? for the boxfish experts.

[criccio]

There is an Ostracion whitleyi on DD, and it has the gold coloration of a female, but the pattern of a male. Now I've been told that the females turn into males at some point. Now I don't know this to be fact, but this fish would seem to confirm it, especially if it continues to develop the blue coloration of the male. Can anyone (especially you Hawaiian divers) confirm or refute this? My understanding is that the blue males are much harder to come by (in the ocean) then the females, and the few times I've seen the males for sale they have always been 5"+. I've just never seen one in-between.

Any thoughts, Les, DJ???

 

[myerst2]

Though I am not a diver or would consider myself an expert, I would say that it is a female turning into a male. I researched this fish heavily because I really wanted to keep one. I decided to stay away from them. Of all the boxfish they are become stressed very easily and prone to releasing toxin because of it. Much of the stress these fish experience is from people trying to keep them in warm water. They will almost always breakdown if not kept at temps in the lower 70'sF. Around 72F is almost a bit warm. Also if you decide to keep the box I would have the fish be the first fish and not add anything else for a few months in order to let it settle down. I know of one person who had one by itself and then later added a pinecone fish about 3 months later and the box expelled the toxin that night. Hope this helps, Tim