Foxface in a reef tank?

[DanaWilson]

I have a small 4" one spot foxface and I'm considering putting him in my 30 gallon reef. The tank is a 30X with a pair of false perculas, a Midas blenny and a small regal tang about the same size as the foxface. Corals are pretty simple, some green star polyps, pulsing xenia, anthellia, mushrooms, 2 kinds of zooanthids, and a small torch. What are the odds he'll eat the coral? The tank is in my mom's office at work and they're pretty spoiled, never underfed.

 

[vaporized]

I guess be prepared to move the fish to a much bigger tank. They will get big quick or die. Also, be prepared for a dose of venom. It seems like you have the 30 gallon already maxed. I personally wouldn't put tangs or rabbitfish in that small of a tank. I don't even put those fish in that small of a tank for QT.

 

[DanaWilson]

I know the rabbitfish and tang are going to get larger. I've been keeping fish professionally and personally for about 10 years but I've only been doing coral personally since I started this reef tank about 2 years ago. All I want to know is everyone's experience with foxfaces and coral.

 

[cfredallen]

Foxface don't usually mess with coral. That being said I had to remove 1 from my mixed reef as it was nipping at my Duncans. It learned that the duncans took a while to fully eat so it started picking at he mouths even when I hadn't fed. That was the only coral it bothered though.

 

[shinninja]

I have two large foxes in a reef tank with no issues. My guess is your fine with the fox picking on corals. Gl

 

[vaporized]

In many cases they are reasonably reef safe. However, my friend had to remove his for nipping at his acros. If it were to pick on xenia and gsp than I wouldn't care. They are invasive corals and take over reef tanks. I personally try to keep them at a minimum.

 

[GrendelPrime76]

i had a foxface for a number of yrs and he would go after zoanthids every once in a while but there was never any damage

 

[Empty Bottles]

Can more people please chime in? It's an understatement to say I want a mag foxface to be the centerpiece of my mixed reef, but I'm not taking any chances of having a fish that is a coral risk. I've only got one tank.

 

[vaporized]

Can more people please chime in? It's an understatement to say I want a mag foxface to be the centerpiece of my mixed reef, but I'm not taking any chances of having a fish that is a coral risk. I've only got one tank.

People have chimed in! If you do not want to run the risk do not buy the fish. It's as simple as that. Some people have luck and some do not. I know many that have these fish in their reefs successfully. I personally do not think the OP should get one because they only have a 30 gallon tank. That is far too small for a magnificent and tang. :deadhorse1:

 

[GrendelPrime76]

i didnt even see the 30g part, thats an ok q-tank but i would never try to keep both a tang and fox in that size long term

 

[DanaWilson]

It's not a magnificent, it's a one spot and it isn't going to be a permanent move. I've had the little guy for over a year and I'm kind of attached to him. The much larger tank he's currently living in is about to also be home to an epaulette shark pup and I don't want to risk either of them hurting the other and the only alternative I have is the nano reef.

 

[DanaWilson]

I work in an aquarium and have done aquarium related work for the last decade. In my experience it's about a 50/50 chance but I've never done it myself and I wanted to throw the question out to more people than just the ones I work with.

 

[vaporized]

Regardless, a one spot or magnificent is reef safe with caution. Some will work and some will not. You simply need to value the risk. Personally, I would trade it in for store credit or sell it because it will not work long term in a 30 gallon. You should plan for what you currently have to keep it in.

 

[GrendelPrime76]

its like dwarf angels 50/50 shot imo and im pretty sure all the advice u will get is the same as u got, some will nip and some wont, it all boils down to the fish and what they feel like doing at the time

 

[king_Neptune]

Id say your pretty stocked for a 30g

 

[rssjsb]

I think it's not as bad as 50/50. You may have some issues with nipping xenia and other soft corals, but I think it's not that bad. Mine has never touched any corals, but he's in a 185 and is very well fed. Frankly, I think the biggest risk to your corals is more likely to come from the fact that these fish are prodigious poopers and could have an outsized impact on water quality.

You probably already know this, too, but the other concern about foxfaces in a small tank is that they are extremely skittish in new surroundings. I would be sure that the tanks is covered and there's space for a 4" fish to conceal himself when feeling threatened.

 

[namxas]

I kept S. vulpinus in a mixed softy/LPS reef for severl years with no troubles. It seems like whenever I've heard of a foxface eating corals, it has always been polyps such as zoanthids.

JME

 

[thebluepond]

Have a foxface in my mixed reef, and have never seen him nip at the corals...only damage may be when he is feeding on algae and accidentally gets(very rare) a little coral with it...typically they are a careful and methodical feeder...even more so than a tang.

 

[discocarp]

They aren't 100% safe, but the odds of a coral nipping foxface is much, much less than the dwarf angels.

 

[LBCMatt]

To offer my two cents, I dropped one into my reef tank, and within days, he had destroyed one scoly, and started nipping at a second. Even worse, my sailfin learned from him to start eating these corals since the scoly become stringy and the sailfin started nipping at it too. Eventually, I lost one scoly and had to take another to the LFS.