Picasso Triggerfish

Looks how to spot one

Oval, compressed reef triggerfish

A tan to pale body painted with bold patches and lines of black, blue, orange and yellow, giving it the abstract-art look behind its Picasso name.31

Personality what they are like

Feisty and territorial, especially when guarding eggs. Best kept with other robust fish.32

Daily activity how busy a day looks

A restless swimmer that explores constantly and can move forwards, backwards and hover using its dorsal and anal fins. It often rearranges rocks and sand in its tank.23

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Rated easy care. Not reef-safe. Expect it to rearrange rockwork and sand as it explores caves and crevices.3

Home where they are happiest

A tank of at least 180 US gallons (about 680 L) with caves and crevices. Saltwater at 22 to 26 °C (72 to 78 °F), pH 8.1 to 8.4, specific gravity 1.020 to 1.025. Wild fish live on shallow reef flats and sheltered lagoons down to about 50 m.31

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Feed meaty marine foods such as squid, krill, clams and shell-on shrimp. In the wild it eats almost anything it finds, mostly invertebrates and algae.321

Company who they like around

A solitary, territorial fish. Keep one per tank.21

The story where it all began

Carl Linnaeus described the species in 1758. Its colourful pattern earned it the nickname Picassofish, after the painter Pablo Picasso.12

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (assessed 2022)1