Foxface and Rabbitfish
Foxface and rabbitfish are the same group of fish - Siganus - and they are the best large algae grazers in the hobby. Gallery Aquatica stocks four at our shop in Tingalpa, east of the Brisbane CBD.
These fish are in-store purchase and pickup only. We do not send live fish by courier or freight. Ring 0420 484 584 to check what is in.
Venomous spines: what you need to know
Every fish on this page carries venomous spines along the dorsal fin. This is not a reason to avoid them - they are peaceful, they never use the spines offensively, and thousands of people keep them without incident - but you do need to know it before you put your hands in the tank.
The sting is comparable to a bad wasp sting for most people: sharp, disproportionate to the size of the wound, and painful for some hours. It can be worse for anyone who reacts strongly to stings. Standard first aid for this type of venom is hot water immersion, as hot as can be tolerated without scalding, which breaks down the protein-based toxin. Seek medical attention if the reaction is severe or if you are unsure.
The practical rules: never net one of these fish if you can avoid it, because the spines tangle in mesh and you end up handling a spiny fish at close quarters - use a container instead. Raise the dorsal is the first thing a startled rabbitfish does, so give it space during maintenance. And know where the fish is before you reach into the tank.
What they are like to keep
Rabbitfish are grazers, and good ones. They work through hair algae and other nuisance growth that tangs will not touch, which makes them one of the more effective biological answers to an algae problem in a large tank.
They are peaceful toward other fish and often quite shy at first, hiding for a day or two before settling. All of them can shift colour dramatically when stressed or asleep, blotching into a mottled brown that looks alarming and means nothing - the fish is simply in its night colouring or has been startled.
Two cautions. They grow larger than people expect, 24 to 35 cm depending on species, so they need real tank volume. And once the algae runs out they will start on soft coral and occasionally LPS, which is why they are listed as reef safe with caution rather than reef safe. Keep them well fed with algae sheets and the risk drops considerably.
The foxface and rabbitfish we stock
Foxface (Siganus vulpinus)
The standard, and the one most people mean by "foxface". Bright yellow body with a white and black head marked like a fox's mask. Reaches 24 cm and wants around 500 litres.
Hardy, peaceful, an excellent hair algae grazer, and it takes prepared food readily alongside the grazing. The most straightforward fish in this group and the one to start with. Reef safe with caution; venomous spines.
Magnificent Foxface (Siganus magnificus)
Cleaner-marked than the common foxface: white body with a single bold black stripe running from the dorsal down through the eye, and bright yellow dorsal and tail. A genuinely striking fish. Reaches 24 cm, wants 500 litres.
Same care as the common foxface and just as good on algae, though usually less commonly available and priced accordingly. Reef safe with caution; venomous spines.
Goldspot Rabbitfish (Siganus punctatus)
The largest here at 35 cm, which means 800 litres or more. Blue-grey heavily covered in fine gold spots, and a handsome adult fish.
An excellent grazer, and its size means it clears algae faster than the smaller species. But the size is the thing to plan around - this is a substantial fish that needs a substantial tank, and it is often sold small. Reef safe with caution; venomous spines.
Other rabbitfish we regularly stock
Also part of our regular range. Ask us in store or ring 0420 484 584 for adult size and tank requirements. Note that all rabbitfish carry venomous dorsal spines - see the safety section above.
- Blue Spot Rabbitfish
Which one should you buy?
The common foxface, for most people. It is the smallest of the four, the most available, the cheapest, and it does the job on algae as well as any of them.
The magnificent foxface if you want the better-looking fish and it is in stock. The goldspot only if you have 800 litres and want the biggest grazer available.
If the tank is under about 500 litres, none of these are a good fit. A kole tang at 380 litres or a lawnmower blenny at 300 will handle algae in a smaller system.
Tankmates
Rabbitfish are peaceful and mix with most robust community fish: clownfish, angelfish including the large species, wrasses, anthias and Banggai cardinals.
The pairing to think about is tangs. A rabbitfish is a similar disc shape to a tang and occupies the same grazing niche, so a tang will often treat one as a rival and pressure it constantly. It can work in a large tank if they are added together, but adding a foxface to a tank with an established tang usually goes badly.
They are too large to be eaten by most things, and the venomous spines discourage what remains, so predators are less of a concern here than with the smaller fish we stock.
Common questions
Do you ship foxface or rabbitfish?
No. All marine fish are in-store purchase and pickup only. We do not send live fish by courier or freight.
Are these in stock right now?
These are the species we stock as our regular range, not a live inventory. Ring 0420 484 584 or email shop@galleryaquatica.com.au to check.
Are foxface venomous?
Yes. All foxface and rabbitfish carry venomous dorsal spines. They are defensive rather than aggressive and pose no risk if you leave the fish alone, but take care during maintenance and avoid netting them - use a container instead, since the spines tangle in mesh. The sting is comparable to a bad wasp sting; hot water immersion is the standard first aid.
Is a foxface reef safe?
With caution. They graze algae by preference and generally leave coral alone, but once the algae runs short they may start on soft coral and occasionally LPS. Keeping algae sheets available at all times substantially reduces the risk.
Do foxface eat hair algae?
Yes, and they are among the best fish for it - better than tangs, which tend to prefer shorter growth. A foxface in a large tank with a hair algae problem will make visible progress.
Why has my foxface turned blotchy brown?
That is normal. Foxface and rabbitfish shift into a mottled brown night colouring when asleep, and they do the same thing when startled. It looks alarming and means nothing. The colour returns within minutes of the fish settling.
What size tank does a foxface need?
Around 500 litres for a common or magnificent foxface, and 800 or more for a goldspot rabbitfish. They reach 24 to 35 cm and are frequently sold much smaller than they finish.
Can I keep a foxface with a tang?
Sometimes, in a large tank, if they go in together. The two are a similar shape and compete for the same grazing niche, so an established tang will often harass a newly added foxface persistently.
More marine fish
See all the marine fish we stock, or the Brisbane store page for coral and equipment.