WANTED:Popcorn boxfish

[Fugu]

I am having a hard time finding popcorn boxfish.So far I can only find them in the US.I am in BC so if you can give me a site or a location in BC that would be great.

[midgetwaiter]

Try looking for Ostracion cubicus or Yellow Boxfish, not too hard to find really.

They don't stay little.

[Ruth]

I have seen them from time to time on J&L's website so you might contact them and see if they have any or can get you one. Like Midgetwaiter says - they get big and require a big system and they are not supposed to be an easy fish to keep. Hard to get eating and have the potential to take out your entire fish population if they get stressed.
Maybe try contacting "Stinky" on this board as I believe he has kept them and might be able to share some good information with you.

[Fugu]

I know about those guys,I sent an e-mail to J&L about theres and they said it was 3in.Yeah most boxfish get big and nasty but the popcorn boxfish (NOT a yellow box.2 different fish!) will stay under 4in.The other boxfish get to like 10in.

[Kabong]

Considering the other forum you were discussing this on (nano-reef) everyone pretty much decided there was no such thing as a popcorn boxfish.
So unless you can come up with a latin name for this "Popcorn boxfish" I doubt anyone can help you find one.

[midgetwaiter]

There are a few boxfish species that stay small like that, fish base has 3 or 4 listed. I don't think I've ever seen them in the trade, most of them are sub-tropical or temperate and wouldn't do well in a reef style aquarium. They are more laterally compressed than o. cubicus, kind of like an armored toby.

If you find a small tropical boxfish let me know, I'd love to have one too.

[bulletsworld]

Try looking for Ostracion cubicus or Yellow Boxfish, not too hard to find really.

They don't stay little.


Agreed.. these are the only two boxfish (mentioned above) that you can get tiny and even NICKNAMED popcorn boxfish ONLY because thats what they look before they mature and get horns & their tiny spots become larger. I have a baby cubicus that is maybe an inch big. They are very hard to come across (found both mine in Calgary) and they DO evenually grow big. Unfortunately they are not hardy, get stressed and disease quite easily, are hard get them to eat, get picked on by every fish. They also can hardly swim and can't be in a tank with powerheads, they will get stuck to most intakes, skimmers, ect and tiny boxfish get scared quite easily. AND most importantly you can only put one boxfish per tank, even if they are both tiny, as the stronger one will always pick on the weaker one till it evenually dies.

[Fugu]

Ah,it could just be a typo somthing.Just an urban legend.A hoax.Bummer,I have been looking for them for a while but I cant find much about them.I will poast up a link If I find a good one.

Boxfish are killer,I am supprized tat they are not that popular among noobs.Strange.Tangs seem more common in nanos:lol:

thanks for your help/