General information – The Queen Triggerfish is maybe one of the

most amazing, stirring triggerfish to keep in home aquarium.

Its magnificent colors along with its size and its character make it

desired marine fish all over the world. The Balistes vetula is

distinguished by its two blue face lines and with beautiful marks around

the eyes. The Queen Triggerfish is the number one enemy of sea

urchins, over the years this magnificent creature obtains the skills to

eat sea urchins, flipping them over and eating them from their soft

organs. Like all Triggerfishes it is very easy to keep and known to be

very tolerant species.

Photo by: Eli Harpaz

Scientific Name - Balistes vetula

Family - Balistidae (Triggerfishes)

Origin - Western Central and Eastern Central Atlantic, Western and Eastern Indian Ocean

Size – Up to 60 cm (23.6 inches)

First discovered - Linnaeus, 1758

Nutrition - In the wild, the vetula or Queen Triggerfish feeds on meaty foods, shrimps, crabs, sea urchins

and starfish are small part of its meaty diet. In captivity it will benefit from high quality commercial foods,

frozen food or live food. It is highly recommended to feed this fish in small amounts several times a day.

Behavior - Aggressive

Maintenance and care – Due to its enormous size this beautiful marine fish requires large tank

(250 gallons plus as an adult) with plenty of room to swim. It should be kept only with fish having similar

needs. Fish that are much smaller should not be kept with the Queen Triggerfish. Although it is huge and

aggressive species it is a shy fish so rocks must be provided allowing him to hide if feels threatened. It is

also essential to provide an excellent filtration system and appropriate water movement.

Water Parameters - Temperature: 72F-78F, pH: 8.1-8.4, Specific Gravity: 1.020-1.025, dKH 8-12

Breeding – Never bred in captivity