Canthigaster papua

(Bleeker, 1848)

Papua Toby

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Maldives to eastern New Guinea, north to the Philippines and Palau, south to the Great Barrier Reef.

Size: 4 inches (10 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits costal lagoons and seaward reefs and usually found at depths between 20 to 150 feet (6 - 45 m) where it feeds mainly on benthic invertebrate and some algae.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade, with a brownish body with numerous bluish spots, orange to red on the snout, and a black eyespot edged in white at the base of the dorsal. Lacks pelvic fins, but uses the pectoral fins for movement.

Best maintained in fish-only aquariums with live rock caves and crevices for browsing, and also wide-open swimming areas with peaceful, swift moving tankmates, such as damselfish.

Should not be housed with aggressive tankmates such as groupers, dottybacks, triggerfishes or angelfishes, as this is a somewhat slow moving species.

Requires a varied diet, i.e., finely chopped fish or shrimp flesh, krill, clams, squid, earthworms and/or carnivore frozen foods, along with some vegetable matter. Should have numerous/at least three daily feedings.

Taxonomy:

Order: Tetraodontiformes

Suborder: Tetraodontoidei

Family: Tetraodontidae

Subfamily: Canthigastrinae

Genus: Canthigaster

FYI: Will eat small ornamental shrimp, crabs, snails, and tubeworms.

Will nip stony corals.

One per aquarium unless a mated pair.

May need to be dewormed and have its teeth filed to prevent overgrowth.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: No

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: No

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful, and swifter

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F (22 - 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5