Rabbitfish Fan Club - come all who love Siganus

E36328i said:
Siganus corallinus was the most beautiful fish I've ever had except for my Harlequin Tusk.
Click to expand...

Just googled this fish, WOW! Definitely on my list for the upgrade. It's like a reverse of the gold spot I just got, they would look awesome together. Anyone have a personal pic of one? Here's a shot from google:

Siganus%20corallinus%20Coral%20rabbitfish,%20Kri%20Eco,%20Raja%20Ampat%20IMG_7525.jpg


Anyone have a good personal shot of a S. doliatus? If I remember correctly BradleyJ has a big one is his tank (Is it creepy that I mentally keep track which of you have awesome fish in your tank? I don't think so) hopefully he will post a picture of his. Here is a google shot of doliatus... this is one fish that pictures can't capture, the "shimmer" of the fish in person is awesome:

siganidae%20siganus%20doliatus%20bluelined%20rabbitfish.jpg
 
Deinonych said:
Looks like the folks over at Advanced Aquarist like siganids as well. :)

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/8/fish2
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link!

To help answer the cohabitation question above, this article indicated that most species school as juveniles and live in pairs as adults. S. magnificus is noted as living individually as juveniles and also sometimes as adults, and S. guttatus lives in schools as both juveniles and adults. Obviously behavior is going to be different in our tanks, but it helps to have a general idea of how they cohabitate in the wild. My generalized guess would be that S. magnificus might be the least tolerant of others of it's kind, and S. guttatus might be the most, but who knows about all the other species...
 
Any testimony as to how your rabbitfish behave in the reef? I have heard the have a taste for zoas. This kinda scares me.
 
Mine doesn't touch my corals (including zoas) but I keep him really well fed. In fact, he'll pick at algae around my zoas without harming them. Every fish is an individual, though.
 
I had a S. doliatus, but not for long as it grew at a rate such as I have never seen in a marine fish. For those familiar with freshwater fish, it grew faster than a oscar! But it was and is a great fish, although it doesnt flash is mass color often. Most of the time it is more subdued.
 
syrinx said:
I had a S. doliatus, but not for long as it grew at a rate such as I have never seen in a marine fish. For those familiar with freshwater fish, it grew faster than a oscar! But it was and is a great fish, although it doesnt flash is mass color often. Most of the time it is more subdued.
Click to expand...

How big did it get? The doliatus is my favorite. I have a 300g, 8ft tank...too small?
 
Rob in Puyallup said:
Beautiful fish. I've noticed the clouded look to their eyes on occasion. Guess that's 'normal'?
Click to expand...

Yes, for Rabbitfish cloudy eyes (with a greenish tint) is normal. While we're on the topic, something else Rabbitfish often do that other fish usually don't is bite at the water's surface and pass bubbles out their gills. Figured it was worth mentioning since in other fish this can sometimes indicate gill irritation such as flukes.
 
kelrn98 said:
Any testimony as to how your rabbitfish behave in the reef? I have heard the have a taste for zoas. This kinda scares me.
Click to expand...

My doliatus ate some zoas, but left others alone. My gold spot has been good so far, but I've only had him in the DT about 2 weeks so it's too early to say. I don't keep many zoas so I can't say he wouldn't eat some if I had more for him to choose from.

I will say the goldspot eats a LOT. I've literally had to double the amount of food per feeding because he is eating a whole cube of food himself (right out of my fingers by the way). He is about 5" and he is eating up to 3 cubes a day of food by himself. My guess is the ones that pick aren't being fed enough.
 
LobsterOfJustice said:
My guess is the ones that pick aren't being fed enough.
Click to expand...

I would agree with this. Rabbits need a ton of food, and their gnawing habits (rather than how tangs pick) allows them to scarf down large amount in one feeding. My fox face probably eats a full sheet of nori to himself each day, has never touched a coral, and is about 1.5" wide easily.
 
I have a Siganus uspi (bicolor) in QT right now and so far he won't touch nori. He loves mysis but that's about it. Came in kinda skinny, hopefully he'll take to some nori for me soon.
 
kelrn98 said:
How big did it get? The doliatus is my favorite. I have a 300g, 8ft tank...too small?
Click to expand...


You should be fine. Mine went from two inches to ten in about 8 months to a year. He is about 12 inches now- and likely larger than they commonly get. I have also had foxface get 10 inches plus, and they also did well in tanks that were 200 gallons or more.

Feeding is a big issue with the picking on corals- although personality is also an issue- some pick and some dont within the species. My hand size orange spot is eating 3 sheets of nori a day, plus whatever else it gets when I feed the other fish.
 
aquaph8 said:
I have a Siganus uspi (bicolor) in QT right now and so far he won't touch nori. He loves mysis but that's about it. Came in kinda skinny, hopefully he'll take to some nori for me soon.
Click to expand...

Try romaine lettuce. It is not a good food nutritionally-and obviously not natural- but it will often get a good feeding response. After a week or so of them eating the romaine- clip the nori on same clip. When they finish the romaine they will often just continue eating the nori. I think it may be a texture issue.
 
syrinx said:
Try romaine lettuce. It is not a good food nutritionally-and obviously not natural- but it will often get a good feeding response. After a week or so of them eating the romaine- clip the nori on same clip. When they finish the romaine they will often just continue eating the nori. I think it may be a texture issue.
Click to expand...

Ill give it a shot. Thanks
 
LobsterOfJustice said:
Yes, for Rabbitfish cloudy eyes (with a greenish tint) is normal.
Click to expand...
Interesting! I got a Siganus unimaculatus a few months ago and was concerned when I noticed his eyes were cloudy after adding him to the DT. I removed him back to QT and treated with Melafix and anti-parasite meds - no change. He had a good appetite and could obviously still see well so I added him back to the DT. Eyes still cloudy after 2+ months... Is this really 'normal', or just a 'common problem' with rabbitfish? (ie: common problem would not = healthy, imho).

Appreciate your insight - I'm new to rabbitfish (and frankly, to marines in general).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Stocking Recommendations for established 92 gal
Replies
8
Views
578
Aquado
A
C
Tang aggression
Replies
3
Views
299
OrionN
OrionN
newlifeolsen
Mix of fish for my 150 saltwater fish only tank
Replies
0
Views
205
newlifeolsen
newlifeolsen
K
Compatibility
Replies
3
Views
383
wvned
wvned
D
Stocking 220 reef tank
Replies
4
Views
752
Reefing102
Reefing102
Back
Top