Boxfish thread!?

[GHsaltie]

Take a look at this thread on velvet https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/velvet-amyloodinium-ocellatum.217570/
If indeed velvet I expect you will start seeing signs on your other fish within the next couple days. Velvet is a hard and fast killer, it does not mess around. If you have other concerns or need help I would encourage you to start a thread in the fish disease section, I don’t want to derail OPs thread. I’ll try to keep an eye out for it but you can also tag me in your thread.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Boxfish are extraordinarily susceptible to external parasites, maybe even more so than Hippo tangs. Many fish are able to go without symptoms, or be seemingly unaffected when boxfish are covered with parasites.

The disease is in the tank, and will always be a threat to rear its head, but may not affect other fish to the same degree it does to a boxfish.

 

[kimros1986]

I'm opening this thread again to see if anyone out there know if boxfishes thrive in aquarium with high flow? I know they are bad swimmers, but can they still handle some flow?
I've got two maxspect gyres 350 (only at 20% max) in a petite reefer 350.

Would love some input from someone with experience housing these cuties.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I'm opening this thread again to see if anyone out there know if boxfishes thrive in aquarium with high flow? I know they are bad swimmers, but can they still handle some flow?
I've got two maxspect gyres 350 (only at 20% max) in a petite reefer 350.

Would love some input from someone with experience housing these cuties.

They are ocean fish, they can handle flow, it's the way the BOX diverts the water around them. They are like helicopters. Their shape allows the water to create stabilizing pockets of water around themselves, and they seem to just poke around effortlessly. With that said, if you're a guy with a tank full of torches and 8 powerheads, then use common sense here. THEY ARE NOT BAD SWIMMERS, they are just not fast.

In a tank that size look at a scribbled box. They stay relatively small. Ostracion solorensis, They are not the same as the reticulated box, but are often confused. They also don't get the coloring of the reticulated (they lack the blue/black striking patterns).

I haven't had a box fish since my FOWLR days many years ago, I'm currently in "coral reef mode", but they are personable like a puffer. Almost dog like. Survival is very low. They are hard to get eating, but once they do they'll be little pigs. They basically eat everything. The tank nukin' is overblown. Nobody with common sense would plop a boxfish into a tank with aggressive fish. They don't do well with puffers or tangs though. Be prepared to get water shot at you like a puffer though. A boxfish that has been around in your tank awhile is smart enough to know where the food comes from and aren't afraid to let you know.

Sorry for the late reply.

 

[MartinM]

Boxfish are tough, they don’t acclimate well and they need fed constantly (I did 4-6 times per day). I love them, though!

They’re always going to have ich and you can’t treat with copper, use H2O2 method + UV + 5 micron socks to eradicate it.

Personally without a species tank and lots of time to care for them, I don’t recommend them. They don’t tend to have a good survival rate.