Crosshatch Triggerfish

The Crosshatch Triggerfish is widely regarded as the crown jewel of the triggerfish family and one of the most coveted species in the entire marine aquarium hobby. Its body is adorned with a stunning crosshatch pattern of dark lines over a base color that differs dramatically between sexes. Males display a brilliant yellow body with vivid blue markings on the face and a striking red-edged tail, while females exhibit a more subdued but equally beautiful purplish-gray body with the same distinctive crosshatch pattern and yellow-edged fins. This sexual dimorphism makes a male-female pair an exceptionally attractive display.

Unlike most triggerfish species that have earned a reputation for aggression and destruction, the Crosshatch Triggerfish belongs to the genus Xanthichthys, which are open-water planktivores rather than reef-crunching omnivores. This fundamental difference in ecology translates to a remarkably well-behaved aquarium resident. Crosshatch Triggerfish are considerably less aggressive than other triggerfish, do not rearrange rockwork, and pose far less threat to invertebrates. They spend much of their time swimming in open water, hovering in the current to pick zooplankton much as they would on the steep outer reef walls where they naturally occur.

The primary barrier to keeping this species is its price tag, as Crosshatch Triggerfish are among the most expensive commonly available marine fish due to their deep-water habitat and difficulty of collection. Specimens are typically collected at depths of 60 to 200 feet along steep reef drop-offs, requiring specialized dive skills. Once acclimated, however, they are remarkably hardy and long-lived fish that reward their keeper with stunning coloration, active swimming behavior, and an engaging personality.