Neat article about Boxfish in NYT today

[tridacna]

How the World’s Squarest Fish Gets Around

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

Thanks, man, love it.

 

[dorsal]

These guys are fun to watch swim

 

[agilis]

Lots of tiny Atlantic/Caribbean versions of these Trunkfish, Lactophrys trigonus and Acanthostracion quadricornus, are swept up by the Gulf Stream and find their way into NJ/NY bays and inlets. I've collected as many as a dozen in an afternoon while seining for crabs in Barnegat Bay, They can be distinguished from one another even at the typical half inch size: the quadricornis 'Cowfish' are yellow, the trigonus are dark brown. They usually get a little bigger than a marble before October's cold water kills them.

 

[agilis]

www.reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5477

Here's a photo of a Cowfish I caught and raised for a while back when I had lots of marine aquaria. It eventually went to Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant. Ackee was my name on that site.

 

[tridacna]

www.reefcentral.com/forums/album.php?albumid=926&pictureid=5477

Here's a photo of a Cowfish I caught and raised for a while back when I had lots of marine aquaria. It eventually went to Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant. Ackee was my name on that site.

User creds reqd for that site.

I stopped keeping those when one died and poisoned a 90 gal reef. Lotta toxin in that teeny fishy.

 

[agilis]

User creds reqd for that site.

I stopped keeping those when one died and poisoned a 90 gal reef. Lotta toxin in that teeny fishy.

These two most common species do not exude any toxins. They are completely safe. The only toxic Atlantic/Carribean species is the Smooth Trunkfish, and I've never seen one north of Florida.To get into the pictures use 'ackee' as the name, 'mango' as the password.

 

[tridacna]

These two most common species do not exude any toxins. They are completely safe. The only toxic Atlantic/Carribean species is the Smooth Trunkfish, and I've never seen one north of Florida.To get into the pictures use 'ackee' as the name, 'mango' as the password.

Thanks for User Info. Unlike you, I purchased my fish from fish stores. Remember that horrible place on center Island in Union, NJ? Wily owner.

 

[agilis]

Thanks for User Info. Unlike you, I purchased my fish from fish stores. Remember that horrible place on center Island in Union, NJ? Wily owner.

There were several different owners of that store over time. The last one had a bad reputation. Do you remember Doug Millard, the large heavy set fellow with an encyclopedic knowledge of things aquatic? He died a few years ago on a Christmas Day. He was a close friend who owned or helped manage a few shops in NJ at various times. I frequently supplied him with seahorses, Lookdowns, all sorts of things. Before he died Doug was seriously ill and living in a rest home in Plainfield. I'd sometimes take him on collecting trips with the help of another mutual friend who owns an aquarium servicing business, just to get him out of that place. Doug was supported during his final days by the congregation of a Black church whose pastor was an assistant dean and one of my closest friends. Doug joined the church, its only white member.

 

[tridacna]

I remember Doug well. He was a great help when I first started. He was the "itinerant pet fish shop manager". We had quite a few local tropical fish stores in those days. Shark Aquarium on 22 in Union (ugh), The Pet Shanty next to Bowcraft (now both gone), there was also a good one on Rt 46, and Fin 'n Feather in Springfield. I still own a 20 yr old parrot bought from Andy!). None remain today. When I built my 1200 gal tank in my house, Doug came over frequently to advise. I had one of the first MTC FFs thanks to him! Were you on Fish Forum?