Ostracion cyanurus

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Facts
Latin name Ostracion cyanurus - Rüppell, 1828
Local name Bluetail trunkfish
Family Ostraciidae - Ostracion
Origin East Indian Ocean, The Red Sea
Max length 15 cm (5.9")
As aquarium fish
Minimum volume 600 l (158 gal)
Hardiness Average
Suitable for aquarium Suitable with care
Reef safe Not reef safe
Aggressiveness Unknown
Feed
Recommended Fish
Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...)
Macroalgea (Eg. seaweed / nori)
Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...)
Mostly Large polyp stone coral (LPS)
Other invertebrates
Soft coral
Beware of
Eats tubeworms

This species likes to eat tubeworms.

Threat towards invertebrates

This species likes eating crustaceans, small bivalves and the like.

Insufficient information

There is little available knowledge of this species, so there can be important information missing on this page.

Poisonous skin

This species has a toxin in its skin, which it releases when highly stressed or dying.

This poison can kill all the aquatic life in the aquarium, if unlucky.

Keep in mind
Poor maneuverability

This species cannot maneuver in strong currents, especially so when small.

Pay particular attention to the pump’s water inlet as these fish in certain circumstances, can get stuck.

Personality

This species often has a fun and interesting personality.

Descriptions and further reading
Description

Does not eat whole fish, but a good diet consists of a mix of vegetables, pieces of shrimp and small pieces of fish.

Family description (Ostraciidae)

Boxfish(Ostraciidae) have a unique square shape and a particular way of swimming.
They have a rather special personality, which one quickly comes to love.

Boxfish live typically off a mixture of algae, coral polyps, zooplankton, and in some cases crustaceans.
They are not normally reef safe and when small will require gentle water circulation.

Boxfish can secrete a poison when stressed or if they die, which can in the worst case, kill the contents of a whole aquarium.
Never use the water the fish was transported in.

FishBase
Aquarium trade No
Distribution Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea to the Persian Gulf.
Danish common names Blåhalet kuffertfisk
English common names Bluetail trunkfish
References and further reading

About references

Bob Fenner. The Puffers Called Box-, Cowfishes, family Ostraciidae - Wet Web Media - (English)
Richard Aspinall. 2012. Oddballs for the Marine Aquarium - Tropical Fish Hobbyist - (English)