How dangerous are triggerfish?

[RikRaeder]

I had a terrifying encounter with Titan Triggers while I was drift diving with a group of eight and two guides in the South China Sea. When we surfaced, the boat wasn't around. We floated along in a loose group for a bit, but the boat was nowhere to be seen. The guide assured us that this happens sometimes, so we just stayed together and floated with the current. After a couple of hours, we started getting a bit worried. That's when the Titans came cruising. Big suckers, bigger than your forearm. We all packed together into a square, back to back, like one of those old, Napoleonic battles; like you'd see on a calendar. Well, the Titan would come and we'd all start thrashing and yelling and beating the water. Sometimes the Titan'd go away, and sometimes he wouldn't go away. When the Titan come in and sink his teeth in someone, you'd hear the scream. That's what I remember, that high pitched scream, then the water'd turn all red and people thrashing and hollering. We must have lost four the first night. I remember, in the morning, I saw a friend of mine, Herbie Hancock from Ohio. I reached over to wake him up, and he upended...Titan had bitten him in half under the BCD. I'll never where a BCD again. Anyway, that's how we delivered the...
Hey wait. Sorry. That was the story of the Indianapolis from Jaws. Duh. Titan Triggers? Oh, they're a bit aggressive sometimes.

 

[marinediva]

I have an unnatural fear of Titan triggers.
This was caused by attack after attack after attack.
I watched someone loose a portion of his ear, and it bit through a mask of someone else on a different occasion.

The scariest thing I have witnessed was two divers trying to manouver themselves through a trigger fish breeding area with up to fifteen of the buggers making moves on them.

In PNG they do not seem as aggressive as Thailand, and I wonder is the lack of contact they have here compared to there. This does not stop me freezing up when I see them.

Originally I was told to get into quick reverse, and move sideways, I am convinced some of these fish identify a quick reverse as an agressive move and so now just stay still as I can till it looses interest.

These guys may look great but they are dangerous although not life threatening.

 

[kevinj1]

I have actually been chased a few times, but they never got to sink any teeth into me thankfully...

 

[geokr]

I made the mistake of putting a few shrimp from the lunch buffet in my BC to attract some fish to photograph on the next dive (Agincourt Reef near Port Douglas). After crumbling them into chum and being surrounded by hungry fish, these guys came along looking for their share but I was fresh out. They were pretty aggresive so I began swimming backwards to get away from the area as fast as possible and snapped this picture as this one followed me. Never again! Some chops on this guy, huh!

 

[BDAfreediver]

I have been bitten by a Trigger fish on a few occasions. They can be nasty and do some damage but I have to admit it most of the occasions was my own fault. I was not paying attention and just go too close to their niche in the rock and they became agressive to protect themselves.

Best as in diving, snorkeling free diving is too always be aware of your surroundings. Animals give precursors to aggression even if they are quick and short lived always best to back away if you see any unusual behavior. Trigger fish are no sweet fish I have to admit, keep some distance! They can give a nasty bite as a few divers have gone through!