Balistes capriscus

Common Name: Gray Trigger	Gray Trigger More Photos
Common Names: Acará-mocó (Portuguese) Baliste cabri (French) Baliste capri (French) Cangulo (Portuguese) Çütre baligi (Turkish) Drückerfisch (German) Filfisk (Swedish) Gourounópsaro (Greek) Gray triggerfish (English) Grey triggerfish (English) Kostorog (Serbo-Croat) Mihaca (Serbo-Croat) Mongarakawahagi (Japanese) Pejepuerco blanco (Spanish) Pesce balestra (Italian) Rogatnica (Polish) Säppikala (Finnish) Takpolou ou gbagbazoléké (Fon) Trekkervis (Dutch) Triggerfish (English) Tryckarfisk (Swedish)	Scientific Synonyms: Balistes caprinus (Valenciennes 1843) Balistes capriscus (Gmelin 1789) Balistes carolinensis (Gmelin 1789) Balistes forcipatus (Gmelin 1789) Balistes fuliginosus (DeKay 1842) Balistes moribundus (Cope 1871) Balistes powellii (Cope 1870) Balistes spilotopterygius (Walbaum 1792) Balistes taeniopterus (Poey 1860) Balistidae buniva (Lacepčde 1803)

Distribution : Tropical Atlantic and Mediterranean. Occurs in shallow water down to about 50 m depth. May be found drifting on the surface among Sargassum weeds. Triggers travel in groups of 2 or 3, or in large schools. They are often found inshore and offshore over artificial reefs, wrecks, rock piles, mussel beds, hard bottom areas, and drop-offs.

Size : Grows to about 30 cm in length.

Description: The Gray Triggerfish is shaped in the usual trigger fashion having brownish-gray slightly iridescent colouring with lighter patches on the body and small blue dots on the back and head. Specimens fade in color with age. The powerful jaw has eight separate and strong teeth. The eye is small, circular, and located close to the profile of the back. The gill slit is narrow. The lateral line is feint and follows a convoluted path. The first dorsal fin is constructed from strong spiny rays, separated from the soft second dorsal fin which is located opposite to the anal fin. The pelvic fins are fused into one central hard and vertical spine immediately in front of the anal opening. The tail fin is convex and in the adult form the tail lobes are lengthened considerably, becoming filiform.

Diet : Feeds on benthic invertebrates like molluscs and crustaceans.

Comments : There is evidence that the Gray Trigger is now spreading into more temperate waters. The fish always seem tame, especially as the season progresses. They frequently swim up to divers and accompany them around, often getting in the way of the photographer! The Gray Triggerfish is the only member of the family Balistidae that has been recorded in British seas. The fish breeds in much warmer waters where it is a common fish, and the young fish live amongst Sargassum weed in the Atlantic Ocean. Only during the summer months do adult fishes venture into the English Channel and up the west coast of Britain. Off the Cornish coast they are now found nearly every year, but in the seas off Sussex they are recorded about once a decade. There are no records of breeding in British seas, or larvae found in the plankton. It is thought that the fish drift in with the warm ocean currents, but this is a one way trip as they seem to die off when water temperatures drop during winter months.

Large numbers of Gray Triggerfishes have visited the wreck of the "Royal Adelaide" between August and October. The numbers dwindle during their stay, probably due to depredations made by anglers. Located near Portland Bill, which juts out into the English Channel and is thought to be a cut-off point for some species, the "Royal Adelaide" is the largest underwater structure for many miles (the nearest reefs at a comparable depth are those half a mile offshore from West Bay). The mussel covered wreck provides a good food source, and the fish become tame, being fed frequently by divers who crush mussels and feed the fish directly - they will feed from one's hand which is a novel experience in British waters.

On 15 February 1997, a small 10 cm Gray Trigger, was discovered in fishing nets in Looe Harbour (Cornwall, England). In the last decade adult fish have been regularly caught by anglers and fishermen and seen by divers in Cornish waters and in Lyme Bay, Dorset during the summer and autumn. However, this was the first record of a young specimen caught in winter.

In October 1997 a Gray Trigger was caught much farther north, by the Shetlands fishing vessel "Ardent" some 16 miles east of Muckle Flugga over a stretch of sandy, stony sea bed renowned for its bumpiness and locally known as the "Himalayas". The catch was such a rarity that it resulted in an article being printed in the Shetland Times.

Across the other side of the Atlantic, triggers are southern fish, abundant from Florida to the Carolinas. In recent years, they have become fairly common in New Jersey waters where the first trigger fish may appear by late June. Most are taken in August and September and by the middle of October, theyšve made their way back to warmer climes.

Frequently boated by fishermen in search of sea bass and porgies, Gray Triggerfishes are also known to congregate beneath buoys and lobster pot markers. Though usually thought of as "bottom fish", triggers move freely throughout the water column, and may also enter small inlets and bays. A number of sources indicate triggerfish don't feed at night, but others disagree. A food fish in some areas the Gray Triggerfish is consumed mostly fresh, smoked and dried salted. The flesh is said to be of excellent quality.

The Gray Triggerfish is active and long-lived. They are sociable and need a large tank if they are to grow to their full two foot length. In the Mediterranean, where they live in cooler waters, they are said to only reach 16 inches in length. The tank should sport a sandy substrate, a few hiding places for shelter, and plenty of open swimming space. Like all triggerfishes, this species can be aggressive and should be watched. These fish will eat just about any common fish food, but prefer live foods. Spawning has been reported in large aquariums.