Black Foxface, Siganus niger: you haven’t seen a rabbitfish like this

The black foxface, Siganus niger from Fiji is a fish we’ve heard about, read about, but never seen or documented in aquaria until last week. The black Foxface comes only from Tonga, but just over a restricted range centered around the northernmost islands of Vava’u.

Unlike the Fiji foxface, Siganus uspi, which is mostly black with the rear in bright yellow, the black foxface is almost completely black with yellow pectoral fins and a yellow margin to the posterior margin of the dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Additionally the black foxface has a white opercular stripe which is more vermiculated compared to the spotted appearance in this area of the pattern of the Fiji foxface.

Thanks to LiveAquaria and Quality Marine, we’re ready to blow the cover on the never before seen black foxface.

From what we can tell, the black foxface should be a typical member of the foxface group of rabbitfish species. Siganus niger is known to grow up to nine inches long and it has been observed displaying fright coloration when it is spooked or stressed, totally expected for a foxface. As rare and as elusive as the black foxface has been in the aquarium trade all this time, it’s not a rare tang and it’s not a rare angelfish, so LiveAquaria expects to begin selling specimens in the Diver’s Den for only between two and three hundred dollars beginning next week. It may be pricey “for a rabbitfish” but it’s a steal if you think of it as a rarer, hardier and a better algae grazer than a black tang at a third of the price. Big thanks to LiveAquaria and Quality Marine for sharing the first ever living pictures of Siganus niger, the black foxface from Tonga.