First Hand Experience with Rabbitfish

[agORACLE]

Hello All!

I wanted to share a few experiences with my Rabbitfish and then ask a question to anyone else who has them.

First of all, these fish have quickly become my favorites that I have ever had. I have a Magnificent Foxface and a Fiji Foxface and I could not be happier with them. They show so much personality; my Mag is a little shy and will race out from his hide hole to eat and then back in if the other foxface isnt around. If the Fiji is there though, he gets a lot braver. The Fiji is a little bully and especially likes flashing his fins at my Black Lionfish; Ive watched him search the tank for the Lionfish who frequently hides in weird places (sometimes upside down) and sit there and flash him when he is found.

I was told by a couple of my LFS that Rabbitfish are quite aggressive towards each other, but due to an issue with my 125 Quarantine they ended up together. They dont ever seem to have an issue with each other, and commonly can be found together in my tank peacefully hanging out.

So now that I know that I like Rabbitfish so much, I have a quick question to ask you gentlemen and ladies. What are the chances that I could house another one, say a Gold Spotted Rabbit or a Scribbled Rabbit in my 210 FOWLR?

Thanks for the great community!

 

[Quah]

I have one Rabbitfish and the general idea is that two together doesn't end up well. I'd like to add a scribbled with my Magnificent Foxface I'll see if anyone says differently. They're supposed to pair (and not always M/F pairs) in the wild so. . .

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've had conspecifics behave aggtessively, but I've kept rabbits with dissimilar colors and patterning together without issue.

My issues with rabbits and foxfaces is that some will nip at corals.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Hello All!

I wanted to share a few experiences with my Rabbitfish and then ask a question to anyone else who has them.

First of all, these fish have quickly become my favorites that I have ever had. I have a Magnificent Foxface and a Fiji Foxface and I could not be happier with them. They show so much personality; my Mag is a little shy and will race out from his hide hole to eat and then back in if the other foxface isnt around. If the Fiji is there though, he gets a lot braver. The Fiji is a little bully and especially likes flashing his fins at my Black Lionfish; Ive watched him search the tank for the Lionfish who frequently hides in weird places (sometimes upside down) and sit there and flash him when he is found.

I was told by a couple of my LFS that Rabbitfish are quite aggressive towards each other, but due to an issue with my 125 Quarantine they ended up together. They dont ever seem to have an issue with each other, and commonly can be found together in my tank peacefully hanging out.

So now that I know that I like Rabbitfish so much, I have a quick question to ask you gentlemen and ladies. What are the chances that I could house another one, say a Gold Spotted Rabbit or a Scribbled Rabbit in my 210 FOWLR?

Thanks for the great community!

Hi agORACLE,

Thank you for sharing your experience
Glad that they are friends now and you find your favorite fish!
How is your research going?

Zhenya

 

[agORACLE]

I've had conspecifics behave aggtessively, but I've kept rabbits with dissimilar colors and patterning together without issue.

My issues with rabbits and foxfaces is that some will nip at corals.

Thanks for the reply. Im not as worried about corals since my large tank is a 210 FOWLR. I dont ever plan on having corals in it either; my wife has a super nice 93 rimless that is our main coral DT. Actually, I think he build thread is on here somewhere. Im glad to hear someone else has had the experience of keeping multiple rabbits together as well.

Hi agORACLE,

Thank you for sharing your experience
Glad that they are friends now and you find your favorite fish!
How is your research going?

Zhenya

So far, that voice in the back of my head says that there are enough people saying that its not a great idea that I probably shouldnt get another one. That being said, I like them so much its going to be really hard to resist! I think I just got lucky with my current two and I shouldnt press my luck getting another; Id hate to come home and find one beat up or dead.

Hopefully a few more people have time to share and lend advice; Im hoping for that group of hobbyist out there that all have 5 rabbits and they all live happily ever after with rainbows and unicorns so I can indulge my rabbit guilty pleasure.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[agORACLE]

Quick little Bonus:

Here are my two Foxfaces swimming peacefully in my quickly set up FOWLR.

 

[AlexG]

I always found that rabbit fish are quite peaceful. When I worked in the LFS years ago we used to keep these fish in groups without any issues. If there is a single established fish though it might be more difficult to add just one new rabbit fish. I might be a better idea to add multiple new fish tot the group at once to limit the aggression of the established rabbit fish.

 

[tj w]

I've got a 2 barred and a one spot in my 300 without any issues. They are each around 3" so not big yet either.

 

[luke33]

I have had a foxface and scribbled together for a couple years and never had issue's. Not sure if three would be a crowd though. Personally I wouldn't try it but you never know. My experience is they are pretty peaceful fish.

 

[jlanger]

I'm also in the group that has had a rabbitfish and a foxface in the same system.
I added a Scribbled Rabbitfish to my 120gal reef that had an established One Spot Foxface and all went well. The rabbitfish joined in with the foxface, a Kole Tang and a Mimic Tang as they patrolled the rocks for any algae to eat.

 

[agORACLE]

I'm also in the group that has had a rabbitfish and a foxface in the same system.
I added a Scribbled Rabbitfish to my 120gal reef that had an established One Spot Foxface and all went well. The rabbitfish joined in with the foxface, a Kole Tang and a Mimic Tang as they patrolled the rocks for any algae to eat.

Your fish are gorgeous! I want a Scribbled so badly, but that would be Rabbitfish number 3 in my 210. I dont know, maybe Ill get one and put him through QT and when I introduce him to the DT Ill spend a weekend paying close attention to aggression.

 

[Marcus hardaway]

I had a juvenile foxface and recently added a magnificent foxface and another larger one that is mostly black. The two larger ones were added together. All 3 became a group swimming the tank together which is 260 gallon. I have other tanks lots of angel but I recently added a large majestic angel. He stays to himself but afterwards the magnificent foxface became aggressive and started chasing the othe large one. I separated him in my quarantine tank. I do not understand how they were all great together for a month or so and now the one is out for blood. Will I ever be able to add him back? The small one may be 2” the magnificent is about 5” and the mostly black one is nearly 6”. I give them plenty of veggies food and some meaty not sure what to do.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Some foxfaces/rabbits are fine, but in most cases can be quite intolerant of other closely related species.

This change could have been caused by any number of factors. Unfortunately, once this kind of aggression begins, it rarely improves. The aggressor will likely need to be rehomed.

 

[DeniseAndy]

FME I have found fish with similar diets are the ones that will not tolerate each other well. Too much competition for food. I have never kept multiple rabbitfish, so no comment on that sorry. I have always had one at a time. My lovely foxface died of old age last year and I now have a scribbled, and it is just as funny.

If you have an acclimation box (chamber) for the newcomer in the tank it could let you see if aggression is an issue prior to release. I made one out of egg crate on the fly once, so can be done quickly and cheaply (provided the fish are larger).

If you do add another, I would just make sure you have tons of nori around the tank all the time and feed well. Good luck!

 

[Faisal27]

Hello All!

I wanted to share a few experiences with my Rabbitfish and then ask a question to anyone else who has them.

First of all, these fish have quickly become my favorites that I have ever had. I have a Magnificent Foxface and a Fiji Foxface and I could not be happier with them. They show so much personality; my Mag is a little shy and will race out from his hide hole to eat and then back in if the other foxface isnt around. If the Fiji is there though, he gets a lot braver. The Fiji is a little bully and especially likes flashing his fins at my Black Lionfish; Ive watched him search the tank for the Lionfish who frequently hides in weird places (sometimes upside down) and sit there and flash him when he is found.

I was told by a couple of my LFS that Rabbitfish are quite aggressive towards each other, but due to an issue with my 125 Quarantine they ended up together. They dont ever seem to have an issue with each other, and commonly can be found together in my tank peacefully hanging out.

So now that I know that I like Rabbitfish so much, I have a quick question to ask you gentlemen and ladies. What are the chances that I could house another one, say a Gold Spotted Rabbit or a Scribbled Rabbit in my 210 FOWLR?

Thanks for the great community!

I would like to know also hehe.. I have a mag in a 500g and I’m scared to add another one

 

[RobertP]

I have a Mag foxface for about 3 months now. It took him about 2 weeks to get comfortable in the tank with everyone else. He was a pretty shy guy. However, now he rips at the the nori just like the tangs and comes to the front to beg for food every time they see me. Probably my favorite fish!

 

[HB AL]

I have a gold spot and he is really mellow, I would try it.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have a gold spot and he is really mellow, I would try it.

@Marcus hardaway already did try it and had to remove one due to aggression.

They are very peaceful fish, except when with closely related fish as they mature.

 

[Marcus hardaway]

I had three for over a month living peacefully swimming together a magnificent, bicolor, and a smaller yellow with spot. They seemed fine until I added the majestic angel. He is pretty big but not aggressive yet. Then the magnificent fox who is mid size became determined to kill the bicolor it seems. I hate I ruined the balance. It didn’t start until the other fish was introduced though it may have started eventually. I wish I could figure out away to get them back in harmony.

 

[Greybeard]

Had a Scribbled years ago, great fish. Buddy has 2 LARGE foxfaces in a FOWLR that get along fine together. Personally, I've never tried more than one at a time. Rarely had tanks large enough to warrant it

Have an Orange Spot now. Beautiful fish. Still a juvenile, but growing like a weed