Ostracion rhinorhynchos

Bleeker, 1851

Horn-nosed Boxfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: East Africa eastward through Indonesia, and to northern Australia.

Size: 14 inches (35 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits rocky and sandy channels between sheltered reefs or deep sandy lagoons and usually found at depths between 65 – 150 feet (20 – 45 m) where it feeds on algae, benthic invertebrates and small fishes.

General Husbandry: Rarely seen in the trade having a whitish body with dark spots.

Best maintained in large fish-only aquariums having wide-open swimming areas and slow moving and very peaceful tankmates.

Requires a varied diet containing both meaty and vegetable matter, and should be fed several times daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Tetraodontiformes

Suborder: Tetraodontoidei

Family: Ostraciidae

Genus: Ostracion

FYI: A slow moving fish, therefore, it should not be housed with fast moving and/or fin-nipping fishes.

Will eat snails, ornamental shrimp and possibly smaller fishes.

Do not offer floating foods, as this species may ingest air and cause buoyancy problems.

May consume cyanobacteria/slime algae and other types of macro and microalgae.

When excited or threatened can release a toxin (ostracitoxin) that may kill other fish.

Activated carbon will remove the toxin, however, it may be too late to save it or its tankmates once it happens.

Always remove a specimen if it's being picked on or in bad health.

Experience Level: Expert

Temperament: Peaceful

Diet: Omnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: No

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Peaceful, yet larger

Minimum Tank Size: 200 gallons

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

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5