Siganus uspi|vulpinus|unimaculatus|magnificus
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Minimum Tank Size | 80 Gallons |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Water Parameters | 72-78 F, pH 8-8.4, Salinity 1.020-1.025 |
| Aggression | Peaceful |
| Size | 10" |
Foxface are interesting, peaceful herbivores who love to graze around the tank. While they are not carnivorous, they are still a large threat due to their venomous spines. The can prick through human skin, so always take extra safety measures around these guys.
Foxface are quite hardy and resilient when it comes to diseases in the tank. Likewise they will eat almost any food you offer them, however they should be fed a diet of mostly plant based food. This does also mean they may go for corals and inverts when hungry. While this has not happened to me it is reported enough for me to mention.
While it is highly uncommon for Foxface fish to jump, it is still possible. As they can nip at corals as well, their tanks will typically be covered. Do note that these fish are easily startled, which can lead to jumping when they do not have a large tank they can hide in.
Finally as these fish are both peaceful and venomous they can live with any other aggression level fish. Peaceful fish will not even consider fighting them and aggressive fish understand the risks and avoid confrontation. Fish will still chase each other a bit to assert dominance, but that is all the fighting you should see.
Special Tank Needs
Foxface are not too demanding when it comes to tank specifications. They enjoy having a large amount of live rock with algae on it as well as a large open designed tank. Think tunnels and over hangs rather than rubble piles.
When keeping a Foxface you with other herbivores you will need to ensure the tank is both large and well stocked with food or fed frequently. Hungry Foxface will bully other herbivores and vice versa.
Diet & Feeding
As previously stated the Foxface is very easy to feed, accepting any food offered to the tank. However they are herbivores and should be mostly fed a vegetarian diet. Nori (unseasoned/salted), herbivore flakes and algae all make good meal choices.
Remember that Foxfaces can make a mess when feeding and are large fish. They will require extra filtration. While this can be partially remedied by netting out excess food, this method is tedious for the owner and stressful for the fish. With an 80+ gallon tank, a protein skimmer should not be out of the question.
Using veggie clips is an easy solution to feeding Foxfaces and can even help prevent coral nipping. These clips are also frequently less messy than flakes or pellets, as fish will often miss a fair amount of these foods.
Aggression
Despite being a herbivore the Foxface can frequently become the dominant fish in the tank. To do this they will chase around the other tank mates for a day or two. Afterwards there should be no aggression in the tank by either the Foxface or its tank mates. Even larger aggressive fish, except for lion fish, will leave the Foxface alone. Their venomous spikes are not to be tested and fish know this.
Gender
While the males are generally larger than the females, there is no true way to sex these fish for the home aquarist.
Venom and its effects
Unlike corals, which will try and sting humans to no effect, Foxface spines can easily break skin and inject us with venom if we are not careful. The experience is a painful one to say the lease, however it is not deadly. As with any venom it is best to seek medical attention immediately.
If you have any delays it is good to soak the wound in hot water. Not so hot that the water can burn you but otherwise as hot as you can handle. This will help with the pain and treat/reduce the effectiveness of the poison. This should not be seen as a solution but merely a beneficial practice.
