Foxface tank sizing.

[Anonymous]

Ok so I have a foxface rabbitfish currently in my 100g tank (72" x 18" x 18") , however I'm very shortly moving stuff over to a 75 gallon tank (32" x 24" x 24"), really it's an 80... but the overflow takes about 5 gallons out of the tank swimming area.

I have this feeling it is really ill-suited for a tank of this size, even though a lot of places have the minimum size at 70g (I really do take those numbers with a grain of salt). Am I just being overly cautious?

Ideally I'd love to toss him in my 180g (48" x 36" x 24") HOWEVER I have another rabbitfish in there, Siganus virgatus (or something similar in shape), and I'm worried about the potential brouhaha that I've read about keeping multiple rabbitfish in the same tank. Again am I being overly cautious?

I'd really like to keep the foxface if possible as he is quite the algae killing machine, but I just don't know.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd give it a go. I kept a small one in my 24g when I had an algae problem. They are the best algae eaters.

You can always get him out later if he shows signs of stress. But I think it'll be fine.

 

[Anonymous]

See I don't particularly buy the "You can always get him out later" argument. As that usually involves taking down a bunch of rocks and what not

 

[Anonymous]

See I don't particularly buy the "You can always get him out later" argument. As that usually involves taking down a bunch of rocks and what not

I caught mine pretty easy. I pretty much chased him around with a stick until he freaked out and starting darting all around. I had the net in the other hand. He practically swam right into it.

I've never failed in removing a fish that I wanted out of my tank. A flame angel was the hardest. Took me three weeks with a trap.

How big is your rabbitfish?

Louoey

 

[Mike612]

I remember that I had to take out my Sailfin Tang and also a Blue Head Wrasse at one point. I turned on the lights in the tank and both of them came out of the rocks. They were a little dazed from the lighting. I moved quickly and managed to snag the both of them without moving a rock and without chasing them with a stick I think that's the best way to go about it.

For a regular Foxface though, I'd say that the 75 should also be alright. Like Louey said, if it shows signs of stress, just take it out. Otherwise, just leave it.

 

[Ben1]

Thanks for the idea Louey I had a foxface I have been trying to get so i decided to try your idea. I put the net on the sand and chased it around till it crashed into the net. They are kinda nervous fish eh lol.

 

[Anonymous]

Rabbitfish is.. umm hell I don't know 6-8 inches I'd hazard.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the idea Louey I had a foxface I have been trying to get so i decided to try your idea. I put the net on the sand and chased it around till it crashed into the net. They are kinda nervous fish eh lol.

Your welcome.

One of the workers at my local LFS gave me this tip. It works like a charm.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Well I just tossed the Foxface into my 180, I figure that was probably the most sane place for him. Although I really was digging the low fish load in there (yellow tang, tomini tang, barred rabbitfish & 2 lyretail anthias). At first he was super spooked, wedged himself behind a coral... I left the room for 10 minutes, he was gone some where else to hide... I saw his snout, saw the Yellow Tang trying to rub up against him (stabbing him with the tail barbs?) basically trying to bully him and/or assert himself as king of the tank. Tossed some flakes in because food gets those fish off whatever they're doing Even the foxface ate some, all seems good though, I'll see tomorrow, I'm worried the Foxface might now pick on the other Rabbitfish because the FF is bigger by a couple inches.

And the 80g rebuilt tank I'm making... well I threw the Tomato Clown in there, she's a mean SOB who bites/rams me if I get too close (did 3 times while I was pulling rocks out of the tank!) and I really want to get rid of her, but she was my first ever SW fish so there's sentimental value. So she's enjoying 80g all to herself now and her 8 room home (8- Rose bubble tip anemone). I'm thinking maybe throw in some damsels or other equally mean fish in there to have a total aggro tank

 

[Anonymous]

I'd love to see some photos of your tanks Mike. You always get me wondering with your posts. They sound like they could be quite special.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I don't think they're anything special, but then again "you're your own worst critic" type of things I'm guessing, in retrospec when my tank is doing horrible it still looks better than a lot of tanks that are "running fine" I did manage to get a couple of my tanks in a UK magazine over there too even! (Random event for that to happen too, not because it was a super special tank ).

I'll see what I can do about posting some pictures though.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok instead of trying to find pictures, I just found the build threads I've done on our local club forums. I think these are viewable from non-members, however if they're not let me know and I'll yank out the prettiest pictures

This is the 80g rebuild I'm mentioning in this thread
http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/7708

Here's my 180 thread, I think quite a few pictures got lost as we changed forum software and there were some casualties, skip to page 4 where pictures first start showing up.
http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/2467

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mike!

Unfortunately it looks like they only let guests see the first post, but I've registered and will take a look tonight (I used my home e-mail address that I can't access at work). Looking forward to it. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Oh sorry about that Tom, I didn't know that.

 

[Anonymous]

No worries. It's not your fault some weird Brit is stalking you for tank shots.

 

[Anonymous]

Its ok Tom, some Weird Brit when went stalking with a friend and myself when he was over here for a conference (that's how I got my tanks in one of the UK fish mags )

In the mean time here's a few pics

This is the 80g jobber, right this second, it's an anemone tank... down the road I'll toss in some ricordia and perhaps some colorful zoas. The one lone tomato clown in there was my first SW fish ever, going on 7 years (I want to say... maybe 6)

Looking at the other thread, I don't have a single FTS amongst them though.. hmmm damnit.

 

[Anonymous]

Just had my fix. Cool shots Mike and love your selection of corals. Some colorful and fun selections in there. Plus, you're a lot more practical and resourceful than me! 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Well Tom I let our webmistress know about the problem and she fixed it, now you don't have to register to view

 

[Anonymous]

^Very nice build thread you have over there. Cool idea to try the PVC bottom. Looks like it held very well.

The funniest part of the thread was the guy who bet he could smash your stand with a hammer! WTH was he thinking? :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Well Tom I let our webmistress know about the problem and she fixed it, now you don't have to register to view

I like the fact that you all seem to know each other on there. Looks like a fun community! Maybe I could get a job in SF at some point? 8)