Rabbitfish in reef tanks

[gflat65]

Has anyone else out there noticed their scribbled rabbitfish munching on sps like Pocillopora? I found an over half dead green Pocillopora today that was perfectly healthy yesterday. I noticed it munching on the poc. after I noticed the skeleton... I also noticed my pink poc. has some skeleton showing... The polyps are shaggy (what are left anyway) on both...

 

[sedgro]

I have a Siganus puellus rabbit that eats mushrooms and zooanthids. I am trying to trap it so I can get rid of it. Definitely not reef safe nor herbivores.

john

 

[gflat65]

I don't feel so alone, now. I'm getting ready to sell a 75 fish/softie to upgrade my 125 reef into a 180 (and the 125 will be the fish/softie), so it'll stay in the 125. For what I plan to keep in the 125, I won't be too disappointed if it gets eaten... (I can say that now ).

 

[NoSchwag]

I'm looking to pick one up actually. I hear they do very well in reefs.

 

[sedgro]

Yeah, they do very well because they have so much around to eat. It eats zoos and mushrooms like its at a salad bar. Doesn't bother the sps though. Of course, it is the only fish that won't go in to the trap. You can have mine when I catch it.

john

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

I wanted a doliatus for my planned 180 SPS reef but I'm hearing way too many stories that they are simply not to be trusted, even with SPS. I also am hearing a lot of folks that keep them in a reef with no problems, kind of like large angels they seem to be rather hit or miss.

 

[TrojanScott]

My problem with one I had was it ate too much. It devoured the hair algae, which was great, but when I fed the rest of the fish, it didn't let anyone eat. Bully. Got way too big too fast too. (it was a spotted rabbitfish)

Took me a half hour to catch in a fish trap. Took to a LFS and got 15 bucks for him. They still haven't sold it. He's too big. Cool looking eyes, but not the prettiest fish. Feel bad for him really, I wish he was back in the ocean!

 

[gflat65]

I've got a friend in the ETRC that has one and has never had problems out of it. Does sound like a hit or miss thing. It's been in the tank for about three months and no issues until yesterday...

 

[Reef'in Colorado]

My scribbled rabbit doesn't touch any of my corals. I have had it in a mixed reef including a pocillopora and many other sps. I guess they are hit or miss.

 

[BryanJ]

Fox faces and the siganus doliatus are the only 2 I have heard of doing well in reefs. My fox face is a model citizen and I would reccomend to anyone looking to get a rabbitfish.

 

[Weatherman]

Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve had a Virgatus rabbit in my 120 for a little over two months.

I have never seen a fish eat algae like this one does. I had a major outbreak of dictyota and rhodophytes. The Virgatus stripped the tank clean down to bare rock. It hasnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t nibbled on any of my sps, yet, but I am getting a bit concerned. I feed it Formula 2 in the morning and nori in the evening. Itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s such a pig that it doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t even wait until I attach the nori to a rock. It eats it right out of my hand.

The Virgatus shares the tank with a Foxface. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m thinking about moving the Foxface to my 180 to reduce the competition for food.


If your tank has lots of algae, they will clean it up very fast. If your tank is already clean (Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m talking to you, schwaggy! ), I wouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t recommend getting one. Without algae to nibble on, they will go after your coral, with Xenia being on the top of their menu.

 

[NoSchwag]

Thanks for the heads up.. I hear you talking about them all the time so I figured I'd try one out. I'll pass for now.

 

[Weatherman]

Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢d, definitely, put them under the category of ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œworker fishââ"šÂ¬Ã‚.

If you have a job for them to do (like ridding your tank of algae), theyââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll do it extremely well. Otherwise Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢d pass on them. With nothing to do, theyââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll just get into mischief.

 

[BryanJ]

weatherman how do the siganus and foxface get along. I have been wanting a siganus for a long time.

 

[graveyardworm]

I had a siganus puellis which had a taste for purple mushrooms. I'm on my second vulpinus so far neither one has touched any inverts.

 

[Weatherman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6981136#post6981136 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BryanJ
weatherman how do the siganus and foxface get along. I have been wanting a siganus for a long time.

They get along remarkably well.

Virgatus Rabbitfish like to travel in pairs in the wild, so when I introduced my Virgatus, a couple weeks after the Foxface, the Virgatus was the one who wanted to make friends. The Foxface was a bit hesitant at first, and there was some gentle nipping, but that didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t last long. Now, they go everywhere together.

 

[gflat65]

Well, the Scribbled has taken a strong liking to my zoas. Several harder to find colonies are gone or going daily. Started about two weeks ago and is now on a rampage... Still plenty of algae for it to eat, but has decided zoas taste much better...