Maui Travel Blog

How do you even say humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa — and how does a little reef fish end up with a name longer than its body? Those are the questions our Hawaii State Fish video answers in 27 seconds: a name that means “triggerfish with a snout like a pig,” an official title as Hawaiʻi’s state fish, and a secret defense — a dorsal spine that clicks locked and wedges the fish into a reef crack where predators can’t pull it out.

If you’re going snorkeling in Maui, put this fish on your spotting list. The humuhumu is a year-round resident of Maui’s reefs — including Molokini Crater and Turtle Town, the two stops our tours snorkel — and it’s one of more than 250 marine species found across those sites. Here are the three fun facts.

3 Hawaii State Fish Fun Facts You Didn’t Know

1. Its Name Means “Triggerfish With a Snout Like a Pig”

As the video puts it, the whole fish is described in its name: humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa means “triggerfish with a snout like a pig.” Break it down and it’s a perfect description — humuhumu is the Hawaiian word for triggerfish, the nukunuku in the middle describes its short, blunt snout, and āpuaʻa means “like a pig.” That little pig snout is a working tool: the humuhumu uses it to root around the reef and sand flats in search of food.

And the video’s headline is literally true: at 21 letters, the name is longer than the fish itself. Want to say it like a local? Take it in chunks, the way the song does: hoo-moo-hoo-moo, noo-koo-noo-koo, ah-poo-AH-ah. Practice on the boat ride out — by the second reef, it’ll roll right off the tongue.

2. It’s Hawaiʻi’s State Fish

The humuhumu — known everywhere else as the reef triggerfish, Rhinecanthus rectangulus — is the official state fish of Hawaiʻi. It’s hard to imagine a better pick: bold black-and-gold markings, a silhouette like nobody else on the reef, and a name no one forgets once they’ve learned to say it.

The title even has a comeback story. The humuhumu was first designated the state fish in 1985, but that law was written with a five-year limit, and the title quietly expired in 1990. Hawaiʻi went without an official fish until 2006, when the state legislature restored the humuhumu’s title for good. It has been the state fish ever since.

3. It Locks Its Spine and Wedges Into Reef Cracks

The video’s favorite fact is the humuhumu’s secret defense. When danger comes, the fish raises its dorsal spine — click — locked. Then it wedges itself tight into a reef crack, and with that spine braced upright, predators can’t pull it out.

Here’s the clever part: that tall first spine can only fold back down when a second, smaller spine right behind it is pressed — a built-in trigger. Until something trips the trigger, the lock holds. That two-spine mechanism is exactly where triggerfish get their name, and on the reef it turns a small, slow-looking fish into an immovable object. If you spot a humuhumu tail sticking out of a crack and refusing to budge, you’re watching the trick work.

See It Live: Spotting the Hawaii State Fish in Maui

The video’s closing line says it best: “Seeing is believing.”

Humuhumu patrol both reefs on our 3-Hour Molokini Crater + Turtle Town Snorkel Tour — cruising the coral gardens inside Molokini Crater’s protected sanctuary, and working the reef at Turtle Town, where visibility typically runs 60 to 100 feet. Unlike the seasonal whales, humuhumu are locals: they live on these reefs year-round, often in the shallows, so there’s no wrong season to meet one.

One thing to know before you swim up for a closer look: that spine lock is a stress response — it means the fish feels cornered. Watch from a respectful distance, don’t chase or reach for one, and never touch reef fish or stand on the coral. Give a wedged humuhumu a little space and a little time, and it will usually decide you’re harmless, pop back out of its crack, and carry on with its day.

Book Your Maui Snorkel Tour

The best way to meet the state fish is in its own neighborhood. Makena Coast Charters runs small-group tours from the Kihei Boat Ramp — just 19 passengers max on our 40-foot raft, Makena Mele II — with premium snorkel gear, snacks, and beverages included, and over 4,000 five-star reviews behind us. Use promo code LuckyMe when you book.

🐠 Molokini Crater + Turtle Town Snorkel Tour — 3 hours, two legendary snorkel spots, gear and snacks included. Check in 6:30 AM, on the water by 7:00. Two reefs means two chances to spot a humuhumu — this is the tour for fish fans.

🐢 2-Hour Molokini Crater Snorkel Tour — Prefer sleeping in? Check in 10:00 AM, departs 10:30 AM for the crater’s crystal-clear sanctuary, where humuhumu cruise the coral gardens inside the crescent.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Hawaii State Fish

What is the Hawaii state fish?

The humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa — the reef triggerfish, Rhinecanthus rectangulus. It was first designated Hawaiʻi’s state fish in 1985; after that law lapsed in 1990, the legislature made the title permanent in 2006.

What does humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa mean?

It means “triggerfish with a snout like a pig” — humuhumu (triggerfish) plus nukunuku (short snout) plus āpuaʻa (like a pig). At 21 letters, it’s one of the longest words in the Hawaiian language — longer than the fish itself.

Why is it called a triggerfish?

Because of its locking dorsal spine. The tall first spine stays locked upright until a second, smaller spine behind it — the trigger — is pressed down to release it. That click-lock mechanism gives all triggerfish their name.

How does the humuhumu defend itself?

It darts into a reef crack, raises its dorsal spine until it clicks locked, and wedges itself in tight. Anchored by the spine, it can’t be pulled out — so most predators give up and move on.

Where can I see the Hawaii state fish in Maui?

On the reefs at Molokini Crater and Turtle Town, the two stops on Makena Coast Charters’ Maui snorkeling tours. Humuhumu are year-round reef residents — look for them cruising the shallows over coral heads and sand channels, and check reef cracks for one wedged in tight.

What is the best tour to see a humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa?

The 3-Hour Molokini Crater + Turtle Town Snorkel Tour — two reefs, two chances to spot one, in a single morning. Check in is 6:30 AM at the Kihei Boat Ramp for the 7:00 AM departure, and promo code LuckyMe saves 10% when you book.

More Maui Snorkeling Guides

• Reef Fish of Maui Snorkeling — meet the humuhumu’s neighbors, the full reef cast.
• Turtle Town Snorkeling: A Must-Do Activity for the Nature Lovers in Maui — what makes this reef a honu hotspot.
• Is the Molokini Crater + Turtle Town Snorkel Tour Worth It? — the full trip, stop by stop.
• 10 Molokini Crater Facts You Didn’t Know — the crater half of the tour, in fun-fact form.
• Maui Snorkel Tours: 15 Questions Answered — gear, seasons, and what to expect on board.

Now you can say it — humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa. Come meet the fish behind the name: seeing is believing. 🐠