[shaywood]

I had a foxface for about a year which did great. I upgraded my tank to a more compatible reef (coral) system. The fish handled the change-over just fine. After about a month or two I started adding Caclium to improve the levels for corals. After adding Kent A-B solution one time I noticed the foxface went into hiding. He died two days later.

Not thinking much about it I bought a new foxface which did fine for about a month, until I again added the kent A-B solution. Guess what? Within two days this one was dead also. Everyone else in the tank, including other fish, are fine. Are foxface rabbit fish sensitive to calcium supplements?

PH levels are stable at around 8.

Shawn

[Mini_Reef]

You know, that is a good question. I have a little foxface (Siganus vulpinus)
and he's constantly hiding. Whether it's behind all the rock, or smooshed under the overhanging button polyps, he's hardly ever out in the open.
Unless it's feeding time, then he's a force to be reckoned with.
I only have a 30 gallon setup, but I've been advised to add calcium with my water changes (among a few other supplements). The Foxface doesn't appear to breathe hard, and he seems happy enough, but he's constantly hidden, and his color is all mottled or creamy white-ish about 85% of the time. Is that normal?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Mini_Reef

You know, that is a good question. I have a little foxface (Siganus vulpinus)
and he's constantly hiding.

...he's constantly hidden, and his color is all mottled or creamy white-ish about 85% of the time. Is that normal?

No, it's not normal for it to display stress coloration 85% of the time. And it's not normal for this species to hide out like that.

I have one that I've had for almost three years now and it's always out in the open. It's a very active fish. I wish my tank was larger than it is (120 gallons) because it is obvious that mine really needs a larger tank. It was about 3" long when I got it but it's about 7.5" long today.

These fish will display their stress coloration (which is also their nighttime coloration) whenever they are frightened. They sometimes display this coloration for no apparent reason. One way for me to get mine to get over it in a hurry is to drop food into the tank. He will immediately get over the stress coloration and revert to his normal brilliant yellow color. Even when mine was a juvenile, he didn't display the stress coloration more than maybe 5-10% of the time, at the most.

You will also notice that when they go into the stress coloration, they also extend their dorsal and anal fins. That's a defensive posture because their dorsal and anal fins are venomous.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by shaywood

Are foxface rabbit fish sensitive to calcium supplements?

Not that I know of. I usually drip Kalkwasser but I have used B-Ionic occasionally without any ill effects.

Were you adding a large amount at one time? By large amount, I mean more than 3 Tbsps at one time.

Perhaps it would be better to add it twice a day, or even three times a time, in smaller amounts? I assume you are adding it to your sump, right? And you are waiting at least a couple of minutes between components?

[Mini_Reef]

I've been observing my foxface for the last few hours, and while most of it was spent behind or under a rock, he wasn't totally in "cow" mode.
(That's what I call it when he shows his stress colors :P )

Now, while he's not a all freakishly colored, he's not a brilliant yellow either.
Could it be that he doesn't feel comfortable enough in the tank to be "happy" all the time? I have two (well fed) Blue Velvet Damels.....I don't know any other name for them, but I've seen that they are the dominant ones in the tank. (besides that the two I took to the LFS have totoally dominated the "aggressive" tank - currently holding a lionfish, a marine beta, and a few eels)

Is there a chance that he would be happier if I took the two bullies out of the picture?

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by Mini_Reef

Is there a chance that he would be happier if I took the two bullies out of the picture?

Absolutely!

Damsels do not make good fish in a display tank. They are VERY pretty, but are also VERY territorial. I would trade them in to the LFS for something else.

[Mini_Reef]

Well, it's done. I got rid of my Yellow Tang, and all three damsels. I must say the tank certainly LOOKS peaceful! :P It was quite an ordeal getting them out, the poor foxface looked as though he was gonna suicide on the dry floor a few times, but with luck i was able to keep him from jumping out.
So, I'm hoping that Mr. Foxface will relax, and decide to swim out in the open a little more.

[triggers1]

i love fox faces. but not as much as triggers hahaha

[weez1959]

Can it be that the foxface was stressed because of tank size? I thought tangs and rabbitfish needed at least 75 gallons. I have 75 gallons and I'm pretty sure my tang would be happier in a 100g or more tank. I'm sure your little foxface will be happier without the bullies...