THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

194 A Docent Field Guide to the Species of the Steinhart Aquarium
Reproduction and Development: Sexes
separate; fertilization external. Oviparous.
Demersal eggs in nest aggressively guarded
by the male.
Remarks: Complete Hawaiian name Humuhumu
nukunuku a pua’a means “grunts like a
pig,” a reference to its habit of loudly grunting
when disturbed.
Popular in the tee shirt trade as a poster fish
for the State of Hawaii.
Highly territorial; individuals or pairs aggressively
defend their turf.
Sleeps on its side.
Popular in the aquarium trade.
Gilded Triggerfish aka Bluechin Triggerfish
Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Balistidae)
Triggerfishes
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: East Africa to
Hawaiian Islands, north to the Ryukyus, south
to New Caledonia.
Habitat: Marine reefs, 8–150 m depths.
Appearance: Steel blue with white spots. Males
have blue chin patch and yellow margins on
dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Females lack
chin patch, and have maroon stripe on base of
dorsal and anal fins, and on outer margin of
tail. Max. size: 30 cm
Diet: Zooplankton, especially copepods.
Reproduction and Development: Oviparous.
Lay eggs in nests.
Remarks: Form small, loose aggregations.
ORDER TETRAODONTIFORMES
(PUFFERS AND FILEFISHES)
Orange-spotted Filefish
Oxymonacanthus longirostris (Monacanthidae)
Filefishes
Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Clear lagoons and seaward reefs in
depths from 0.5–30 m.
Appearance: Color: pale blue with about eight
longitudinal rows of orange-yellow patches,
or green with small dark-edged yellow to
orange spots. Dark spot on the caudal fin Long
snout with a small upturned mouth; concave
body profile above and below the snout. Max.
size: 12.0 cm. Diet: Feeds almost exclusively
on Acropora polyps throughout the day. (In
aquaria, they may been weaned onto live brine
shrimp, but this will not provide the complete
nutrition they require.) Protruding snout and
teeth that project from small mouth permit
them to snip off coral polyps.
R e p r o d u c t i o n a n d D e v e l o p m e n t :
Monogomous batch spawners and nonguarders,
scattering eggs among algae on the
substrate. After spawning and fertilization, the
pair swims back to their territory.
Remarks: Because the orange-spotted filefish
has a passive nature, it needs a species-specific
tank, or one with very passive tank mates. For
successful acclimation, the aquarium should
also include hiding places.
Shaw’s Boxfish
Aracana aurita (Aracanidae)
Deepwater Boxfishes
Distribution: Eastern Indian Ocean: southern
Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat: Continental shelf to depths of 160 m.
Also on deep rocky reefs.
Appearance: Sexes dichromatic: males covered
with blue spots and lines, females orange/
brown with white lines. Max. size: 20 cm.
Diet: Small worms and other invertebrates as
well as plant material.
Remarks: Like its Australian tank mate above,
this fish also releases a poisonous substance,
called ostracitoxin, which will kill other fish in
the tank very quickly.
Ornate Cowfish
Aracana ornate (Aracanidae)
Deepwater Boxfishes
Distribution: Eastern Indian Ocean, southern
coast of Australia.
Habitat: Shallow tropical seas under 20 m.
Appearance: Brownish gold background with
a handsome pattern of white stripes and spots.
Max size: 15 cm.
Diet: Small benthic crustaceans, algae.
Remarks: Rare (and expensive) in the
Aquarium trade.
Though the cowfish moves slowly, it requires
surprisingly little thrust as water flows over
its body very efficiently. The fish is so good at
turning and balancing that engineers modeled
a submarine after it