Foxface Rabbitfish
Encyclopedia
The Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus) is a popular saltwater
aquarium
fish. It belongs to the rabbitfish
family
(Siganidae) and is sometimes still placed in the obsolete genus
Lo. Other common names are "foxface" or "foxface Lo", but these properly refer to any of the rabbitfish species
once separated in Lo, e.g. the closely related Bicolored Foxface (S. uspi
). The Foxface Rabbitfish lives throughout the western Pacific, often inhabiting coral reefs.
The Blotched Foxface (S. unimaculatus) differs from S. vulpinus in possessing a large black spot below the aft dorsal fin
. It is sympatric and not phylogenetically distinct, and though these two might be recently-evolved species, they are more likely just color morphs and ought to be united under the scientific name S. vulpinus.
Caution should be used with this fish: like in all rabbitfishes, all of the dorsal
, pectoral and anal fins have venomous spines. A wound from any of them can be, at the least, very painful. To prevent injury when working in an aquarium with a rabbitfish, it is a good idea to wear thick rubber gloves or somehow isolate it to one side of the aquarium temporarily. Despite the danger of the venomous fins, the Foxface Rabbitfish is generally timid and will usually retreat behind some rocks when approached or you stick your arm in an aquarium. Most injuries occur when people attempt to handle the fish without wearing gloves or stick their hand in the aquarium while feeding.
s like Zoantharia
(zoanthids and button polyps). Though not an obligate herbivore
, the Foxface Rabbitfish does require algae in its diet. In captivity it can usually be coaxed into eating a combination of mysis shrimp, sheets of dried seaweed
and marine flake food containing algae. It is popular with aquarists due to its appetite for feather caulerpa
s (Caulerpa crassifolia, C. mexicana, C. sertularoides), macroalgae that commonly overgrow the rockwork in home aquariums. S. vulpinus is highly skilled at removing this alga and will generally clear an aquarium of it within a matter of days.
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
fish. It belongs to the rabbitfish
Rabbitfish
Rabbitfishes or spinefoots are perciform fishes in the family Siganidae. The 28 species are in a single genus, Siganus. In some now obsolete classifications, the species having prominent face stripes—colloquially called foxfaces–are in the genus Lo. Other species like the Masked...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Siganidae) and is sometimes still placed in the obsolete genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Lo. Other common names are "foxface" or "foxface Lo", but these properly refer to any of the rabbitfish species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
once separated in Lo, e.g. the closely related Bicolored Foxface (S. uspi
Siganus uspi
Siganus uspi is a Rabbitfish from the Western Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 24 cm in length.Classified and named by Michael J. Gawel after USP ....
). The Foxface Rabbitfish lives throughout the western Pacific, often inhabiting coral reefs.
The Blotched Foxface (S. unimaculatus) differs from S. vulpinus in possessing a large black spot below the aft dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
. It is sympatric and not phylogenetically distinct, and though these two might be recently-evolved species, they are more likely just color morphs and ought to be united under the scientific name S. vulpinus.
Description
The Foxface Rabbitfish is a bright yellow medium-sized fish, usually attaining an average size of 23 cm (9 in) in length. The head and front portion of its body is striped black-brown and white. They retain this bright coloring throughout the day, and during the night or when stressed, like many other fishes, they have the ability to change into a mottled dark brown color. This is most likely used as a camouflage against predators, and upon waking, their bright colors almost immediately return. They have a long snout-like mouth that is used for feeding on algae and other vegetation, with the snout being particularly handy for reaching into crevices.Caution should be used with this fish: like in all rabbitfishes, all of the dorsal
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
, pectoral and anal fins have venomous spines. A wound from any of them can be, at the least, very painful. To prevent injury when working in an aquarium with a rabbitfish, it is a good idea to wear thick rubber gloves or somehow isolate it to one side of the aquarium temporarily. Despite the danger of the venomous fins, the Foxface Rabbitfish is generally timid and will usually retreat behind some rocks when approached or you stick your arm in an aquarium. Most injuries occur when people attempt to handle the fish without wearing gloves or stick their hand in the aquarium while feeding.
Food
Siganus vulpinus is omnivorous but enjoys algae and other marine plant life. From time-to-time, if hungry, it may nip at coralCoral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
s like Zoantharia
Zoantharia
Zoanthids are an order of cnidarians commonly found in coral reefs, the deep sea and many other marine environments around the world. These animals come in a variety of different colonizing formations and in numerous colors...
(zoanthids and button polyps). Though not an obligate herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, the Foxface Rabbitfish does require algae in its diet. In captivity it can usually be coaxed into eating a combination of mysis shrimp, sheets of dried seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
and marine flake food containing algae. It is popular with aquarists due to its appetite for feather caulerpa
Caulerpa
Caulerpa is a genus of seaweeds in the family Caulerpaceae . They are unusual because they consist of only one cell with many nuclei, making them among the biggest single cells in the world...
s (Caulerpa crassifolia, C. mexicana, C. sertularoides), macroalgae that commonly overgrow the rockwork in home aquariums. S. vulpinus is highly skilled at removing this alga and will generally clear an aquarium of it within a matter of days.