Fun Foxface Rabbitfish Facts For Kids

The foxface rabbitfish, Siganus vulpinus, is a fish species found at coral reefs and lagoons. It is a very beautiful marine fish that can make a constructive addition to your aquariums.

They have a peaceful and confident temperament. It is so beautiful that it can make your aquarium look very pretty.

There are different common names given to this fish species named Foxface lo, Fox rabbitfish, Foxface spine foot, and many more.

The foxface lo is considered a herbivore, but gouges on algae and seaweed and also are known to be coral nippers. These fish species should not be kept with large coral polyps as they eat everything at once.

These large coral polyps, like Zoa's, are comfort food for the Foxface lo and won't leave a chance of eating them. The rabbitfish foxface species are known to hold up against any predators on their own with the help of spines on their bodies.

These venomous spines along their dorsal fin are most helpful against bigger fishes. At first glance, the Foxface rabbitfish looks very appealing to the eyes with their bright yellow body and black stripes.

While buying this saltwater fish, it should be noted that these species need a large space to live. So the aquarium tank size needs to be bigger.

They need to be well-fed at all times. There is also a similar-looking species of fish with a scientific name Siganus unimaculatus, and a common name of One spot Foxface.

They have a big black spot on the sides.

The rabbitfish foxface has a bold and confident nature and that can be seen when they swim around the community reef tank or aquarium. The species of the fish Siganus vulpinus also has a special capability to camouflage themselves which is a great addition against their threats.

Because of their confidence, they can make the tension in the aquarium less among many different kinds of species of fish. Their behavior towards the other fish is also good.

Read on to learn more, and check out black marlin and gar facts too.

Foxface Rabbitfish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a foxface rabbitfish?

The Foxface rabbitfish, Siganus vulpinus, is a type of fish.

What class of animal do foxface rabbitfish belong to?

The foxfish rabbitfish comes under the family of Actinopterygii in the category of fish.

How many foxface rabbitfish are there in the world?

There is no calculated population of the Foxface rabbitfish, Siganus vulpinus in the world, or any census. But the breeding and feeding of the fish species have made their population grow a lot and can be found in abundance. Breeding has helped a lot in the growth of this particular species.

Where does a foxface rabbitfish live?

In the wild, the fish Foxface rabbitfish is found living in shallow lagoons and coral reefs in saltwater.

What is a foxface rabbitfish's habitat?

The Foxface rabbitfish lives in tropical waters of the Western Pacific and Indonesia. They live in the dark areas of the ocean moving from here and there in between the coral reefs. The corals play a huge part in their wildlife. They stay in the reef, safe.

In households, they need a large aquarium to swim around and have to be kept well fed. For a single Foxface rabbitface fish, a tank size of 125 gallons or more is needed for them to have the same behavior in their natural habitat.

A marine tank is required to keep them in their saltwater wild habitat. Rocks and cave-like structures are needed as the Foxface rabbitfish are a little shy and need protection.

Water condition needs to be stable and clean for the health of this species of fish in captivity. It cannot survive in dirty water. The water temperature needs to be maintained at 72-78°F.

The temperature needs to be similar to the Western Pacific to make them comfortable. The salinity level of the water needs to be between 1.020-1.025.

Who do foxface rabbitfish live with?

They either live with their mate for life in the wild or with a group of fishes in marine aquariums if domesticated. Marine aquariums are more common.

How long does a foxface rabbitfish live?

The usual life span of the Foxface rabbitfish is around five to seven years, be it in wild or in the tank.

How do they reproduce?

They do not reproduce in tanks usually and need to breed in the wild and special fish farms. The females of the Foxface rabbitface lay their pelagic eggs in mid-water positions.

The fertilized egg attaches to plankton in the water and settles in the coral reef safe at the bottom. Attempts to breed the Foxface Rabbitfish in tanks have been unsuccessful due to this reason. They need sea for fertilization.

What is their conservation status?

The Foxface rabbitface is not threatened at the moment in any sense and their population is growing day by day.

Foxface Rabbitfish Fun Facts

What do foxface rabbitfish look like?

The Foxface rabbitfish are a very colorful fish that will change the beauty of your aquarium tank in every sense. As the name suggests, they have a small mouth like a rabbit or a fox.

Their eyes are dark and large illuminating their beauty more. The face of the fish is light in color and has a different coloration on the lower part.

The fish is of mottled yellow to brown in color with a darkish chest. These kinds of colorations help them hide in the corals.

The corals protect the rabbitfishes from any impending dangers. A fish by the name of Siganus unimaculatus has the same colors as that of the rabbitfishes. The unimaculatus has brighter and darker colors as compared to the rabbitfishes.

The Foxface rabbitfish is small in size and has the capability to change their colors when they feel threatened. They also do that when they are sleeping.

They change the color to a duller one, to show the non-aggressive nature of the fish. This helps them hide from more aggressive predators looking to feed themselves and prevents them from being on the menu for the day.

How cute are they?

The colors of the marine fish, rabbitfish, make them look really beautiful, be it in the wild or in a marine aquarium tank. Their colors pop out in the marine aquarium tank and they also clean the tank themselves by eating all the algae in the reef placed inside.

How do they communicate?

These marine fishes do not communicate much among themselves and like to live in a pair.

How big is a foxface rabbitfish?

The rabbitfish is one of the smaller fishes in the wild. The height of the fish is unknown at the moment, but the Foxface rabbitfish grows to a length of 8-10 in (20-25.4 cm).

The maximum noticed in an aquarium tank is around 9 in till now. This small size of the fish reduces their swimming range and increases their chances of being food for larger predators.

They are peaceful fishes but get irritated by cramped spaces, so once they are fully grown, they should be free in a different aquarium tank alone, or with a partner. In cramped spaces, they feel threatened and may use their venomous spines.

How fast can a foxface rabbitfish swim?

The speed of a Foxface rabbitfish is unknown but is considered to be pretty fast, although the range is a little less. The unimaculatus has more range than the rabbitfish.

How much does a foxface rabbitfish weigh?

The weight of this aggressive yet peaceful fish is unknown at the moment but it needs a proper diet to fulfill its hunger most of the time. Do not go by the size of this little guy.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no different name given to the peaceful Foxface rabbitface's genders. They are known by many common names such as Foxface lo, Fox rabbitfish, and Foxface spine foot. The scientific name of this fish is Siganus vulpinus.

What would you call a baby foxface rabbitfish?

They have no different names for their offsprings and are just called by their pet name or the common name Foxface rabbitfish. The kids are pretty aggressive while feeding when they are born but learn to keep their diet in control and be peaceful once they attain a certain age.

What do they eat?

They are normally herbivores that keep their diet on algae most of the time either in the aquarium or the wild. They also feed on corals when in captivity in the aquarium and also eat fresh vegetables if fed. Their diet can also include flake foods, fish pellet foods, dried seaweed, and algae.

Are they dangerous?

These fishes are not normally dangerous, but when they are threatened the venomous spines show along the dorsal fins of the fish. This makes them pretty confident and most of the time do not fear any predators. Instead of hiding, they swim above water because of their perfect defense mechanism - the venomous spines.

Would they make a good pet?

They make a pretty good pet as they don't hurt the other fishes in the tank and are peaceful most of the time.

Did you know...

For aquarium fish to be reef safe, they should not eat the corals, clams, or other invertebrates in the water. Since the Foxface rabbitfish usually feed on only algae, that can be considered reef safe. Although occasionally they feed on corals too.

They are not at all poisonous.

Does a foxface eat hair algae?

The Foxface rabbitfish basically feeds on algae, so they do a good job eating hair algae and eat bubble algae too.

Is foxface a hardy fish?

The Foxface is a very hardy fish and a great addition to the aquarium. It needs 125 gallons or larger for its aquarium and is a very bold, hardy, and smart fish.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fishes including the manta ray or Kokanee salmon.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our clownfish coloring pages.