Triggerfish
Ornately Patterned Reef Dwellers
All it takes is seeing a triggerfish swim by to know you are officially in the tropics. These brightly colored and ornately patterned fish are common to the subtropical and tropical regions of the world’s oceans, with the highest species diversity found in the Indo-Pacific. There are roughly 40 different species of triggerfish averaging 20-50 cm (8-20 in) in length; however, the stone triggerfish reaches up to 1 m (3.3 ft) long.
Diving with triggerfish is a photographer’s delight as they are often marked with visually striking lines and spots. You can find them roaming the bottom of the reef, looking for small fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and sea urchins to consume. Triggerfish are generally solitary except during mating season. Take caution during this season, as they can become particularly aggressive. Explore the map below to find out where you can go diving with triggerfish.
Dive sites with this animal Show more on map
★★★★☆ Villingilli Thila
Small Thila directly on the island of Villingilli on the offshore plateau in the direction of the channel between Raa and Baa Atoll. Usually a jump into the blue water east of the Thila above the plateau at the edge for approx. Let drift along 30m towards Thila and then slowly climb up the Thila. Current !!!!
★★★★☆ Kudathulhaadhoo Caves
Drift dive along Kudathulhaadhoo Island. Large overhang with soft corals in the west, caves in the middle, and a small bay and the tip in the east is full of fish
★★★★☆ Kinolhas Kandu
Drift dive with the current flowing from the western tip of Kinohlas along the north side towards the small Thila. Lots of fish on the top of the reef, some really nice little overhangs deeper. Experienced divers dive to the thila, beginners stay over the overhangs and slowly ascend the Sandy Slope
★★★★☆ Huraa Etere
An easy dive site which is ideal for open water dives 3 and 4 OWD, but also offers nice macro stuff. You can find them at the mini wreck or the cargo that lies around the hull on the ground (16-19m). A little further out west (20m) we find a small thila.
★★★★★ Northern Arch
Northern Arch is a renowned site that often has large pelagic species and current. The Arch is deep and bottoms out at over 36m, there is interesting structure on either side of the Arch and the Northern side of the Arch keeps sloping away down to 50m+.
★★★★★ SILVER REEF HOUSE REEF
Gentle slope reef with a lot of yellow tail Snappers, resident Green Turtles and Hawksbill turtles. Reef has strong current but a diver can hide behind huge coral bommies and hang out with fish at 5m