All fish / Siganidae

Foxface Rabbitfish

Siganus vulpinus

Also known as foxface, foxface rabbitfish, fox face, common foxface, yellow foxface, foxface lo, lo vulpinus, fox-face rabbitfish, ปลาหน้าจิ้งจอก, ヒフキアイゴ, ikan baronang, 狐篮子鱼

A bright yellow, deep-bodied fish with a pointed snout and a black and white face mask resembling a fox. It is hardy and grazes on nuisance algae, so aquarists often keep it to help tidy fish-only and reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a pair in a large tank

Diet

Herbivore: nori, macroalgae, spirulina-based pellets and flakes, plus some mysis or brine shrimp

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

7 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, northern Australia to Micronesia and New Caledonia

Breeding

Pairs scatter eggs in open water and the larvae are planktonic. Captive spawning is very rare and it is not bred commercially in home aquariums.

Good to know

Fin spines carry venom that can cause a very painful sting, so handle with care and use a net. It may nibble soft corals and zoanthids, and can be aggressive towards other rabbitfish.