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Ostracion cubicus
This cute Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) is just around 3 cm although the adults can reach a maximum length of 45 cm. As the name suggests, it is box-shaped. When juvenile, it is bright yellow in color with black circle spots.. As it ages, the brightness fades and very old specimens will have blue-grey coloration with faded yellow. It feeds mainly on algae, but will also feed on sponges, crustaceans and mollusks. When stressed or injured it releases poisonous proteins from its skin that may prove lethal to any fish in the surrounding waters. The bright yellow color and black spots are a form of warning coloration (Aposematism) to any potential predators. They are very shy and takes a lot of patience to take pictures of as they will usually hide among crevices when they know they have been spotted.
It can be found in reefs throughout the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean as well as the south eastern Atlantic Ocean, usually among crevices. They are solitary animals. Breeding occurs during the spring, in small groups that consist of 1 male and 2 - 4 females
Spotted on Feb 28, 2016
Submitted on Mar 13, 2016
9 Comments
Thanks, @Grace M. and @Stephanie R :)
The small juvenile of this species are very cute, they really look like a cube/dice. When older, the body is more elongated and they lose the yellow colour.
Fantastic photos of a very unusual fish!
He's a really cool shape.
Thanks, @LaurenZarate :)
He's better than Sponge Bob! Really neat.
Yes, @Bobcat cub, they are very cool :)
:o
so cool!
Thanks, @outsidegirl10 :)
And they are very cute, considering their awkward cubic shape and small size.
Bubbles bubbles bubbles! very pretty ;)