FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
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If you want your child to know about the world under the oceans and also about one of the most aggressive and colorful fish found there, introduce them to this one!
The clown triggerfish belongs to the family Balistidae. It is a bright-colored fish with yellow lips that is instantly recognized by divers if they ever come across one. It is named after its clown-like appearance and the trigger it generates when threatened. Due to its color, it is sought after by aquarium enthusiasts. These are well-known predators of the marine ecosystem and their diet includes sea urchins which is definitely a dangerous task. They are also known to be nasty to other fish and divers if they ever feel threatened. At sea, they tend to avoid larger predators like sharks for the fear of being eaten.
Life underwater is truly fascinating! Like reading about this enigmatic creature? Keep on reading. If you like reading about this fish, you may also like reading about triggerfish and robber fly.
A clown triggerfish is a fish of the order Tetraodontiformes, phylum Chordata and, species B.conspicillum.
The triggerfish clown belongs to the class Actinopterygii.
They are found in considerable numbers underwater and so, their exact population remains unknown.
Clown triggerfish are found in the oceans around coral and rocky reefs. They prefer clear tropical and sub-tropical waters.
The clown triggerfish's habitat is concentrated in the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific Ocean. They are mostly found in Australia, Indonesia, and Sumatra. Its habitat also includes the coast of east and south Africa and Japan. It is found in New Caledonia too.
A clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum) is solitary by nature. Sometimes they are found in pairs or in loose groups but this mainly happens when they are reproducing.
The fish can live for up to eight years in the wild. In captivity and in aquariums, they can live up to 20 years.
Males and females of this species meet at traditional breeding grounds. This meet is governed by the moon and tides. Males are quick to establish their own territories and form nests on the seabed. Once females arrive, the males actively court them. A female decides which male to choose and the eggs are then laid and quickly fertilized by the males. One male may look after a harem of two to five females. Females are known to blow water at the eggs to keep them well supplied with oxygen. A female takes charge once the eggs hatch and it takes around eight days for the eggs to hatch. The fries are kept deep under the ocean at the same place where spawning takes place. This is done until they have a range of 6-7.9 (15-20 cm) in size.
The eggs are green in color and are laid in mortar-shaped nests. They hatch after dark and the juveniles reach sexual maturity after one year. They have more spots on their bodies.
According to the IUCN Red List, clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum) have a conservation status of Not Evaluated.
The body shape of this creature belonging to the Balistidae family is elliptical with polka dots. The head of this fish is so large that it constitutes about one-third of its total body weight. The body is black with large white spots around the lower portion. The mouth has a bright yellow ring followed by an outer white ring and it has a strong jaw and sharp teeth. Their teeth never stop growing. The tail is broom-like and is not always used while swimming. The skin around the first dorsal fin has leopard-like yellow patterns. The first dorsal fin is composed of three spines and the second dorsal fin is similar in appearance to the anal fin. Their eyes are set high up on their head and can move independently. There are no visual differences between the sexes.
Triggerfish are beautiful predators. They may not be called cute. However, the fries are cute and very difficult to spot!
The only type of communication triggerfish is known to indulge in is a grunting sound when it feels agitated.
Triggerfish can reach a maximum length of 19 in (50 cm). It is bigger than other small marine fish.
A clown triggerfish is capable of swimming at a high and prolonged speed.
The weight of a clown triggerfish is not known as it has not been specified.
No specific male and female names have been assigned to this species.
A baby clown triggerfish is called a fry.
A triggerfish's diet includes crustaceans like crabs, mollusks, small fish, echinoderms, shellfish, small shrimps, squid, marine algae, corals, and small octopuses. They are carnivorous fish and make remarkable use of their strong jaws and teeth. They flip over sea urchins to attack their bellies as there are fewer spines.
A clown triggerfish possesses a poisonous dorsal spine that locks in place when this aggressive fish feels threatened. It is unlocked by pressing the second spine, which is called the trigger, giving the fish its name.
Clown triggerfish are kept in aquariums because of their magnificent coloring. However, they are very aggressive by nature. They may be trained to eat out of the hand of an owner but they may bite you with their sharp teeth. They are also known to kill other small crustaceans like crabs or fish who are their tank mates.
When kept in captivity, a temperature of 76- 82 F (24-28 C) is to be maintained along with a pH of 8.1 - 8.4. The ideal specific gravity is 1.021 - 1.025 and carbonate hardness is (dKH) is 8-12. An aquarium size of a minimum of 120 gal (546 l) is needed for adult clown triggers. They may be kept with large angelfish, other triggerfish, large Surgeonfish, large foxfaces, or other such fish which will be able to hold their ground against triggerfish as they have a very different personality.
When it is afraid for its life, a triggerfish seeks refuge in crevices and uses its dorsal fin and teeth to hold on to them. They use wedging tactics to stay safe at night. These fish are diurnal in nature and are highly active throughout the day.
This saltwater fish is also known as a big spotted triggerfish or a yellow-blotched triggerfish. They are known to rearrange the aquariums by knocking off rocks. Black and white bait works best for this fish.
Sometimes this trigger is commonly called a baliste clown and is the only one of this species that is bred in home aquariums. This means it can be quite expensive.
The colorful patterns of a clown triggerfish help it to shake off predators. It does so by blending with the coral environment. To uncover any hidden threat, they blow water jets into the sand bed.
The bite of this fish has a toxin called ciguatoxin. This fish is not consumed by humans because they are ciguatoxic and a bite should be treated properly with medicines.
This fish with the scientific name, Balistoides conspicillum, are usually not reef safe and are difficult to manage in coral aquariums. They are known to destroy reef aquariums.
A triggerfish is found mostly in the demersal zone up to a depth of 246 ft (75 m). They are found between 3-250 ft (0.9-76.2 m) in the ocean.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fishes including giant trevally and hogfish.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our clown triggerfish coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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