Help, one spot foxface not eating

[EmdeReef]

Greetings from ny! I’ve been reefing for many years and checking this forum but never made an account. Have a Reefer 350 I’ve started building in June with mostly reused rocks etc. the plan is to transition to a mostly sps tank, I gave a few large acro colonies, but I kept some frags, and lps from before and my very old anemone. I’ll try to post some pics but nothing special at this point mostly frags...

I’ve had a one spot foxface for about 18mos. 2 days ago he stopped eating. No signs of ich, velvet or any visible injuries or infections, clear eyes, and definitely nobody bullies him. No new fish additions, I did add some frags but that was about 10 days ago. He’s been hiding between rocks and while he will come out for feedings I don’t see him eating anything...he used to eat like a pig.

All my other fish seem ok and eat like crazy, also my sps frags, a few LPS, and the BTA look fine. He’s one of my favorite fish and I’d really appreciate any help!

The only 2 things I changed recently that I can think off is that I put some gracilaria he gobbled up, but I’ve fed small chunks before. Could it be from that? I also added a small bag of Rowaphos but used 1/5 of their recommended dose.

My water params:

S: 1.026/7
T: 78F
Ph: 8.1-8.4 (co2 scrubber)
Ca: 420
Alk: 8.5-9
Nitrate: 10-15
PO: 0.08-0.13
HW-Marinemix salt

I run GAC and cheato in mbr157,
I dose ESV 2 part only. Used to do RS ABCD but an ATI test came back out of whack so I stopped. I followed with a Triton a few weeks back, nothing major but some elevated lithium and a bit of aluminum (used to have marine pure) did several water changes after removing. Iodine was 0, I cant read the RS iodine test so I don’t dose.

I feed a LOT and mix PE, Hikari mysis, Hikari brine, angel mix, rods food and sometimes add some pellets. Also put some nori.

Sorry for the long post! Appreciate all help! Thanks

 

[glb]

Welcome back! I don’t know about Foxfaces, but hope someone else chimes in!

 

[EmdeReef]

Welcome back! I don’t know about Foxfaces, but hope someone else chimes in!

Thank you!

 

[Maritimer]

While I've never worked with foxfaces, I know they can be pretty shy guys.

Have you seen any signs of aggression in the tank? A fish reaching maturity and throwing his weight around, perhaps?

Hiding from light & reclusion can be a symptom of velvet. (Not saying that it is here, but it can be.) Have you put anything new, wet, into the tank? Where did the Gracillaria come from - from a fishless aquarium, or from a LFS with fish in the same system?

Trying to help you brain-storm and troubleshoot here, but also going to have a go at getting some more eyes on this guy's dilemma - @Humblefish, @4FordFamily, @ngoodermuth - does anything stand out to you folks here?

~Bruce

 

[4FordFamily]

Adding something ten days ago, losing color, not eating — I’m concerned we have the strain of velvet that affects the gills primarily, with little outward symptoms in the way of spots.

Swimming in to powerheads is a dead giveaway, but far more frequent behavior in afflicted tangs rather than foxface...

 

[EmdeReef]

While I've never worked with foxfaces, I know they can be pretty shy guys.

Have you seen any signs of aggression in the tank? A fish reaching maturity and throwing his weight around, perhaps?

Hiding from light & reclusion can be a symptom of velvet. (Not saying that it is here, but it can be.) Have you put anything new, wet, into the tank? Where did the Gracillaria come from - from a fishless aquarium, or from a LFS with fish in the same system?

Trying to help you brain-storm and troubleshoot here, but also going to have a go at getting some more eyes on this guy's dilemma - @Humblefish, @4FordFamily, @ngoodermuth - does anything stand out to you folks here?

~Bruce

I’d like to thank everyone for sharing insights and the help! I have some good news (I hope not prematurely) he’s back at being his old self and eating like a pig this morning, also not hiding anymore. I tried to walk back all the changes and yesterday removed the Rowaphos pouch, unlikely related but perhaps some gfo leached?! Likely no connection.

Hopefully, stays this way. Thanks again!