TankBud

One-spot foxface

Siganus unimaculatus

Also known as Blotched Foxface, One-Spot Rabbitfish

SaltwaterFish

One-spot foxface (Siganus unimaculatus)
SuperJew · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
70 gal
265 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Siganidae
Origin
Western Pacific reefs, including the Ryukyu Islands, the Philippines, and northwestern Australia

Overview

The one-spot foxface is a peaceful, yellow rabbitfish that suits a reef tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

A stressed or frightened one-spot foxface fades from its usual bright yellow to a blotchy, washed-out brown within seconds. It flushes back to full color once it calms down.

Caring for the one-spot foxface

Give the one-spot foxface a tank of at least 70 gal (265 L), with live rock and open swimming room. More space is always appreciated. Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C), with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It is reef safe and among the more reliable algae eaters for a reef tank.

One-spot foxface are peaceful with nearly every tank mate and rarely bother other species. Like other foxface, they turn territorial toward their own kind and other rabbitfish. Keep only one per tank unless the system is very large.

Its dorsal, anal and pelvic fins carry venomous spines that flare up when the fish feels threatened. A jab is painful and can cause swelling that lasts for hours. Handle it carefully with a container instead of bare hands, especially when netting or moving it.

Good to know

Siganus unimaculatus takes its common name from the single dark blotch on each flank, below the dorsal fin. That spot is the easiest way to tell it from the very similar foxface rabbitfish, Siganus vulpinus. The trade sometimes mixes the two up. Both share the yellow body and pointed, rabbit-like snout typical of the genus.

In the wild

One-spot foxface live on reefs and rocky outcrops across the western Pacific, including the Ryukyu Islands, the Philippines and the northwest shelf of Australia. In the wild they form long-term male-female pairs and graze algae together over the same patch of reef.

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Tank mates

The one-spot foxface is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a one-spot foxface need?

A one-spot foxface needs at least 70 gal (265 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a one-spot foxface need?

A one-spot foxface is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a one-spot foxface eat?

A one-spot foxface is one of the more reliable algae eaters for a reef tank.

How big does a one-spot foxface get?

An adult one-spot foxface reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species