Sailfin Tang and Foxface Rabbitfish

[annabelseymour]

My sailfin tang and foxface rabbitfish are acting very oddly. They are rubbing each other at funny angles and the foxface is extending his spines whilst the sailfin sucks at them. They've always been close friends, but this is weird new behaviour - does anyone have any ideas???

 

[snorvich]

Fish are not friends (that is a human characteristic). What you are describing is aggressive behavior.

 

[Dmorty217]

Fish are not friends (that is a human characteristic). What you are describing is aggressive behavior.

+1 I had to rehome my Desjaradini because of the same behavior you describe. Would nip at the foxface tail and when the foxface would raise its venomous tips the sailfin would nip down his back pushing them back down. Crazy to watch this behavior but not signs of good things

 

[annabelseymour]

Thanks for the advice. They have been in the tank for months together and have followed each other round the tank peacefully for months. This strange behaviour which you say is aggressive was only for 1 day - is this likely to become more frequent and become a problem or could it be a one-off??

 

[Dmorty217]

Mine were fine for 8 month together in my 220g and then they both grew and it was like one day the looked at one another and thought, I don't like you anymore.