Saltwater Fish
Picasso Triggerfish.
The 'Picasso' trigger — a tan body slashed with bold abstract lines and color, like a living painting. Hardy and full of personality, but with strong teeth and attitude; keep it with sturdy tankmates in a roomy fish-only or tough reef tank.
We keep this species at our Erie store. Come and see it in the tanks, or call (814) 456-9445 and ask what we have in right now.
Sea Cave keeps this species. You will find these in the tanks at 660 East 14th Street in Erie. We never ship live animals.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
We never ship fish, coral, or invertebrates — every animal here is one you meet in person. Each one is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it goes out into the display tanks. This is a species we keep, and what is swimming on any given day changes with the deliveries, so please call (814) 456-9445 before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 10"
- Min tank size
- 180 gallons
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Scientific name
- Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Good tank mates
This is a bold, territorial triggerfish that is NOT reef-safe and not a community fish for peaceful tanks. Keep it with other sturdy, similarly assertive saltwater fish that can hold their own, and avoid small, slow, or timid tankmates as well as shrimp, crabs, snails, and other invertebrates, which it will hunt and eat. It can be aggressive toward its own kind and toward new additions, so add it last and watch for bullying.
Good to know
Known in Hawaii as the humuhumunukunukuapua'a, this triggerfish can lock its first dorsal spine upright to wedge itself into a rock crevice so a predator cannot pull it out.
What is in the tanks and each animal's temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. What is in the tanks and each animal’s temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for advice on pairing.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
- D
Dog-faced Puffer
A similarly sized, robust semi-aggressive species that is widely cited as compatible with Picasso Triggerfish in large fish-only systems (120+ gallons). Both fish are sturdy enough to coexist without one being easily victimized, and multiple expert sources list this pairing explicitly.
- F
Foxface Rabbitfish
Peaceful but defended by venomous dorsal spines that deter even aggressive tankmates, making it one of the few non-combative fish that can safely share space with a triggerfish. Explicitly listed as a compatible tankmate across multiple authoritative sources.
- E
Emperor Angelfish
A large, semi-aggressive marine angelfish that grows to 15 inches and holds its own against triggerfish aggression in a spacious aquarium (200+ gallons recommended). Both species share a similar temperament level, reducing one-sided harassment.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.