Its the only fish I ever had that actually attacked me. Scared the H--L out of me and took a bunch of chunks out of my wetsuit!
How dangerous are triggerfish?
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neve
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This particular nasty fish bit a chunk off my buddy's fin in Similans, Thailand a few weeks ago :upset:
Have had another nasty titan trigger chased me all over Tioman....
Now I simply turn back and fin for my life whenever I see a TT, nesting or not nesting.
Have had another nasty titan trigger chased me all over Tioman....
Now I simply turn back and fin for my life whenever I see a TT, nesting or not nesting.
Back when I worked at the Texas State Aquarium the divers told me the most dangerous fish in the big oil rig tank were the trigger's. They tended to sneak up from behind and bite ears and mask straps.
These fish were neither guarding nests or being fed. They were just MEAN. And they're not Titan trigger's either but piddly gray and ocean trigger's from the Gulf of Mexico.
I never let the damn things get behind me...
These fish were neither guarding nests or being fed. They were just MEAN. And they're not Titan trigger's either but piddly gray and ocean trigger's from the Gulf of Mexico.
I never let the damn things get behind me...
SterlingDiver
Contributor
Jeez, and I thought they were just pretty.
Of course you couldn't fail to notice their wicked looking beaks.
I will be more careful now.
SterlingDiver
Of course you couldn't fail to notice their wicked looking beaks.
I will be more careful now.
SterlingDiver
I was attacked by a triggerfish- it is one of these reminders to us, human divers, of how vulnerable we are underwater. I was diving with a pair of blue-colored fins, and when I passed by nearby nest, a trigger fish got berserk on my fins. Honestly, I didn't see the nest and suddenly I felt a violent tug on my fins so I turn to see WTF it is and saw a little frenzied triggerfish. I tried to back away as fast as I could from the area, but apparently the trigger fish didn't think I was fast enough, so he just kept biting and gashing my fins. This barely 30cm fish was amazingly fast and he was coming at me from different sides so fast that it felt as of I was being attacked not by one little fish but by 10 He kept chasing me without letting-go for a few dozens of meters --> quite a long way underwater!
I wouldn't say these fish are harmless- he left very nasty teeth marks on the fins, one of them completely penetrated the fin (I have a nice hole with his teeth shape ). Sure, they just keep an eye on their eggs nest, but a diver can accidentally pass by and get attacked. I think the triggerfish interprets our very "slow retreat" (compared to any fish) as a threat...
Anyway, for me it was a reminder of how slow, weak and vulnerable we are underwater: Our senses are almost useless. We can barely see to a few meters distance with a very very limited field of view, cannot smell, hear or sense (taste is not so important while diving, ain't it?). Besides that we are very slow, don't have any teeth, spines, thick hide, camouflage or anything that can protect us from creatures as small as a tiny jelly-fish sting upto a shark. From this apect, we are a pathetic being in the water, so it is better to know and respect the fish beaviour and avoid any type of trouble...
He kept chasing me without letting-go for a few dozens of meters --> quite a long way underwater!I wouldn't say these fish are harmless- he left very nasty teeth marks on the fins, one of them completely penetrated the fin (I have a nice hole with his teeth shape
). Sure, they just keep an eye on their eggs nest, but a diver can accidentally pass by and get attacked. I think the triggerfish interprets our very "slow retreat" (compared to any fish) as a threat...Anyway, for me it was a reminder of how slow, weak and vulnerable we are underwater: Our senses are almost useless. We can barely see to a few meters distance with a very very limited field of view, cannot smell, hear or sense (taste is not so important while diving, ain't it?). Besides that we are very slow, don't have any teeth, spines, thick hide, camouflage or anything that can protect us from creatures as small as a tiny jelly-fish sting upto a shark. From this apect, we are a pathetic being in the water, so it is better to know and respect the fish beaviour and avoid any type of trouble...
velazques25
Registered
:azvatar: I am a dive master in Puerto Rico and in some reefs in La Parguera we have an infestation of black durgeon trigger fish. These fish are fairly harmless but with a voracious appetite. In these waters the trigger fish are like hungry stray dogs because the tourist have accustom the that diver in water = food so people please do not feed wild fish because you are upsetting the natural balance of the ecosystem and the engulfing feeding frenzy can be very dangerous, once during a routing dive one of these little rascals took a nip at my index finger, so as you can see I am speaking from experience. Going diving is like going into a fine-china store you can only see and dont touch so leave the fish alone.
DrySuitDave
Contributor
"How dangerous are triggerfish?"
Depends, you ever skinny dip?
Depends, you ever skinny dip?
Hi there,
In reference to your message, I would like to confirm that Triggerfish are dangerous but more so when guarding their nests. This happens during the beginning of July and the end of August whilst the male is guarding the nest from 10metres to water surface.
Having experienced a terrifying encounter with a Triggerfish in Sharm El Sheikh at Sharks Reef, I was for the first time afraid of a fish!!! It attacked at surface level and the guide had to kick it over and over again but it managed to bite a chunk into the other guides fins whilst she was holding a screaming teenager.
The male Triggerfish looked not only agressive but also very hungry so I wouldnt like to think what he had in mind. We managed to shrug him off only just as he was a very determined fish. But i recommend to keep your distance from this type of fish as it is quite temperamental and who knows what mood he may be in.
Keep with the cornetfish, parrotfish and the butterfly fish at least you know where you stand!!! Take care Annette
In reference to your message, I would like to confirm that Triggerfish are dangerous but more so when guarding their nests. This happens during the beginning of July and the end of August whilst the male is guarding the nest from 10metres to water surface.
Having experienced a terrifying encounter with a Triggerfish in Sharm El Sheikh at Sharks Reef, I was for the first time afraid of a fish!!! It attacked at surface level and the guide had to kick it over and over again but it managed to bite a chunk into the other guides fins whilst she was holding a screaming teenager.
The male Triggerfish looked not only agressive but also very hungry so I wouldnt like to think what he had in mind. We managed to shrug him off only just as he was a very determined fish. But i recommend to keep your distance from this type of fish as it is quite temperamental and who knows what mood he may be in.
Keep with the cornetfish, parrotfish and the butterfly fish at least you know where you stand!!! Take care Annette
A triggerfish bit me on my nose once. By the way, the answer to your question, in my humble, opionon is that most DM's/Inst's are D.
I was bitten by a triggerfish on my shin(yep).It would just cling on it with those little sharp teeth.Didn't know how to get rid of it,I started to kick like mad but he wouldn't let go.In the end he did but,aw the pain!!!
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