Two-barred Rabbitfish

Care at a glance

Overview

Provide a 450 litre or larger tank with open swimming room and algae to graze at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4. It is peaceful and a strong algae-eater, but it may nip large-polyp stony and soft corals if underfed, so keep it well fed and treat reef safety as caution. Offer nori, spirulina, algae wafers and prepared herbivore foods once or twice a day. Keep only one rabbitfish unless the tank is very large, and mind the venomous spines when working in the tank.

In the wild

The two-barred rabbitfish has a silvery-yellow body crossed by two dark bars over the head and shoulder. It works coastal and silty inshore reefs, grazing algae through the day. It is very peaceful except toward other rabbitfish. Like its relatives it carries venomous fin spines.

Good to know

Siganus virgatus reaches about 30 cm and tolerates the murky inshore and estuarine water that many reef fish avoid. Its dorsal, anal and pelvic spines are venomous and raised in defense. It is an omnivore that leans strongly herbivorous.

Did you know

It copes with silty, brackish-influenced inshore water that would stress most reef fish, which makes it unusually hardy.

Related species

• 

  Barred Rabbitfish

  Siganus doliatus

  9.8 in (25 cm)106 gal (400 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Bicolor Foxface

  Siganus uspi

  9.4 in (24 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Foxface Rabbitfish

  Siganus vulpinus

  9.4 in (24 cm)75 gal (285 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Magnificent Foxface

  Siganus magnificus

  9.1 in (23 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  One-Spot Foxface

  Siganus unimaculatus

  7.9 in (20 cm)70 gal (265 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Convict Tang

  Acanthurus triostegus

  10.6 in (27 cm)124 gal (470 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)