Balistoides conspicillum lives primarily on the seaward reef and on some lagoon pinnacles in the vicinity of reef passes, although it can also been seen on lagoon interisland reefs. Clown triggers probably eat a variety of benthic invertebrates. They appear territorial and are usually aggressive toward other clown triggers that come too close, but on a couple of occasions we have observed as many as four together and apparently getting along. It could have been mating season.
The juvenile in the photo immediately below was photographed by Stan Jazwinski. Juveniles live relatively deep on the seaward reef dropoff and seem to come in only sporadically. When we have seen juveniles, there tend to be several of them in an area, but most of the time we see no young ones.
This one was eating a crinoid (feather star) and has an arm still stuck to its mouth. There doesn't seem to be much to eat on a crinoid, so perhaps it was just going for the commensal crabs and shrimp that hide within the branches and under crinoids.
This one was biting at a colony of brown sponge growing on the bottom (shown in second photo below). It was unclear if he was eating the sponge or going for shrimp that may live in the sponge's channels.
The next one grew up in an aquarium and had an odd color pattern.
Created 21 May 2012
Updated 4 August 2018