pipe fish and box fish. reef safe?

Loki

Loki

cable tie ninja
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morning ppl i'm getting a good deal on a pipe fish and box fish. so i was wondering r they reef safe? im standing in the store at the moment
 
yellow with black spots
 
Tagging along as I like both these fish and would eventually like to get them. Lets see what others have to say?
 
Thanks Frans - it's a pity, as I saw an awesome pair at a lfs and reserved them pending feedback from the forums. boxfish are also super cool, and seem to have great personalities. If only they didn't have the deadly toxin, it would be great.
Why do lfs sell these then?
 
H0nda42 said:
Thanks Frans - it's a pity, as I saw an awesome pair at a lfs and reserved them pending feedback from the forums. boxfish are also super cool, and seem to have great personalities. If only they didn't have the deadly toxin, it would be great.
Why do lfs sell these then?
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Agreed with you I love them and they could work in a species only tank (although I have heard that they are sometimes difficult to get eating).

As for your question why they are being sold....comes back to the old money issue. They know people are looking for more exotic things and as long as we keep buying they will keep selling :p

Actually our fault in the long run
 
FransSny said:
Agreed with you I love them and they could work in a species only tank (although I have heard that they are sometimes difficult to get eating).

As for your question why they are being sold....comes back to the old money issue. They know people are looking for more exotic things and as long as we keep buying they will keep selling :p

Actually our fault in the long run
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Its funny I was having this discussion the other day with my LFS owner and he says in all his 20 years of keeping marines he has never heard of anyone in SA having their tank wiped out from a Box fish...and when u think about it now a days with the BIG skimmers their toxins gets skimmed out. True they must not be kept with too aggressive fish that will stress them and no strong flow but otherwise apparently not much to worry about. I am actually tempted to get one myself.
 
Hi guys,

Was inquiring bout the box fish this weekend as well and as far as I know the Box is not reef safe. I trust my lfs as the advice has been great and i have a good relations with the guy and he told me not to buy as they will destroy the reef.
 
Kunhardt said:
Its funny I was having this discussion the other day with my LFS owner and he says in all his 20 years of keeping marines he has never heard of anyone in SA having their tank wiped out from a Box fish...and when u think about it now a days with the BIG skimmers their toxins gets skimmed out. True they must not be kept with too aggressive fish that will stress them and no strong flow but otherwise apparently not much to worry about. I am actually tempted to get one myself.
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I have heard of people having wipeouts in small tanks and holding tanks/buckets when guys catch their own and personally seen it myself. They have to be transported separately, as well as canthigasters, puffers, soapfish, porcupine fish.
Once they are in a settled DT they seem to be OK and even if they die do not seem to poison the tank even without skimmers. I think small tanks might be at risk.
 
the occurence of a boxfish poisioning a tank is most evident when everything fish in the system is dead and the boxfish, cantis, soapfish and the like is the last to die..probably being that it can withstand being near its own toxin for short periods of time.. while i cant pinpoint in the cases that i have handled in the past that this was the sole reason for the wipeout.. this was the most likley.. keeping in mind that skimmers were not popular or as effiecient as they are today.. but i have definatley witnessed fist hand what they can do to a bucket full of fish if stressed and its not pretty..
 
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So far, so good!
 
Steve Warren said:
I have heard of people having wipeouts in small tanks and holding tanks/buckets when guys catch their own and personally seen it myself. They have to be transported separately, as well as canthigasters, puffers, soapfish, porcupine fish.
Once they are in a settled DT they seem to be OK and even if they die do not seem to poison the tank even without skimmers. I think small tanks might be at risk.
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Ya I think my LFS owner was refering to them not being a worry once settled in a large system, not that they aren't poisonous at all per say. :thumbup:

Still I am a bit nervous to put one in my tank even though I get pestered all the time by my fiance to do so :p
 
marinenoob said:
Hi guys,

Was inquiring bout the box fish this weekend as well and as far as I know the Box is not reef safe. I trust my lfs as the advice has been great and i have a good relations with the guy and he told me not to buy as they will destroy the reef.
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They are not supposed to be Reef safe in theory, but can be added with caution...I have heard of quite a few ppl who have kept them in their reef tanks without any hassels.
 
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HA! check your clown hiding in terror as it swims past...he knows, its only a matter of time :)
 
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