Care Level: Advanced
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Compatible: With Caution
General Description: The Blue Boxfish, also referred to as the White Spotted Boxfish, is native to the Central Pacific. The name Blue boxfish specifically refers to the male’s appearance because they have an overall royal blue color with spots that vary in both abundance and color (white, yellow, or gray). Females, on the other hand, are referred to as the Black boxfish because they are an overall black color with white spots. While these fish can grow to an impressive 10″ in the wild, they tend to stay significantly smaller in the home aquarium. Boxfish are often admired for their “puppy-like” behavior, in which they may eventually associate the hobbyist as their caretaker and therefore, will beg for food at the front of the aquarium. Exercise caution to not overfeed; select a feeding schedule that works best for you, your boxfish and aquarium as a whole. While attractive in both demeanor and appearance, the Blue boxfish is a species that is best left to only the most experienced aquarists.
Diet Requirements: In the wild Blue boxfish are omnivorous, feeding upon benthic algae, tubeworms, and various microorganisms. In the aquarium, Boxfish should be offered a variety of high quality frozen meaty foods, enriched shrimps, and foods containing algae such as Spirulina, Chlorella, and pieces of marine sheet algae for variety. It is not uncommon for a Blue boxfish to ignore food upon introduction and that they can be extremely stubborn with accepting frozen foods at first. Offering live adult brine shrimp or black worms can help bridge the transition to frozen foods. We highly encourage soaking frozen foods in vitamin and fatty acid supplements for the boxfish’s health and to maintain body mass. Cubicus are slow eaters, and should not be housed with aggressive feeders that may out compete them in food resources. Note: Our boxfish for sale are eating a combination of live foods and frozen foods, or frozen foods only. It is not uncommon for this species to revert back to only accepting live foods, or ignore food altogether, for a period of time due to the stress of a new environment.
Care Requirements: A very established minimum 90 gallon aquarium is ideal to house a small to medium sized Blue boxfish. Boxfish cannot tolerate nitrite or ammonia spikes and absolutely need generous live rock for feeding and some crevices to take refuge. Known for secreting toxins when stressed, we highly suggest having carbon filtration on the aquarium as well to extract such poisonous toxins from the water volume should this occur. Water movement should be on the gentle side because boxfish are not extremely powerful swimmers, and can easily be blown around. Do not house a Blue boxfish with aggressive and extremely active tank-mates that could outcompete it in resources. Only one male Blue boxfish should be kept per aquarium. The compatability of a male-female pair is up to the individual fish. Recommended water conditions, 72-78° F, KH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025
Purchase Size: Small: 3” or less; Medium: 3-1/4” to 4-1/4”; Large: 4-1/2” to 5”
Note: Your item may not look identical to the image provided due to variation within species. Purchase sizes are approximate.
Caution:Â This species secretes or releases toxins when stressed or injured that may kill fish in the aquarium. Aquatics Unlimited cannot accept responsibility for any loss that may occur should this animal poison the aquarium.
