Magnificent Foxface (Siganus magnificus)

The Magnificent Foxface (Siganus magnificus) is the showpiece of the rabbitfish family. A clean pearl-white body meets a black face mask, a blazing red-orange dorsal fin runs the length of the back, and the tail and fins finish in yellow. It is a peaceful, hardy herbivore that patrols the tank grazing algae, and it brings serious presence to a large reef. Browse the rest of our saltwater livestock and supplies to build the tank around it.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 125 gallons. This is a big, deep-bodied, active grazer that reaches about 10 inches, and it needs real swimming length rather than a nano footprint.
• The spines: venomous, in the dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins. Never handle one bare handed, move it in a container rather than a net, and treat a sting seriously with hot water immersion and a doctor if you react badly.
• Feeding: herbivore, and a hungry one. Dried seaweed on a VeggieMag clip should be available most of the day, backed by algae based pellets like Vitalis Grazing Pellets. A well fed foxface is far less likely to bother corals.
• Water parameters: 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.025. Hardy and forgiving once settled.
• Rockwork: give it open lanes plus a cave or overhang to wedge into at night, where it often shifts to a mottled camouflage pattern.
• One per tank: peaceful toward other species, but rabbitfish do not tolerate other rabbitfish unless the system is very large and they went in together.
• Lid: recommended for a fast, easily spooked open water fish.

Specifications

Compatibility

Genuinely peaceful for a fish this size, and safe with your cleanup crew including the Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. It suits a large mixed community: the Purple Tang, Naso Tang, Mimic Eibli Tang, Premium Picasso Clownfish, and Flame Hawkfish all work well.

The coral question. Reef safe conditionally, not absolutely. A foxface with seaweed in front of it all day almost never bothers corals. One that runs short on greens starts investigating zoanthids, soft corals, and fleshy LPS. Feed generously and the risk stays low.

Other grazers. Pick one rabbitfish per tank. This or our Scribbled Rabbitfish or Starry Rabbitfish, not two. Tangs work different surfaces and are fine alongside it.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Two Little Fishies SeaVeggies Green Seaweed with a VeggieMag clip, the daily staple
• Ocean Nutrition Green Marine Algae
• Vitalis Marine Grazing Pellets
• Hikari Seaweed Extreme

FAQ

How bad is the sting?
Comparable to a lionfish: sharp, throbbing pain that can last hours. Hot water immersion is the usual first aid, and you should see a doctor for a strong reaction or a deep puncture. The fish is not aggressive, so the risk is almost entirely about handling and netting.

Will it eat my hair algae?
Yes, and it is one of the better grazers for the job, taking on tougher growth than most tangs will. It is not a substitute for fixing nutrients, but it is an excellent working herbivore.

Why did its color go blotchy?
Normal. Rabbitfish switch to a mottled camouflage pattern when they sleep or feel threatened, then snap back to full color within minutes. A new arrival often shows the stress pattern at first.

Is 125 gallons really necessary?
For an adult, yes. A juvenile will look fine in something smaller for a while, which is how people end up with a cramped 10 inch fish and no upgrade path. Buy the tank first.