Lazy Foxface does not pick on algea

[Tripod1404]

Hello Everyone,

I have a lazy foxface lo that does not eat almost anything besides pellets and nori (he loves freeze dried mysis shrimp but for some reason doesn't like frozen mysis). He eats the pellets and nori like a pig but does not graze. I see him graze on the live rock for maybe 2-3 times a week but aside from that he constantly waits near the corner of the tank that I feed him.

He gets super exited when ever i get near the tank and start to swim up and down and follows me if i move to the other corner. This continues until I feed the tank and after that he calms down. He is also unusually friendly for a foxface and not timid at all. Even when my arms are in the tank, he just swims between. At first I was a bit concerned that I might accidentally get stung, but he seems relaxed enough.

I must admit I somewhat over feed the tank which might turned the foxface lazy since he is fat and does not need to work for his food. But I want for him to graze on the live rock and pick on algae like he used to do in the ocean (considering all foxface are wild caught). Is there a trick to promote a fish to graze, one option that came to my mind is to reduce the feeding. However, I also do not want him to pick on corals out of hunger. So If I tie some nori to live rock, might that bring back his instincts back?

 

[Deinonych]

Not sure how long you've had him, but it took mine several months before he started picking at the rocks consistently. There's not really any trick - he'll do it when he's ready.

 

[Reef908]

Maybe he is not grazing since you feed often? I had a foxface and a rabbit and both would eat anything I threw in the tank. Thier grazing habits were directly correlated to how often (and how much) I fed. Just my experience. Great fish though a bit skiddish haha

 

[SecretiveFish]

I had a similar experience as Reef908 although mine was an incredibly aggressive eater, about stole the food out of other fish's mouths. Mine was also a complete spaz, skittish is an understatement.

 

[Tripod1404]

Deinonych, I had him about 4 months ago. I failed to mention there is a particular spot on the glass (5inchX5inch) he consistently grazes on. But just for some reason just that spot on the glass but not on the rock.

I believe Reef908 and SecretiveFish are right. He might no be hungry enough to graze consistently. Thinking about it, the days he graze most extensively are Saturdays which I feed frozen mysis. As a mentioned before he doesn't like that stuff and so doesn't eat much. Only those days I saw him show any king of long lasting interest to the algae on the rocks.

About the skittish part, I think I have an exception. This fish is soo friendly and calm. Like i said before, he swims around my arms while i am cleaning the tank and never changes to his stressed color or show up his spines to me. I sit just next to the tank while watching tv and he is always at the corner closest to me and he watches me as much as I watch him . if I move to the other side of the tank, he comes to that corner and continue watching me. While feeding, he constantly head bumps my fingers and try to push his snout between my fingers to get food. I actuality give him dried mysis directly from my hand (since that stuff doesn't sink and gut stuck behind the overhang). Although I would love to interpret these behaviors as affection, it is more likely he associated me with food . Anyway, I love fish with personalities.

 

[ThRoewer]

Siganidae (rabbitfish) live in pairs in the wild, in large part to protect each other. One grazes on rocks while the other one watches out for predators.

The going after free floating food, skittishness and reluctance to graze on algae growing on rocks may come from the missing lookout they need to feel safe.

Anyone interested in foxfaces and rabitfish should have a look at the articles linked below (posted previously in the thread Pair- Formation in Coral Reef Fishes)
Especially the first article is quite interesting in regards of this issue.

Coordinated vigilance provides evidence for direct reciprocity in coral reef fishes (Full PDF)

... We demonstrate that in pairs of coral reef rabbitfishes (f. Siganidae), one fish frequently assumes an upright vigilance position in the water column, while the partner forages in small crevices in the reef substratum. Both behaviours are strongly coordinated and partners regularly alternate their positions, resulting in a balanced distribution of foraging activity. Compared to solitary individuals, fishes in pairs exhibit longer vigilance bouts, suggesting that the help provided to the partner is costly. In turn, fishes in pairs take more consecutive bites and penetrate deeper into crevices than solitary individuals, suggesting that the safety provided by a vigilant partner may outweigh initial costs by increasing foraging efficiency. Thus, the described system appears to meet all of the requirements for direct reciprocity. We argue that the nature of rabbitfish pairs provides favourable conditions for the establishment of direct reciprocity, as continuous interaction with the same partner, simultaneous needs, interdependence, and communication relax the cognitive demands of reciprocal cooperation.

Why pair? Evidence of aggregative mating in a socially monogamous marine fish (Siganus doliatus, Siganidae) (Full PDF)

Pair formation, home range, and spatial variation in density, size and social status in blotched foxface Siganus unimaculatus on an Okinawan coral reef (Full PDF)

Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations (Full PDF)

 

[Tripod1404]

ThRoewer that is a really good point. The fact that he is not hungry enough combined with the absence of a watchdog might sure be inhibiting the natural grazing instinct. Its a shame rabbit fish do not form pairs in captivity (at least not regularly).
While looking at the first article you posted I realized something interesting. I have seen my fish demonstrating the vigilance posture. He stays almost completely head-up with his spines open (exactly like the fox face in figure 2). This can sometimes continue up to 1-2 minutes. I always interpreted that behavior as some short of dominance demonstration. If this behavior is really the vigilance posture, it is kinda sad he is acting as a watchdog for a non-existent mate.

 

[ThRoewer]

They form pairs in tanks - even mixed species pairs. A store here had a regular foxface and a one spot foxface in a relatively small tank and they were always together.

 

[snorvich]

tank size?

 

[ThRoewer]

tank size?

It was a 36" CADlight tank, maybe 50 gallons, for sure not more than 65 gallon.

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