Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus color change)
Bob,
I wrote yesterday regarding my Passer Angel and received your response today. Thank you for replying so quickly. Frankly, I wasn't expecting any kind of response. Unfortunately, your diligence has prompted me to write again, this time regarding my Triggerfish, which I am hopelessly fascinated by, to pose a question to you. I have researched a great deal of literature, both printed and on the internet regarding the species, Rhinecanthus aculeatus and have been unable to find mention of the "manifestation" I am about to describe. When I consulting my seller, he had no idea what I was talking about.
I have enclosed to small video captures of what appears to be coloration changes between the eyes of this particular specimen. I watched on several occasions as this transformation took place before my very eyes before getting the event on camera. My initial thought was that it was simply some bizarre optical illusion, having to do with the placement of the scaling in conjunction with the light. However, I have observed these color band changes in different lighting, in various locations within the tank. I am wondering if you can shed some . . . light . . . on this observation.
There appear to be seven distinct bands of coloration between the eyes (which I will call his forehead for simplicity). At various times he appears to cycle or change the coloration of these bands between black and tan, the color of the majority of his body, to black and blue . . . but reversed. By that I meant that the bands of color that were black and tan, the black lines change to blue and the tan to black.
I do not know if this an actual color change or if my eyes and video camera deceive me, or, if it is genuine, what might the origin of such an unusual, and highly specific region of coloration change? Any thoughts?
<If your eyes are deceiving you, then we are in good company. The triggers of the genus Rhinecanthus do indeed change these markings apparently at will, or with mood... suspect this is a function of the same sorts of chromatophores, iridophores that produce coloration in most fishes. Bob Fenner>
James Witmer

Fish Pacing
Hi,  My Picasso trigger is swimming up and down the tank erratically (not sick) Is there any explanation to this behavior? 
<yep... often a sudden change in lighting (new bulbs or old ones cleaned of a lot of debris or bulbs blown out then suddenly replaced)... more commonly it is caused by a change in indirect room lighting that causes a mirror effect on the glass of the aquarium (fish sees it's reflection and paces)... and less commonly a sudden downgrade in water flow (powerhead or water pump fails and is not replaced. This is more often seen in imported fishes that come from dynamic parts of a reef and are put into aquaria with typically weak water movement (common with Achilles and powder blue tangs...Naso's too... an increase in current often stops the pacing>
This trigger used to be a dominant fish in the 90 g tank for 6 months (until Sohal outgrew Picasso). Is Picasso scared and should be moved? 
<has nothing to do with species interaction IMO. It is a dynamic of their physical environment. Do consider recent cleaning/maintenance (or lack thereof) of powerheads recently too>
Thank you.
<best regards, Anthony>

Picasso Trigger/Stars & Stripes Puffer
Hello to whomever may be working tonight! <<It's JasonC today, greetings.>> Here's a little story, with some questions at the end. I brought home a Stars & Stripes puffer tonight (3 inches), and acclimated him into my tank that currently contains Gordon (my 1.5-inch Picasso Trigger) and a random blue damsel I can't catch to get rid of. I was worried that Gordon would pick on him even though he's never bothered the damsel. The puffer settles himself in, and within a few minutes he's sticking his mouth into rock crevices and darting forward (trying to munch on something in there, I'm sure). Now here's the strange part: Gordon eyes him warily for about 15 minutes, then slowly swims up to him. Then, to my horror, he bites the puffer! But I soon realize it's not a hard bite, as the puffer doesn't even move. It's more like little nibbles, almost like what kissing gouramis do to the glass when they're alone ;-) And it gets stranger. Gordon shadows the puffer around, and the next time the puffer does the munchin' in the rocks bit, Gordon's right alongside him, doing the same thing. He's never showed any interest in the rocks before, except to occasionally rearrange them. So what's going on? <<My take on this is - and you should know that both these fish are pretty smart as fish go - is that the trigger realizes the puffer might reveal something tasty with its digging, and so the puffer is just standing by to see if this is the case. From time to time, something appears and it takes a taste.>> It's this a weird case of inter-species puppy love? <<I don't think so.>> Or was Gordon just getting a taste to decide if the puffer is edible? <<Less possible than the other explanation - again, because these fish are smart, the trigger probably knows already that puffers aren't good eating.>> Thanks in advance!
Jodie
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Let the fun begin: Humu Triggers
Hi Robert.
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
I just thought you'd get a kick out of these photos.
I purchased a Picasso today, and from the moment I took it out of the bag, it has had me laughing.
I've sent two photos - one ( trig-n-bowl ) was taken when I put the thing in a big glass bowl and did a drip of aquarium water for acclimation. The fish was just killing me; laying on its side, watching every move I made.
The second picture, which is distorted, is of the thing begging for food tonight. Jeez - it has only been here 3 hours and it has already gone through a short lock-in-rocks-using-trigger-fin-and-hide stage to relentlessly demanding food.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Humu. I've already gotten my money's
worth.
<ahhh... great fish and indeed such interesting and personable characters. Quite hardy too... thank you for sharing, my friend>
Best, Edward.
<be chatting soon... A>

- Picasso Trigger's Eyes -
Hello <And hello to you, JasonC here.>
I just bought a Picasso and I noticed that at it's eyes' have a bluish tint at some angles and at others it has a greenish tint. However if it is facing me it's eyes are black. Is this normal <Yes.>
Thank you for your time.
<Cheers, J -- >

Scratching Picasso!
Dear WWM Crew-
My Picasso trigger constantly scratches in the sand and rocks he has no visible signs of disease or ick I've done 3 fresh water dips nothing works he's scratched him self up with wounds now please help!
<Ack! Doesn't sound fun! It's Ryan helping today.  Triggers do this, to an extent.  This doesn't quite sound normal.  Unfortunately, without more info I can be of little service.  What size tank is this?  Have you made any changes in your water chemistry that may have caused this?  Is he a mature trigger with a history of this behavior?  There is much to be considered.  
Please quarantine him if possible-in a glass bottom tank with little to no rock, ho won't be able to rip himself up too badly.  Just don't forget that with a fish like this in QT, daily water changes are mandatory.  Search the WWM FAQs- there is a ton about scratching triggers.  If you're still amiss, write us back with the details.  Hope this helps! Ryan>

Picasso Running Scared? (9/6/04)
Hi, <Hello. Steve Allen here.>
I would like to ask your crew a question regarding my Picasso trigger. He or she has been a hardy specimen for some time now. I recently added two puffers to his tank which already had a clown. He (the Picasso) quickly asserted himself as alpha male within minutes. They have been getting along <or putting up with one another> now for some time (a couple of weeks maybe).  I have always fed him from my hand and he has always been a good eater. <Haven't been bitten yet, eh? Can happen & hurts.> The two puffers have also been eating from my hand also, especially the porcupine.
This last Saturday, I got up to feed them, a little later than normal, and found the Picasso hiding in the coral he normally sleeps in and the dog face puffer had changed color. They both have not responded to my feeding. The porcupine is still eating well but I can't get the Picasso out of his hiding place. He now has started coming out very slowly and does not eat well. He will NOT eat from my hand anymore.  He also stays in his hiding place all day long. He has hardly eaten anything.  The dog face is starting to eat again from my hand and is starting to be himself again. Except today the dog face blew himself up for no apparent reason. I am concerned about this behavior from my Picasso, this is not how he used to act. I am planning on buying a new tank next week for all the other fish except the Picasso. <A big one, I hope. These puffers will grow to over 10" and will need plenty of room.> I read that these triggers can be a little aggressive as they age. <Not as bad as Clowns, but all Triggers get more aggressive as they grow/age.>  Will this behavior end soon and what do you suppose happened. <Hard to say, but it sounds as if they may have had a nasty tussle.> I have a 60 gal. tank and all chemistry is excellent. The new tank I am buying will be 120 gal. <Good>  Any help would be greatly appreciated. <How big/old the Trigger? You may need to house it in quarantine while getting the Puffers into your new tank. Keep an eye out for any symptoms suggesting infectious our toxic ailments as well. It does seem to me that the solution here is separation.> Thanks, Mike Jamison <You're welcome. Good luck.>