box fish ?

[flathead31coupe]

i got this litle guy almost a year ago, he was small. and now he has doubled in size, my ? is that for two days in a row i have found him stucked to one of the holes to my intake, i get him loose, and hes fine, eating and swimming, any comments...

 

[46gReef]

Anyway you can cover up or restrict the intake? Those guys aren't the strongest of swimmers & have heard of them meeting their demise due to being coaught up in PH's/intakes....

 

[lReef lKeeper]

also watch out with him ... they release a toxin when stressed or dying that FROM WHAT I'VE READ can wipe out an entire system.

 

[650-IS350]

I've had them twice.... not very good swimmers and not too strong either.
Just like lettuce nudis or seahares, they always manage to find the pump or power head and get stuck there.

 

[46gReef]

That is true, I have personally never seen it but it is a definite possibility.....if the toxin is released it will kill even the boxfish itself...

 

[stunreefer]

Get a large strainer for the intake, and there will be less pull in one place to get him stuck.

.....if the toxin is released it will kill even the boxfish itself...

The toxin is only released if the animal itself dies. It's not like a skunk spraying.

With that said, most filtration systems can break down the toxin cousing no ill effects if the animal does die. Between skimming, bilogical and chemical (carbon/GFO) filtration your system would be fine.

 

[46gReef]

JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie
Pretty sure the toxin can be released through glands while the fish is alive, not just post-mortem.....not to get off topic, sorry

 

[spc1spc1]

I had 2 a few years back, came home one day to a tank full of dead fish. I'll never own one again.

 

[stunreefer]

Pretty sure the toxin can be released through glands while the fish is alive, not just post-mortem.....not to get off topic, sorry

I stand corrected! :nerd:

That extract notes that they can release their toxin through glands while under stress (and still alive). :neutral:

We brought in many (50+) in the couple years I worked at an aquaculture facility (/LFS) and lost some here and there. I can only account for one instance where other losses occured, and it was in a 50 gallon breeder with only an undergravel filter put into use.

Regardless it's definitely something to "proceed with caution".

 

[flathead31coupe]

thanks everyone, it funnt its only a night, he does this....

 

[CoralBandit]

Probably trying to find a spot to chill and gets sucked up, just try to cover it with a mesh or you can attach a 90 degree elbow and aim the suction closer to a wall or rock so its less likely to pull it in. I.E. on a return pump you can put a 90 to aim it towards the bottom of the sump so it wont suck the air from the surface or to limit microbubbles. Just a thought. Also some boxfish are more prone to die offs than others from my understanding. The cowfish are mild where as others are more prone to releasing the toxins. They are neat as hell though.

 

[Demonic]

I have had a few of them and I have never had a toxin release. All have died due to some reason, mostly my fault and nothing. These fish are awesome and would not hesitate to buy another if I didnt have alot of flow in my tank. They really cant withstand REEF flow.