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Picasso triggerfish, photographed on a transparent background

ReefIn the market800 coinsUncommon

Picasso triggerfish

Rhinecanthus aculeatus

It never uses its tail, rippling its dorsal and anal fins instead.

The Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) is a tropical marine fish of the family Balistidae. It lives on and around reefs, between 0 and 50 m deep. Adults grow to about 25 cm; the largest on record measured 30 cm (total length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 180 cm long and water at 23–27 °C.

Size
25 cm
Smallest tank
180 cm
Temperature
23–27 °C
Care
Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–27 °C
pH7.8–8.5
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Moderate
Water layer
Mid water
Group
Lives on its own
Coral
Nips corals
Drawn to scale in a 180 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litresToo small
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres14 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres26 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres32 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Marine
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Coral and rocky reefs
Largest on record
30 cmtotal length
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Depth

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderTetraodontiformes
  2. FamilyBalistidae
  3. GenusRhinecanthus
  4. SpeciesRhinecanthus aculeatus

In other languages

English
Lagoon Triggerfish
German
Picasso-Drückerfisch
Spanish
Ballesta Picasso Tigre
French
baliste-Picasso clair
Italian
Pesce balestra Picasso
Russian
Колючий ринекант
Japanese
ムラサメモンガラ
Chinese
尖吻棘魨

Quick answers

Picasso triggerfish size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 25 cm. The largest on record measured 30 cm (total length). Record sizes among the 17 Balistidae species on LumaReef: 23 cm (Blackpatch Triggerfish) to 75 cm (Titan Triggerfish).
Picasso triggerfish tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 180 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Living room tank or larger.
Picasso triggerfish water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 23–27 °C, pH 7.8–8.5.
Picasso triggerfish tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 51 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Engineer goby, Sailfin tang, and Purple tang.
Picasso triggerfish: alone or in a group?
It can be kept on its own.
Picasso triggerfish and corals: is it reef safe?
No, it may nip at corals.
Picasso triggerfish depth: how deep does it live?
In the wild, 0 to 50 m down. Close to most Balistidae on LumaReef (1–75 m).

All Balistidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Picasso triggerfish: compiled from these references.