Two Bared Rabbit Fish

Bax

Bax

Premium Member
Does anyone have any experience with one of these rabbits in a reef setting? How reef safe are they proving to be ... or not?

Here's a link to LivaAquaria

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1449

I am considering one of these or a Foxface Lo but I prefer this fish. I know my 75 is too small for the two bar in the long run, but I am in the process of starting up a 240 at my house where this fish eventually will go. I've spotted a 21/2 to 3" specimen and if it checks out I would like to pick it up and test its "reefsafeness" in this tank rather than turn a problem loose in the large tank.
 
I currently have one and it doesn't bother anything in my tank. It does grow very quickly. I've had it about 6 months and it has tripled in size.
 
I've had mine for about a year and have not had any problems(very happy) grows quickly, I went with the two bar because you see the fox in to many peoples tanks
 
The liveaquaria pic is supposed to be a Siganus doliatus but it looks more like a Siganus virgatus to me. There seems to be a lot of confusion between the two species but I like the coloration and striping on the doliatus better and they stay smaller as well. This fish was on my list until I heard some folks have had rabbitfish nip at their SPS. Its good to hear that some people haven't had any problems with their rabbitfish.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

I too am glad to hear that some of you have had good experiences with this fish. The Foxface Lo is so common, that's exactly why I was leaning this way.

The specimens I saw at the LFS really looked much nicer than the LiveAquaria pic, much more blue and the spot pattern is really striking.

I am leaning towards placing one in QT and perhaps adding a few corals to test him out, but only if I can get back to LFS in time to get the smallest one they had, which is also the healthiest and brightest looking one of the bunch.

I like to buy all my fish (FW & SW) as small as I can (as long as they can't get eaten) as you get to watch them grow and mature and I also feel they they acclimate to the captive life better. With the Foxface and Rabbits, it is kind of rare to see them at an LFS less than 4" and usually bigger.
 
I have both a Virgatus Rabbit and a Foxface. Hereââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s the two of them together.

Wabbits.jpg



If you ever see a picture of a ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œTwo Barredââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ or ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œBarheadââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Rabbitfish, and it has little blue spots, itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s Siganus virgatus. If it has blue, squiggly lines, itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s Siganus doliatus.

I bought both my Foxface and Rabbit to solve a problem I had with dictyota and pinnate red algae. The Foxface was introduced a couple of weeks ahead of the Rabbit. The Foxface did nothing but hide until the Rabbit arrived. Then they both got to work with the Rabbit leading the way. Within a month, the dictyota was gone and the pinnate reds were reduced to stubble.

Now that the algae are pretty much gone, I feed them Formula 2 in the morning, and a bit of nori in the evening. That seems to be enough so they leave my coral alone.
 
OK got it, I can see it that second pic that the varigatus is the type I am looking at at the LFS

I am also glad to see thriving :PS in your first pic with no harm from the Foxface or Rabbit fish.

All great pics, thanks Weatherman
 
They are both nice fish. However I perfer the Magnificent Foxface, which is why I bought one.
 
I do like the Foxface as well. The LFS had a Majestic too (about 6"). I plan on have a Foxface in the 240 along with the Rabbit. Since I hope to run a reefsafe trial on this particular fish in my 75 I need the smallest one I can get my hands on. At the LFSs, it's hard to find them real small. I want one about 3". I suppose I could order one on line, but I am a little hesitant to do that, I have always hand picked my livestock. I do see Foxface Lo that small on occasion and if the Rabbit does well in the 75 I'll probably replace it with a Lo when I move the Rabbit to the larger system.
 
as for me i couldn't pick so i brought them all. Majestic fox face, golden rabitfish, blue spoted rabit fish, and white spoted rabit fish. It's so much fun to watch them as the school around the tank togeather. I would of never though they would school
 
We have a magnificant and a one spot. They are both great fish. A friend of ours have a Virgate and he recieved a nasty bite from his a couple of weeks ago. He has had it for years with no problems, then out of the blue it attacked
 
I noticed at the LFS that the verigate has got some serious teeth looks like it could put a mean bite on you
 
Well I am taking the plunge. I have the 3" virgatus on hold at the LFS I'll pick it up during the week one day when I have time to aclimate properly.

Once I have my large QT set up for the new system I think I'll hunt for a doliatus as well ... just love the patterns of the stripes!
 
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