the strong, sharp dorsal spine of trigger fish when handling them. The eating qualities of these fish can be greatly improved if they are killed humanely by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• A large, brightly coloured and distinctive triggerfish which is the largest of the trigger fishes.
  
• Titan triggerfish have a heavily scaled body, with variable colouration consisting of a yellowish head and a brown/grey body with darker crosshatch scale pattern. They have a dark "moustache" on the top of the mouth and a naked area around the lips. The tail is yellow with a black fringe which is also present on the dorsal and ventral fins.
  
• Female titan triggerfish can exhibit aggressive nest guarding behaviour during their breeding season, attacking divers during which their strong teeth can inflict painful injuries. They feed on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates including crustaceans, molluscs, worms, echinoderms and corals.

Fish Distribution:

• This species occurs in the lagoons, seaward reefs and inner reef slopes of coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa eastward throughout northern Australia as far east as the Line and Tuamotu islands, north to southern Japan.
  
• Juveniles are often associated with isolated patches of branching coral or rubble near shallow sandy protected areas. Adult titan triggerfish can occur singly, in pairs or groups on the slopes of deep lagoon or seaward reefs.

Fish Size Common Length:

Common 30-50 cm (12-20 inches), maximum size around 75 cm (30 inches).