Indian Ocean

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 09:39:50 +0000

Zone 5
Garden Eels, Stonefish, Cardinals, boxfish and Valentini’s toby

Valentini’s toby – Canthigaster valentini

The Valentinni’s toby is also called the black-saddled toby or Valentini puffer. Tobies or sharpnose puffers are, as their name suggests, part of the pufferfish and porcupinefish family. Many tobies, including the Valentini’s toby, release a toxic glandular secretion from their skin that repels predators. Another fish, the harmless blacksaddle filefish, mimics the Valentini’s toby and swims along with them pretending to be toxic!
Max size – Approx 10cm
Distribution – Indo-Pacific
Feeds on – algae and small invertebrates

Blue-spotted or Yellow Boxfish – Ostracion cubicus

Also called the cube or dice boxfish, yellow boxfish are cube-shaped, becoming more elongated as they get older! They are solitary and always seek shelter. Like their relatives cowfish, their body is encased in a protective, rigid case of fused bony polygonal plates with gaps for the mouth, eyes, gills, anus and fins. Side fins are used like oars to swim. They secrete a highly toxic substance (ostracitoxin) from their skin to protect themselves.
Max size – Approx 45cm
Distribution – Indo-Pacific, Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii
Feeds on – Algae and small sessile (stationary!) invertebrates

London Aquarium - Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean