The Terrific Two Bar
Siganus doliatus is one of captive aquaria's most underrated fish. They are far too often overlooked for Surgeonfish that are much less attractive and appropriate size wise for most aquarists; why this happens is unfathomable to us. This fish belongs to a larger group of herbivore fishes called “Rabbitfish” for their bunny looking faces and their proclivity toward grazing the algae that is such a nuisance for many marine aquarium enthusiasts. This specific Rabbitfish has an absurd number of common names around the world. Here in North America, we usually call it the Two Bar Spinefoot Rabbitfish, but it is also commonly called Barred Rabbitfish, Blue Lined Rabbitfish, Pencil-streaked Rabbitfish, and a myriad of rearrangements of those terms. Obviously it has a long list of non-English names as well, of which our favorite comes from the Philippines, and is “Danggit.” If you put “Danggit” into a translation query on Google, translates roughly as danggit. FYI.
The Two Bar Spinefoot will grow to be about six to eight inches long under good conditions. The record is just over ten inches, but this is pretty much unheard of. They are common throughout the western pacific ocean, but replaced in the Indian ocean by a very similar Rabbitfish, Siganus virgatus. These two fish are closely related enough that hybrids frequently happen in their range overlap. The Two Bars generally live near coral reefs, singly and in pairs, though smaller individuals are often found in loose aggregations. S. doliatus prefers shallow water, nearly always being found less than 50 feet deep, and most commonly around 25-35 feet deep. As an aside, the vast majority of these fish that get caught are used for food. They are an important food fish for many people across their range.
The Two Bar Spinefoot is a model aquarium fish. They are very peaceful fish, so much so, that they can be extremely shy on initial introduction to the aquarium. As a result, we don't recommend keeping them with notorious bullies, unless the Rabbitfish is well acclimated when you add the other more domineering fish. They are predominantly herbivorous and do an amazing job of grazing algae if any is present. They don't generally bother corals in the home aqarium, though there are a few random reports of them pulling up Xenia and similar corals. We haven't experienced this. They are also a very hardy fish, that takes well to prepared foods.
Keeping the Two Bar Spinefoot is very straightforward. Water parameters they thrive in are pretty much the standard you are used to. They do well on a varied diet, which should include a large proportion of algal matter, as well as some nutrient dense foods like a high quality pellet and some meaty mix. They can be kept singly, and if purchased at a small size, they can be easily paired. Pairs obviously will require more space, but will also be much less shy. Captive breeding of Siganus doliatus is possible, though, like most other marine ornamental fish, rearing the fry is beyond the means of most home hobbyists. As they get to be seven inches long, give or take, they will need a reasonably large footprint for their fish tank. Something six (or more) feet long like a 125, 180 gallon aquarium or even larger would be idea. A tank with a lot of flow will give them exercise and lots of rockwork will give them ample grazing opportunity, both of which will help keep them healthy and happy.
With a list of attributes like that, and the absolutely stunning looks of this fish, you have to wonder why it isn't one of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby. The only “knock” here is that this fish is listed as “venomous.” Which is easily misunderstood by most people. Two Bar Spinefoot won't bite you, but the spines sticking out of their dorsal fin (the big one on their back) are plentiful, sharp and have a mild venom that can give you a painful burning sensation if you handle this fish without respect. That being said, how often do you handle your fish? Hopefully, the answer here is almost never, which means the risk of being stuck is pretty much nil.
The Two Bar Spineoot Rabbitfish has to be in the top ten most gorgeous fish for the home aquarium. Add to this their ease of care, and helpful grazing habits, good reeftank behavior, reasonable maximum size and you have a fish that is the perfect showpiece for many displays. If you're looking for a stunner of a fish that is a little different, it's hard to beat Siganus doliatus. Ask your Local Fish Store about a sustainably collected specimen from Quality Marine today!