Scientific Name: Pervagor spilosoma Common Names: Fantail Filefish (Hawaiian Filefish)
Care Level: Moderately Easy Adult Size: 7.1in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies, Angels. Diet: Varied diet, including shaved shrimp, squid, and scallop, mysis shrimp, and freeze-dried krill soaked in a vitamin supplement. Also frozen preparations containing marine algae. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Should not be housed with invertebrates with the exception of large, stinging cnidarians, like the carpet anemones (Stichodactyla spp.). One of the most desirable filefishes for the home aquarium: hardy, brightly colourful, and relatively small. This species is best kept singly, unless a male-female pair is acquired. May fight with other members of its genus. Rarely bothers other fish species, except possibly those with elaborate finnage (long fin filaments are an irresistible target).
Scientific Name: Acanthostracion quadrucornis Common Names: Scrawled Cowfish.
Care Level: Intermediate Adult Size: 18.9in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies. Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, fish, mysis shrimp, and enriched freeze-dried krill. Also herbivore preparations containing marine algae. Do not offer floating food: this species may ingest air at the water’s surface, causing buoyancy problems. Tank Size For Adult: 180gal (681l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. This odd creature is an interesting addition to the larger community tank. It does best when housed with other placid species and is usually indifferent toward its tankmates. Provide plenty of swimming room and avoid sudden movements – adults are easily startled and may collide with the glass (resulting in broken “horns”) or even leap out of an open tank. Can be kept in groups or pairs, although adult specimens (possibly males) may chase and nip at each other. Reportedly can release toxins when stressed (like other boxfishes); remove a dying specimen or prevent it from being harassed.
Scientific Name: Lactoria cornuta Common Names: Longhorn Cowfish (Longhorn Boxfish)
Care Level: Intermediate Adult Size: 18.1in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies. Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, fish, mysis shrimp, and enriched freeze-dried krill. Also herbivore preparations containing marine algae. Do not offer floating food: this species may ingest air at the water’s surface, causing buoyancy problems. Tank Size For Adult: 180gal (681l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. An interesting fish, although cute yellow juveniles grow large, become less colourful, and the long horns get progressively shorter. Fares best if not kept with aggressive food competitors. It will sometimes swim at the surface and spit water at feeding time. Adults are easily startled by sudden movement or by turning on the room lights when the tank is dark- they may collide with the glass or become wedged in the décor. When stressed, it can exude a toxin that may wipe out an entire tank; remove the source of the stress or the boxfish immediately if it is observed being harried or dying.
Care Level: Intermediate Adult Size: 18.1in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies. Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, fish, mysis shrimp, and enriched freeze-dried krill. Also herbivore preparations containing marine algae. Do not offer floating food: this species may ingest air at the water’s surface, causing buoyancy problems. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Its eclectic diet includes many invertebrates, and it may itself fall prey to large stinging anemones. This smaller cowfish will readily adapt to aquarium life if kept with other passive fish species. More than one can be kept, although two adult males may quarrel. Typically indifferent toward other fish tankmates. Will fare better if not kept with aggressive food competitors. Although reported to exude the same toxic slime as other boxfishes, it is apparently less apt to do so or the toxin is not as lethal, as poisonings are very rarely reported.
Scientific Name: Ostracion cubicus Common Names: Cube Boxfish (Yellow Boxfish)
Care Level: Relatively Difficult Adult Size: 17.7in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies. Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, fish, mysis shrimp, and enriched freeze-dried krill. Also herbivore preparations containing marine algae. Do not offer floating food: this species may ingest air at the water’s surface, causing buoyancy problems. Tank Size For Adult: 180gal (681l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. This is a personable fish that requires a certain amount of care. It tends to be very shy at first and may refuse to accept food for several days or even weeks. Provide caves or crevices in which it can hide, plenty of swimming room, and docile tankmates. Can jump out of an open aquarium. When stressed, it can exude a toxin that may wipe out an entire tank (including the boxfish itself); if the fish is being irritated by its tankmates or near death, remove the source of the stress or the boxfish immediately. The effects of this toxin are nonreversible.
Care Level: Difficult Adult Size: 6.3in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Can be aggressive Compatible Tank mates: Clowns, Blennies, Gobies. Diet: Difficult to feed. Live, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp may be needed to initiate a feeding response. Once eating, offer a varied diet, including a wide range of meaty marine foods, as well as frozen preparations for herbivores. Do not offer floating food: it may ingest air at the water’s surface, causing buoyancy problems. Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Keeping this beautiful fish is akin to playing Russian roulette with its tankmates: it is the most notorious boxfish for exuding ostracitoxin when stressed, which can fatally poison an entire tank. If the fish is being harried by its tankmates or dying, remove the source of the stress or the boxfish immediately. Keep singly or in pairs-but not two males. The male is dark with blue mottling; the female is brown with white spots.
Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, enriched krill, and fish – as well as preparations designed for herbivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 240gal (908l))
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Eats sessile invertebrates and coralline algae. This is a prized fish among advanced aquarists, with highly variable and sometimes magnificent colour patterns. It is also a species that demands an enormous aquarium and some dedicated husbandry. It will probably need to be dewormed and the teeth may have to be filed down to prevent overgrowth, which can impede feeding. Best kept singly, although it is not aggressive toward other fishes, even other puffer species. Tends to be shy at first, and the tank should have a large cave or overhang where the puffer can take shelter. Will chew up hard coral skeletons, faux corals, and aquarium equipment.
Common Names: Blackspotted Puffer (Blackspotted Dogface Puffer)
Care Level: Relatively easy
Adult Size: 13.0in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Moderately peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Other puffers, Triggers, eels.
Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, enriched krill, and fish – as well as preparations designed for herbivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 75gal (284l)
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. This is the most commonly seen member of its genus, which offers large, showpiece specimens that are too destructive for reef aquariums but tend to become family pets in larger community “fish-only” tanks. Their colour is highly variable: individuals range from brown to blue-grey, with varying amounts of tallow and black spots. Rare individuals may be completely black, all gold, or even orange overall. May be shy and refuse food at first, after which it will become bold if not kept with overly competitive tankmates. Rarely aggressive; more than one can be kept in the same tank. Can also be kept with other Arothron spp., except more-aggressive forms.
Common Names: Whitespotted Toby (Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby, Hawaiian Sharpnose Puffer)
Care Level: Intermediate
Adult Size: 3.5in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Hawaiian Islands
Temperament/Behaviour: Aggressive
Compatible Tank mates: Triggers, Eels.
Diet: Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, enriched krill, and fish – as well as preparations designed for herbivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 30gal (114l)
Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. Feeds on a wide range of invertebrates. Members of this genus are known as tobies or sharpnose puffers and offer the aquarist some of the same behaviours as the larger puffers without the need for a very large aquarium. This species, unfortunately, is a notorious nipper, often biting the fins of its tan mates and leaving telltale signs: perfect circular holes. It is particularly prone to this destructive behaviour when kept in smaller tanks. Best kept singly, unless in a male-female pair or in a spacious tank. Deworming may be necessary and the ever-growing teeth may have to be clipped to enable the Toby to feed. Offering hard-shelled invertebrates can help wear the teeth down.
Scientific Name: Chilomycterus antillarum Common Names: Web Burrfish
Care Level: Difficult Adult Size: 9.8in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Tropical Western Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Relatively Peaceful Compatible Tank mates: Triggers, Angels, Surgeonfish. Diet: Difficult to feed. Varied diet of meaty foods, including chopped shrimp, squid, clams, enriched krill, and fish – as well as preparations designed for herbivores. Tank Size For Adult: 75 gal (284l) Narrative: Not recommended for the reef aquarium. This unusual Western Atlantic species, with its short, fixed spines, is not as easy to keep as its relative the Spiny Puffer (Diodon holocanthus). It is often reluctant to feed and many specimens simply waste away. Smaller individuals are usually easier to acclimate and feed, especially if tankmates that compete actively for food are not present. Deworming is a good practise to ensure that internal parasites do not lead to its demise. Will nip at bottom-dwelling fishes, slow-moving fishes, and long-finned fishes, but rarely behaves aggressively toward conspecifics or other members of the family. Usually lives in sea grass meadows and should be provided with plenty of swimming space.
