Gold Spotted Rabbitfish

[padi200]

On Saturday, I picked a very pretty Gold Spotted Rabbitfish for my 180 gallon mixed reef tank. He is doing great. He appears to get along with all the other fish and eats well. No problems at all. BUT..
I am wondering, how careful do I need to be or how much to I need to worry about the venomous spines he has? Do they only sting if you grab them, or can they accidentally sting you when you are cleaning delicious algae off the front glass?
I am hoping some of you have rabbit fish experience and can help me? i was thinking of getting some coralife gloves, but do I even need them?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Rutrag]

I believe you're only going to get stung if you try to grab the fish or stick your hand someplace you can't see. I have a foxface that hides anytime I work in the tank (same family). I've never worried except when I moved the fish from the QT to the DT. Mine is a big sissy.

 

[padi200]

Thanks!

 

[padi200]

Does your try and eat algae when you scrape it off? That was one thing I wondered?

 

[padi200]

anyone else with a rabbit fish that can answer?

 

[Grkgod36]

When I'm cleaning the tank he hides in his bat cave and camos up.
When it's feeding time he's right up on top of the water he all but eats out of my hand

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Why would you scrape off algae if you have fish in your tank that eat it?

 

[Sapelo]

Mine has never shown any signs of aggression and even when netting him from QT I did not get stung. I don't think you have anything to worry about baring some sort of freak accident.
Incidentally, he is my favorite fish; I love his coloring and patterns!

 

[A sea K]

I've had both a doliatus and a magnificent, no aggression issues from either and as some have already said, they hide most always when working in the tank.

 

[julie180]

+5 Mine is a big sissy when it comes to me in the tank. Mine got stuck in the overflow one night, I have no idea how he managed because he was longer than the overflow was wide, but my first instinct was to grab him with my bare hands, good thing I was with it and realized that was not a good idea.

Since moving my tank to a higher traffic area, mine is very prone to spook and jump. I would have lost him many times with out screens. As it is, I have to mop the mess on the floor and wall he makes on a regular basis. I swear he is spooked by shadows.

 

[padi200]

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you all for the help and information. He is quickly becoming the star of the tank. What a great personality and he gets along with all the other fish, even the yellow tang who occasionally tells him (with his tail) .. that MY NORI.. and he kind of swims away for a few seconds.. says WHATEVER and come back to eat more. Most of the time they swim together.
Anyway.. what a gorgeous fish with so much personality.
The way he eats, I hope he doesn't get too big too fast!
Appreciate all the reassurance.