They are always restlessly swimming around and vigorously protect their territory against intruders, including divers, especially when guarding their eggs during reproduction season.

Their relatively small size makes them much less dangerous than the larger titan triggerfish of the same family.

Using these movements, it can move forwards, backwards or simply hover in place above the reef.

[3] Pair-spawning takes place around sunrise, with the egg masses being attached to sand, coral rubble or algae.

Maternal care is effective in preventing predation, and experimental removal of the mothers reduced survival to almost nothing suggesting this behaviour is adaptive.