Rabbitfish not eating, stressed; Env. Issues?  11/21/06
I have a beautiful Magnificent Rabbitfish that is about 5 inches long and has been in my 125 gallon reef tank for about 8 months.  He shares the tank with a 4 inch yellow tang, a 3 inch Maroon Clown, a 3 inch Mandarin Dragonet, and 6 Green Chromis, all under 2 inches.  They all get along pretty well.  
<Hi Todd, JustinN with you today. Sounds like a very nice setup.>
The Maroon Clown has been getting more territorial the past couple of months since he has gotten bigger.  He will chase all of the fish out of his territory on occasion.
<Mmm, yes. To be somewhat expected with this lovely bully.>  
My tank has been running for about 10 months, it has upwards of 150 pounds of live rock, a good variety of snails, crabs, star fish and urchins.  I have a 20 gallon sump with a skimmer, about a cubic foot of Chaeto and 5 Mangrove plants.  
<Ok>
My Rabbitfish started acting strange a couple of months ago and is slowly getting worse.  He will curl his body, swim sideways and spasm, and now when he opens his dorsal fin it will twitch like he has neurological problems.
<Not good>  
I had a nitrate problem over the summer where the levels were at 40 ppm for a few weeks before I was able to get the levels back under 10 ppm (by daily cleaning of my skimmer column).  
<This doesn't affect the efficiency of your skimmer? I might look into other possible sources here...>
I don't know if that stress triggered the problems or not.  He occasionally goes berserk when I do my weekly water change and gravel vacuuming but this past weekend was the worst.  He swam around in his camouflage mode with lightning speed for about 30 seconds, running into the walls and rocks before he finally stopped.  He pressed his camouflaged body against a rock and stayed there panting for about 10 minutes before he came back out.  Since then he hasn't eaten anything.
<Doubly not good>
Normally I give him and the Tang a daily rollup of Nori with a pinch of Chaeto wrapped inside.  They eat it voraciously.  The Rabbitfish will also eat flakes, pellets, plankton and occasionally frozen shrimp that I feed the rest of the fish.  I'm worried since he hasn't eaten for a couple of days that he might slide downhill fast.
<As would I be, though at this point personally I'll take a 'wait-and-see' stance. Any kind of generalized treatment, or attempt to move and quarantine would likely further stress the specimen.>  
Have you ever heard of the spasming and twitching I am observing?  
<Mmm, yes. Both as a reaction to environment, and as a defensive reaction to bullying. Perhaps the Maroon Clown's newfound teenage rebellion is causing more stress than you might notice when watching the tank.>
His coloring and complexion is perfect.  The thought of cyanide poisoning when captured has crossed my mind but he didn't exhibit these spasming symptoms until 3 or 4 months in my tank.  Do you have any ideas? Todd
<The only course of action I can really recommend here is to observe, and try a variety of foods. Perhaps you should even consider some additives, such as garlic, to attempt to make the foods more palatable for the Rabbitfish. My immediate guess is that the Maroon clown has just been showing his dominance of the tank, and the Rabbitfish is reacting and adjusting in kind. Do monitor your water levels, as presence of nitrites or ammonia may also trigger the reactions you describe, although there would be more likelihood of faded colors in that case. Hope this helps you! -JustinN>

Rabbit fish questions
scenario= 125 gallon tank, ph 8.2, ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 5ppm, tank has been setup and running for about two months. 2 bio-wheel 400 filters and Protein skimmer. Current fish include 5 black mollies (starter fish) 1 blue velvet damsel and a fox-face rabbit. Two weeks ago I made the mistake of getting 1 clarkii clown, and 1 bi-color angel on a Sunday and then 1 yellow tang and my fox face on Monday. This must of caused an ammonia spike as I lost all my new fish except my fox-face rabbit. The rabbit fish eats good (flakes), and is active. I have normal aquarium lighting set up on a timer 11 hours on, 13 off
1 Sometimes the fox face will go to the top of the tank, behind the filter intake, and spike his fins and turn almost all black. He will stay like this for 2-5 minutes. I can't see that any of the fish in the tank are aggravating him. He seems to do this most often when I near the tank. Is he stressed?
<During these moments, yes>
2 His colors have faded since I brought him home. His yellow isn't as bright as it used to be. I have tried to feed lettuce but he won't eat it. Is there a proper way to feed lettuce?
<Don't feed lettuce, or other terrestrial greens... Please read through the marine foods/feeding/nutrition and Rabbitfish/Siganid materials stored on WetWebMedia.com>
I have tried hanging it near the surface and also sinking it to the bottom with an alligator clip. Any suggestions? Thanks for your time, Chad Dugger
<Study my friend. Bob Fenner>

Foxface won't eat
Hi
<cheers>
I Have a 120 fish only saltwater aquarium. About 6 days ago the nitrites shot way up. 
<please do re-examine this more closely. Nitrates do not suddenly "shoot" upward... not without a clear and significant influx of organic matter to be nitrified. Many possibilities here... sudden influx of food left to rot (someone else feeding the tank while on vacation), fish dies and rots unaccounted for, inaccurate/corrupted test kit/readings, etc. But you do want to discover and correct the problem here. No "magic" nitrate spikes in aquarium science>
My LFS told me it was time to replace my filter media, so I did. The Nitrites are coming down, 
<assuming you did a water change as well?>
But ever since they went up the Foxface stopped eating or it least I haven't seen him eat anything. 
<perhaps you got busy/lazy with the water change schedule and he is expressing stress/suffrage from the overall degraded water quality of which accumulated nitrate was only a part>
He leaves his algae alone and I also give some Emerald entree but he refuses to eat it east while I'm around. I currently leave have a small Huma trigger and a small Pantherfish which are doing fine. The trigger does not seem to bother the Foxface. My Question is the nitrites what caused him to stop eating 
<possibly Tangs, Angels and butterflies and related/like families have a definite sensitivity to accumulated nitrates. Rabbitfish (Foxface) being "related" to Surgeonfish fall into this category>
and how long can he live without eating? 
<many weeks>
What would u suggest to get him to start eating again? 
<continued improved water quality: water changes, carbon/PolyFilters and aggressive protein skimming (collect skimmate daily)>
Thanks for your help in advance.
<best regards, Anthony>

Ravenous Foxface
Greetings to One and All
Had previously written about my Foxface when first acquired about two weeks ago. I was concerned about ick and BobF answered my question. The fish appeared to be covered with white spots however it turned out to be an acclimation issue and after a few days of dimly lighting the tank the fright pattern and the spots disappeared.
<Ah, good. A "lack" of a "stitch in time saves nine" as well sometimes>
This guy/gal has already brought my algae issues under control by consuming about 90% of it. Up until a few days ago he ignored the Royal Gramma and my Ocellaris clown. Actually still ignores the clown and mostly ignores the Gramma. About three days ago foxy started to take an interest in the pellet food I feed the other two. Now he/she is Johnny on the spot at feeding time. However he chases off the Gramma while he cruises about grabbing most of the food. He has intimidated the Gramma who hangs about in the lower third of the water column avoiding foxy. While the Gramma does get something it is really very little compared with before. I tried clipping some Nori to one wall of the tank in an effort to district the Foxface but this hasn't worked. Wondering if anyone has any ideas of better way to handle. Other than at feeding time the fox face totally ignores the Gramma.
<Resource competition is very common in reef organisms... if the Rabbitfish is not working the Gramma any physical harm I would not be concerned. Maybe try feeding on both sides of the tank simultaneously? Bob Fenner>

Fish love to eat. 8/31/05
Hello Bob.
<Hi James, Ali here...>
The Foxface is doing well but seems to eat a lot... constantly, and always seems hungry.
<If hot dog eating contests were available to fish, this species would win every time, hands down.>
When I get home the fish darts to the side of the tank as I have come to feed a small amount of food each day. I was going to feed less but I discovered the legs of my hermit crabs protruding from the mouth of the Foxface. However, I am growing concerned about over feeding my pets. I do/did have a substantial number of hermit crabs and snails (the little tarantula fixed that number-black crab- and has yet to be caught) the Foxface and Skunk Cleaner shrimp are the known residents aside from the polyps, sponges on the rock and the 'accidentally acquired' hammer corals. Periodically I see some slime in the water: wispy milky colored strings in minimal quantity but noticeable on occasion. This is what prompted the fear I am overfeeding. However, the polyps and hammers do appear to be flourishing. I drop in about 2 whole flakes broken up and 4-6 pellets that have garlic (I don't recall the brand just the white container with blue top) and daily offering of dried seaweed on a vegetable clip. Virtually nothing makes it to the bottom unless it is just unseen. I do not want to add any new fish until I catch the crab and certainly will not put the Royal Gramma from the small tank until then either. As far as I can tell the water parameters are pretty stable. I do a 10% change weekly on each tank and the RO water is slowly reducing the high levels of mineral content while the nitrates are more in the 15-20ppm range. I can not seem to get lower than this. Nitrites are 0, Ph is 8.1-8.2 while I keep my salinity at a very consistent 1.0227-1.0233.
<The particular corals you currently house do appreciate and can tolerate somewhat higher nutrient levels than other corals. I wouldn't necessarily feed less frequently, however I would consider increasing my regular my water change routine. Either change more water or change more often (or both).>
Oh, I picked up the Reef Invertebrates book written by you and Anthony: Fantastic!!!! Did you guys start any of the others in the series yet?????????
<Yes, the Reef Invertebrates book written by Bob and Anthony is one of my all time favorites as well.>
Anyway, watching my tanks has replaced watching the TV. What an awesome hobby this has become! This really is not the nightmare everyone made it out to be but maybe being a chemist helps. lol.
Thank you Bob. James Zimmer, Garfield, NJ
<Glad you are enjoying the hobby James. You rock!-Ali>

Re: Fish feeding: my voracious Foxface; follow up queries  9/13/05
Ali.
<Is apparently missing>
I guess my question then becomes what signs do I look for that will help me determine what is 'enough' without too much feeding?
<Best is "fullness" in the midriff region>
Lovely Foxy does seem to like those hermits and, since I appreciate the job they do cleaning my tank, I would rather these (expensive) snacks did not have 'Menu' boldfaced on them. Decreasing food did not go over well as she picked a hermit right in front of me; hope it wasn't spite... lol
Hmmm, change more water and more frequently. Hey, okay this sounds good and not too much trouble. Maybe increase to 16% over a week at 8% a change. The nitrates probably got to the higher side when I was trying to keep the two scooter blennies (aka dragonets) alive. I never could tell if they were really eating anything I tried though their response was not what the other fishes give to food. A shame too I really liked them and tried hard to find something they would eat. Are Bob and Anthony working on the next book after Reef Invertebrates?
<Am ahead of Antoine... he's "gotten sidetracked" with other projects, interests>
Better yet will a hardcover be available?
<Not likely... too much money to produce...>
My wife calls my copy of Conscientious Marine Aquarist my fish bible.
<Hopefully it's made "the big room">
Oh reading up on substrates and course gravel (another fine bit from Reef Inverts) made me decide to remove some of the crushed Florida Coral that is in the small 5 gallon tank. Methinks I did not vac' it, as well as I thought I was anyway, due to algae blooms and red slime. Again, awesome hobby and this WWM is one of my favorite sites on the web! Please do say hello to Bob for me. =)
Thank you again.
James  
<Hello James! Bob Fenner>

Timid Rabbitfish - 01/26/06
Hi Crew,
<<Hello!>>
Thanks for all the info on your site and answering the questions thrown at you.
<<Happy to be here/help.>>
I purchased a 3" Barred (Scribbled) Rabbitfish (S. doliatus) a little over a week ago.
<<Ah yes, an attractive fish...and one of the better choices for captive keeping with a maximum size of about nine inches.>>
He shows no signs of ill health and seems to have a decent amount of meat on his bones considering transit (no pinching).
<<A good sign, these are robust-bodied fish.>>
He is fairly active in the tank if I watch from a distance
(note from a distance).  The problem is that he is so scared of me that he is missing all of the feedings because as soon as I approach to feed he goes into panic mode and hides.
<<Likely a behavior that will pass.>>
He is not per se refusing to eat; if food goes the way of his hiding place he happily gobbles it up.
<<This is good...>>
Also when watching from afar I have seen him naturally grazing a couple of times.
<<More good news...>>
Because of this I am not sure the normal course of action for difficult feeders (i.e. soaking food in Extreme Garlic or other
additives) will help.
<<No...not the issue here.>>
He seems to want the food, but is afraid to go out and get it.  I have tried SpectraLife pellet, Ocean Nutrition Formula Two Flake, Mysis Shrimp Cubes, and Seaweed Select Sheets.
<<All fine choices.>>
My wife fed once while I was at work and he ate, but this success cannot be duplicated by either of us.  Do you think that he will eventually become more bold and eat?
<<I do...but for now you might do better to dump the food in the tank and walk away to let the Rabbitfish come out to feed.>>
Is it common for this species to be so scared that they allow themselves to waste away?
<<Common, no...I have found these fish to be quite bold/personable for the most part.  But fishes are individuals too, and will often display differences in behavior among the same specie.  And being placed in new/unfamiliar surrounds can be unnerving for anyone.>>
I have tried to do a lot of research on this species, and while there is a lot of info on Rabbitfishes generally, information seems to be scant on the Doliatus.
<<Really?  A Google search on the full scientific name (Siganus doliatus) seems to turn up a plethora of hits.  Though only time will divulge if there is any real info among them.>>
Is there anything I can do to acclimate him to human involvement?  (i.e. more contact with the tank, try to stay away from tank other than feedings, etc.)
<<I would go about as normal (other than my recommendation to move away from the tank at feeding time, for now), the fish will adjust to your presence/activity in the room.>>
My system is a 144 gallon Oceanic half circle reef tank with 160 lbs. live rock, 20 gallon sump with wet-dry filtration, Euro-Reef CS 6-2+ skimmer, and a powerhead for additional flow.  Other
fish occupants of the tank are 1 3" Yellow Tang, 1 2" Banggai Cardinal, 6 2-2.5" Green Chromis, and 6 damsels.  The tang and the Rabbit sparred for a few days, but everything has calmed down.
<<Not atypical.>>
Does it sound like this fish is in a pattern that cannot be broken or is there still hope?
<<Tis hopeful.>>
Thanks in advance for any response you can provide.
Jason
<<Regards, EricR>>