Barhead spinefoot

The barhead spinefoot, a rabbitfish of the family Siganidae, is a silvery-blue reef grazer marked by two dark bars across the head and eye and a scattering of blue lines and yellow shading. Found across the Indo-West Pacific on coastal reefs, seagrass beds and estuarine margins, it reaches about 30 cm and needs a spacious aquarium with abundant live rock for grazing and shelter. It is generally peaceful and reef-tolerant, making an excellent algae-control fish, though hungry adults may nip some soft corals. Importantly, its dorsal, anal and pelvic spines are venomous, so handle it with great care. Diet is predominantly herbivorous: offer dried marine algae, nori sheets, blanched vegetables and vegetable-based frozen preparations, supplemented with some meaty foods. Provide strong flow, stable reef water parameters, and calm tankmates.