Lactophrys bicaudalis

Download Reef App on Google Play or App Store
Get it on Google Play Get it on App Store
Facts
Latin name Lactophrys bicaudalis
Local name Spotted trunkfish
Family Ostraciidae - Lactophrys
Origin West Indian Ocean, The Mexican Golf, West Atlantic
Max length 48 cm (18.9")
As aquarium fish
Minimum volume Unknown
Hardiness Unknown
Suitable for aquarium Not suitable for home aquarium
Reef safe Unknown
Aggressiveness Unknown
Feed
Mostly Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...)
Macroalgea (Eg. seaweed / nori)
Microalgea (Eg. spirulina)
Other invertebrates
Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...)
Beware of
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.

Descriptions and further reading
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.

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)