Foxface timidity?

Humblefish · Mar 30, 2016

KorL said:
Tangs won't touch em. Spines will keep em away

So true. I had a Magnificent Foxface that buddied up with a Blonde Naso for some reason. Also had a PBT that wanted to kill the naso.

Foxface became the naso's "heavy" ... keeping the PBT away by flaring her dorsal spines.

ReeferReefer · Mar 30, 2016

Yeah it often takes a few months for the foxface to settle and get comfortable. They can be very Timid and spook easily. With time he will become more brave. Mine Beggs for food and will let me hand feed him.

Lionfish Lair · Mar 30, 2016

They are friendly like a lion. Awesome fish.

seastar · Mar 30, 2016

clsbgirl said:
Thanks for the info, I'm a newbie to salt, was keeping African Cichlids before this so I know nothing about timid fish, lol.

I came from the same background. Loved my African cichlid tank as it was the most color outside of a salt tank, but in the end it just wasn't a salt tank. Same thing has been said a few times already above on the foxface, mine hides and the first sight of anyone and gets this really cool leopard look. Today I was doing a ton of work on the tank and looked up and he was 2 inches from my face, scared me but it was a good laugh.

clsbgirl · May 10, 2016

After about a year I think he's finally realized that I'm the food bearer and swims right to me everytime I pass, so much that he gets too close when Im cleaning which makes me paranoid lol

michellejy · May 10, 2016

I loved mine so much. They are big babies. I had to give him away when I had a tank leak--still makes me sad.

Humblefish · May 10, 2016

I end up missing every foxface I've ever had to rehome. Such gentle giants. And you realize afterwards just how useful the fish was - when the bubble algae, GHA, etc. starts growing back without them in the tank.

Maritimer · May 10, 2016

Some of them just seem to keep that mottled brown color ... my local Petco offered me a bicolor foxface that they've had for _months_ at 75% off, because nobody wants a mottled brown fish with a badger-striped face. Don't think it'd be a good fit for the 65gallon tank, tho . . .

~Bruce

4FordFamily · May 10, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
I have found foxfaces to be a very skittish and spastic fish. Whenever I do clean algae or place corals in a tank with a foxface, they are always panicking and freaking out.

X2 my magnificent foxface hides like crazy even after two years. It's a good 5"+ also

seastar · May 11, 2016

Mine also likes to lie in this corner, sometimes on his/her side and have a nice rest. Spines only come up when a curious tank mate gets a little too close. It also leans against the glass here when it's feeling especially lazy which of course freaks me out each time thinking it's dying.

sanchoy · May 12, 2016

confirmed, my fox face was super timid, going nuts when I get close to the tank when I first got him. Now after 7 years he still spooks out when I get too close to the tank fast.