Rabbitfish mysteriously die

[rainey1324]

I've had 2 rabbitfish now, both after being introduced to my display after QT for 3 weeks die. In both cases, the fish seem perfectly healthy, then after about 3 days in the display die with no apparent cause. The other fish that were introduced with them are thriving. The LFS told us that the 1st one may have accidentally nipped some poisonous zoanthid, just a freak accident. So we waited a month and tried again. Same exact result.

A few stats. I have a 150 gal display water Parma normal.
I have a yellow and sailfin tang.
1 PJ cardinal
2 false percs
1 starry benny
1 yellow goby

Does anyone know of something poisonous to rabbitfish, or are these just strange coincidences, for a supposedly hardy fish? Thanks

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Do you have zoas and palys?

 

[RDtrack]

Here is just a thought. I'm of the opinion that you can QT a fish too long.

Rabbits are normally timid fish. Putting then them in a low stress environment for them is great. They love it but then you blow their socks off when all of a sudden their back in a tank with a bunch of other fish.

I would try lessen your QT time.

Expessially with timid fish.

 

[rainey1324]

I have various zoanthid and other soft corals. Th LFS said it may ha e nipped a dragons eye zoanthid, on the first that died, but would another have done the same thing?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Absolutely as long as you left it in the tank. I'm pretty sure that is what is killing them. I refuse to have any zoas or palys in my tank. They will take it over and some even kill fish. :hammer:

 

[3dees]

I have a foxface with zoa's and paly's in my tank. more than two years and no problems. I don't believe that's the problem. I also doubt that these coral can kill a fish. are you seeing aggression from the tangs?

 

[snorvich]

My guess would be aggression from the tangs.

 

[Deinonych]

+1 on aggression from the tangs. Unless you have observed the rabbitfish actually nipping at your zoas/palys, I would exclude that as a possibility. I've had my foxface for a year and a half, and he has never given my zoas even a sideways glance.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I am wondering what their diet was?I just bought one and after QT in went into the DT .He eats a ton of macro algae everyday,and has a big appetite for frozen blood worms.

 

[mattcoug]

Are they eating?

 

[snorvich]

I am wondering what their diet was?I just bought one and after QT in went into the DT .He eats a ton of macro algae everyday,and has a big appetite for frozen blood worms.

Primarily a herbivore, hence tangs perceive them as occupying the same ecological niche. Absent sufficient algae, they will eat the zooxanthellae found in corals. So, in a reef tank be sure there is abundant food for all herbivores.