Fox face rabbit fish still hiding.

thegriffer · Aug 2, 2017

I was really contemplating at first if it was even a good idea to get this fish. I have a powder tang who just seems to want to attack anything larger than a damsel. I decided to get the fish because if there was any fighting I didn't think it would last long since the rabbit fish has a good defence. They fought for a bit but nothing too crazy I think the tang was just trying to establish he is the boss. They don't fight each other anymore but for some reason the rabbitfish still hides in the back corner and he is very blotchy and pale like when I first bought him. I know that is a sign of stress so I'm worried since he has been looking that way and hiding and I have only had him for 2 days. Is this normal behaviour? Is he just taking his time to acclimate? He is not looking happy and shows no interest in leaving his corner not even to eat. I have never had to deal with a fish who is acting like this so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

eatbreakfast · Aug 2, 2017

They are a skittish fish and usually take longer than 2 days to settle. Give it a couple of weeks unless aggression is relentless from the tang.

AlexG · Aug 2, 2017

I agree that foxface can be skittish and easily started until they settle into a tank. They can change their skin tone rather quickly which can be a sign of stress. Its not uncommon for foxface to behave in this manner. I would give the fish more time before jumping to conclusions. I would just make sure that some food is able to float by the area where the fish is at to see if they are interested. Worst case you could always put the tang in jail (another tank/sump) for a week or two and reintroduce the tang after the foxface gets established.

keddre · Aug 2, 2017

My tank has no aggressive fish and it still took my fox face five days to leave the caves. Give him time

thegriffer · Aug 2, 2017

I think I will give it until the weekend to see if he comes out more. I have been working all day so I'm the morning I see him hiding and at night when I get him I see him hiding. When I ask people who are at home they say he is still hiding. I hope he can come out on his own and if he can't them I will probably temporarily rehome the tang and then add him back. But first I will give him a chance on his own. Thanks for the responses.

cbb_70 · Aug 2, 2017

I had the same issue... Just be patient

Maritimer · Aug 2, 2017

Foxface can be pretty shy. A few months ago, there was a bicolor foxface at the local Petco - it was either hiding or wearing camo for so long they put it on "Managers' Clearance Special".

~Bruce

4FordFamily · Aug 2, 2017

I agree with everything said.

1) foxface are very skittish - it can take a month or more for them to come out of their shell (so to speak).

2) they can change colors to very faded and almost camo depending on mood, stress, time of day, etc.

Luke Schnabel · Aug 4, 2017

I've had my foxface now for about 18 months and he still goes into hiding when I'm around.
For the first few months he was always in the rocks with his spikes up. It was eating a lot of seaweed though. They are HUGE algae eaters so give him tons of seaweed.

My foxface is very shy still, won't swim around at all when I'm out looking at the tank. Once I take a few steps back and stay still he is out and about picking at the rocks like normal.

keddre · Aug 4, 2017

If your foxface is still hiding after a while, you can try to coerce her with macro algae. Mine lives in my caulerpa

DRoth335 · Aug 4, 2017

Agree with above comment - notoriously shy fish. Our one spot (in my profile pic) took several months before he settled in. He was a rescue though (had a puffer for a tank mate that had shredded his tail) so I attributed his long acclimation in part to that. After 4 years we rarely see him hide or change colors but for the first few months we rarely saw him NOT changing colors. Good luck with him - as others have noted, they are voracious algae eaters and good a tank mate.

Eggpaul · Aug 29, 2018

Just got a foxface on Saturday. It was very active in QT , swimming and eating well. It hides every time I come within 5 feet of the tank though. Yesterday I changed 20% of the water and he panicked. turned black and white and sat in the corner all night. This morning it was in the front of the tank, and then moved to the corner again. Is this normal? The only mistake I made was the water change was at 1.020 while his tank was at 1.024. But I only changed 20% so it didn't change it much. It was a little warmer so the tank went up almost 2 degrees, but this morning was back to 78 degrees. I'm scared he will be dead when I get home. Such an odd fish.

67chevellemalibu2 · Aug 29, 2018

I just added a One Spot last friday. He took right to my tank. Swimming all around. Eats everything I put in there. He does camo up once in a while. I have peaceful inhabitants. I must be one of the lucky ones. Give it a week. Some of the Tangs are bullies, especially the yellow ones. I had to get rid of mine to my LFS.

nereefpat · Aug 29, 2018

It's been a month. Hopefully the OP has it figured out by now.

I didn't see the tank size mentioned anywhere. Powder blue/brown tangs can be pretty aggressive and need a lot of room.

Jesterrace · Aug 29, 2018

Maritimer said:
Foxface can be pretty shy. A few months ago, there was a bicolor foxface at the local Petco - it was either hiding or wearing camo for so long they put it on "Managers' Clearance Special".

~Bruce

Sounds like par for the course for Petco.

Jesterrace · Aug 29, 2018

67chevellemalibu2 said:
I just added a One Spot last friday. He took right to my tank. Swimming all around. Eats everything I put in there. He does camo up once in a while. I have peaceful inhabitants. I must be one of the lucky ones. Give it a week. Some of the Tangs are bullies, especially the yellow ones. I had to get rid of mine to my LFS.

You and me both, my Yellow Tang became a complete jerk to my Coral Beauty (and they were in the same tank at the LFS for a couple of weeks and added at the same time). The Foxface and the Coral Beauty and the 2 wrasses all hang out together most of the time.

Johny Cash · May 19, 2020

same problem here only mine was doing great for a week it took him 2 days to get comfortable just till today he was fine, then i introduced a small six line wrass two days ago, foxface acted more shy but he was still swimming around, however today i did a 20% water change and now hes in his corner all stressed. i hope he will make it im just nervous.