Are you spending your holidays on Caribbean Island or in the Mexican Gulf? Then you have seen the colorful and vibrant triggerfish. Now thoughts like this can knock your mind that is triggerfish good to eat or have a taste?
You can eat the triggerfish, but a toxin called Ciguatera can cause health issues like nausea to neurological issues. Now don’t get scared you can still enjoy the fish after you follow some ways to prevent the toxins.
If you are still interested in knowing how you can enjoy eating triggerfish, then stay with us.
Are Triggerfish Good To Eat- Let Us Know
We already know that there are many types of trigger fishes in the world. Such as queen triggerfish, gray triggerfish, titan triggerfish, Picasso triggerfish, reef triggerfish.
After that pink tail triggerfish, niger triggerfish, and the Hawaiian black triggerfish.
So can we eat them all? The answer to your question is, yes we definitely can eat them all.
Before Eating Let Us Know Some Interesting Facts About Triggerfish
Before jumping into the ways of knowing the ways to eat the triggerfish. How about we get to know a little about their species.
Species
The beautiful and colorful triggerfish is part of the Balistidae clan of fish. But they have their own 40 different types, found all around the tropic and subtropics ocean of the globe.
Hangout Spots
Now, do you want to know precisely where you can see the triggerfish? Well, you can see them in the seashores of the Mexican Gulf, Caribbean reefs, and mainly in the seas of Florida.
Name According To Locals
Triggerfish is not the only name imposed for the fish. Its name keeps on changing according to the place it resides—some of the names Pinktail, Clown, Grey, and many more.
Mouth Full of Teeth
As much as the fish looks beautiful, the unique feature of their mouth full of teeth can be dangerous if not being careful. Besides, the fishes are known for their aggressive nature.
Especially the Titan fishes of their species are large and their teeth. And by any chance, if you are bitten by the fish, take immediate action rather than sitting around.
Soft Meat
Apart from its beautiful appearance, the fish is famous for its white meat. Once you can crack the fish’s skin, all you will get to see is a soft white meat that has a sweet taste when they are cooked. And if you are a fan of eating crab, you will surely enjoy eating it.
Safety Ways
We got to know about the triggerfish now; let’s see things you need to avoid to enjoy eating the triggerfish without any problem.
Avoid Large Fish
If you want to avoid the toxin, then one of the ways is to avoid the consumption of the larger species of triggerfish. It is a golden rule that you shouldn’t eat or keep something that weighs over 5lbs.
Clown Triggerfish
Among the 40 species of triggerfish, one specific species that you need to avoid is the Clown Triggerfish. It is condemned as not safe for consumption, so don’t eat this species of triggerfish.
Catching Triggerfish
Catch the fish fresh from the oceans by yourself for the delicious taste and get the best experience for eating the triggerfish. Then don’t buy it from any local fish shop or grocery shop.
Related: How to Catch Catfish – The Best Rigs of And for Them All
Things Needed
If you are set on catching some triggerfish, you need some things like small hooks, an absolute necessity, perfect sized braid for baitcasting, spinning, and light ocean tackle.
Finding Triggerfish
It won’t be much work for you to find the fish. But to make things fast, you could use some pointers.
- If they are near, then slowly pull into casting distance and then put the bait near them.
- They are aggressive so that they might retaliate. Please don’t put the bait at the top, as the triggerfish may get frightened.
- If you are fishing inshore, try to look for them in wrecks and reefs as the little creatures might go deep inside, making it difficult to see them with plain eyes. So what you need to do this drop-down a top and bottom rig and keep the bait and hooks small.
- Allow the rig to hit the bottom surface, then pull it back at a slower pace.
- Lastly, make sure to do the whole process with caution and proper care, as they can bite off your fingers using their teeth.
Cooking Tips
The most awaited and essential part is the cooking of the triggerfish. So we thought that how about we suggest you some tips and tricks that can help you.
Step 1: Cleaning
Cleaning the fish can be difficult due to its hard skin, but things will be easier from then onwards when it’s done. Break into the hard skin by stabbing the fillet knife at an angle by which it can up and past the head, bringing the knife out.
Apply the same technique by flipping the fish on its belly side. This way, you can easily break into the skin and do the rest of the work.
Step 2: Eating Raw
In Japan, eating raw triggerfish is considered delicious. So if you are planning to eat sashimi or sushi, you should try it with triggerfish. Besides, you also don’t have to add extra seasoning or sauce because the inbuilt sweeten the flavor of the fish is enough.
Relevant: Can You Eat Mahi Mahi Raw?
Step 3: Roasting
Want to enjoy the flavors of the fish, then the best and the easiest way to do this is by roasting it in the oven. Make sure the oven is heated to 360 degrees. Then add pepper, salt, and herbs suitable with the fish and sprinkle them over the fish. Spread butter over the laying dish, put the fillers on the top, and wait for them to roast.
Tap your finger on the fish to check its firm or not; once you are sure its firm makes it more delicious, you can add some roasted vegetables. Don’t forget to have your favorite wine with it to put an elegant touch on this delicious dinner meal.
Other things
As the fillet of the triggerfish is very thin other than roasting, you can also bake, fry or grill it. But make sure not to overcook as it will not transform the texture of fillets in a rubbery state but also destroy the sweet taste.
FAQ
How much does triggerfish cost?
The triggerfish is a beautiful, intelligent fish in the marine world. It had 40 different species. So the cost of the triggerfish may vary depending on which type of species you are buying.
Humu Triggerfish can cost around $52.49, Blueline Triggerfish $149.99, Assisi Triggerfish $244.99, etc. If you plan to buy one, select which one you particularly want for yourself.
Can you eat black triggerfish?
Yes, you can consume black triggerfish. As we know, the meat inside the triggerfish is delicious to eat. But when it comes to black triggerfish, you will have very thin and tiny fillets.
It may not fulfill your appetite, so it is recommended to try other fishes, the ones with good fillets; you can try out triggerfish such as grey triggerfish, queen triggerfish, etc.
Related: Can You Eat Sea Robin?
Conclusion
Hopefully, all the confusion you had regarding are triggerfish good to eat or not is clear. We have explained that it is possible to eat, but it also contains Ciguatera toxin. But if the things we have suggested to avoid above are maintained, it can be prevented.
So make sure to avoid large fish of their fish and clown triggerfish. And by any chance, if you are bitten, then get immediately treated by doctors. Keep all this in mind to enjoy the delicious triggerfish.
