Unhappy Foxface

[shluffer]

I picked up a blue line foxface two days ago. He looked fine in the store. He seemed very stressed out after placing him in my QT. My QT is a 20 gallon high with ceded filters. I was medicating with an organic anti-fungal treatment but I'm going to stop since I don't see any growth. I also added carbon. He spends his time either swimming while rubbing his snout against the glass or sitting in a corner near the bottom. At times, his color fades and has brown spots on it. Other times his color looks normal. He is eating, but not much.

Is this normal behavior for a new foxface?

Should I be medicating? If so, with what?

I am going to do 10% water changes a day until he starts looking better. The water in the QT is from my DT, and I will add water from my DT when I change it out. That should minimize differences in parameters. Is this a good idea?

Thanks in advance for the help. I'm still very new at this.

 

[Gwynhidwy]

How large is the fish? Does he have anything to hide in?

It sounds like stress behavior, possibly because the tank is too small, possibly ust because being captured, transported, and adusting to captive life can be very stressful. The color change is something that rabbitfish do when they are stressed. It is good that he is eating something, try to offer some variety without polluting the water and make sure to have nori available all the time that the lights are on.

 

[shluffer]

He's not that large, About 4 inches.

He doesn't have any hiding spots. I will try and add some.

He is in a 20 gallon by himself until he gets moved to my 120 in 3 weeks or so.

I am going to keep doing the water changes, or is that going to continue to stress him out?

I read that these guys fade and go splotchy when startled, stressed, or sleeping. This could be what I am observing.

What is nori?

 

[Gwynhidwy]

Get some unused/new pvc pipes for him to hide in. Most hardware stores and home improvements stores like Lowe's or Home Depot will have them. Rinse them well with water before adding them. Hiding places are very important, very few fish can be comfortable out in the open in a scary new place.

Water changes are a good idea, but you only need to do enough to keep the water quality high. I would test for ammonia, you can also use an ammonia badge, and only change water weekly or anytime you get a positive test for ammonia at ANY amount. Any ammonia and you should do a water change and I would add an ammonia binder/detoxifier like Amquel or Prime as long as you aren't medicating the fish. Test twice daily if possible. I also keep a close eye on pH and salinity as things change faster in smaller tanks.

Nori is dried seaweed/algae and is what these guys should eat primarily in captivity. I offer my algae eating fish nori on a clip whenever the lights are on. Sometimes it is best to use rubberbands to attach the nori, it comes in sheets, to a piece of pvc pipe as fish often are more likely to eat off of that than when it is on a clip as it is closer to what they would do in the wild. Live rock is even better, but most people don't keep live rock in their quarantine tanks.

 

[shluffer]

I have PVC pipe that I use for my qt. I'm going to have to go out and gt wider diameter pipe though. I'm not sure he will like the 1 inch pipe I have.

I do check for amonia. I'll increase the water changes if I get any.

I'llpick up the nori on my way home. I figured I wild feed him some of my macro algae. I'll do the nori instead.

Thanks for your help with this.

 

[shluffer]

I have added the latest in man made fish cave fashion (A two inch PVC T) and added nori (attached to the T). He is yet to eat it. We shall see how t goes.

I think he is doing OK. He won't eat with me watching, but he goes after the food as soon as I go to the other side of the room. He also swims around only when he can't see me. It will take a while, but I'm sure he will warm up. I may give him extra time in the QT to get used to captivity.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Unless your "seeded" filter is actually large enough and has been cycled, there would be ammonia with a 4 inch fish.

Carbon removes medication as well.

What is your plan for QT? For me, I need medication in QT so I cannot use carbon, not always during QT.

 

[shluffer]

The filter is for a 75 gallon and is kept inthe sump. It should be lenty large.

My plan is to wait and see if he is healthy without risking my other fish. I may treat for paresites, but I am waiting at least a week for any meds so he can recover from stress. After that, I will likely give anti paresites food.

What meds do you give in qt?

 

[wooden_reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15569475#post15569475 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shluffer
The filter is for a 75 gallon and is kept inthe sump. It should be lenty large.

My plan is to wait and see if he is healthy without risking my other fish. I may treat for paresites, but I am waiting at least a week for any meds so he can recover from stress. After that, I will likely give anti paresites food.

What meds do you give in qt?

Generally Cu for six-eight weeks and then Prazipro for a couple more. I use UV when using Cu.

Just because a fish is physiologically healthy for a week or two does not mean that it is not a great risk to itself and other fish later.