New Foxface stopped eating

[HLACASA]

Hi guys. I have a new tank (properly cycled) with a pair of clowns, a yellow watchman goby and a one spot foxface.

I added the foxface one week ago. It was behaving as expected for a new fish, and was eating flakes just fine.
But on its third day it just stopped eating. He won't accept nori, nor flakes, nor pellets. I even tried the garlic trick to see if it would pick some food but had no success.

The thing is, he looks fine, I see no symptoms of disease other than he stays on one corner of the tank instead of swimming all around (that's the expected behaviour from a new fish I mentioned).

Also, today I saw some sort of slime shedding from his skin. After some research, I figured that would be "Ok", since it's not something that I see happening all the time.

I'm starting to get worried since its been around 4 or 5 days since it picked food for the last time (that I saw it eat, at least).

Tank has diatoms and some green film algae.

Some zoas and GSP are doing fine.
All fish and cuc behaving as expected.
No aggression from tank mates.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Blurry image bc of algae on the glass (scraped it off but it grows insanely fast)

 

[MnFish1]

It would be nice to see a picture under white light - however, did you QT/treat the fish with anything? How is the breathing? How big is the fish (i.e. an adult or a baby)?

 

[sc50964]

It’s unusual for a fox face to not eat. They are grazing fish. You need to take him out and put him in a QT asap. Blue light makes it difficult to see too.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys. I have a new tank (properly cycled) with a pair of clowns, a yellow watchman goby and a one spot foxface.

I added the foxface one week ago. It was behaving as expected for a new fish, and was eating flakes just fine.
But on its third day it just stopped eating. He won't accept nori, nor flakes, nor pellets. I even tried the garlic trick to see if it would pick some food but had no success.

The thing is, he looks fine, I see no symptoms of disease other than he stays on one corner of the tank instead of swimming all around (that's the expected behaviour from a new fish I mentioned).

Also, today I saw some sort of slime shedding from his skin. After some research, I figured that would be "Ok", since it's not something that I see happening all the time.

I'm starting to get worried since its been around 4 or 5 days since it picked food for the last time (that I saw it eat, at least).

Tank has diatoms and some green film algae.

Some zoas and GSP are doing fine.
All fish and cuc behaving as expected.
No aggression from tank mates.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Blurry image bc of algae on the glass (scraped it off but it grows insanely fast)

While they have a secretion on their body its not an issue.
Flukes may be a possibility and is fish breathing normal or labored?
Does the fish show a yawning effect?

It appears stressed or intimidated. Any other fish mainly clowns going near it?
As tank is newer- How did you acclimate and for how long?
What is your ammonia-ph-salinity and temperature?

 

[HLACASA]

It would be nice to see a picture under white light - however, did you QT/treat the fish with anything? How is the breathing? How big is the fish (i.e. an adult or a baby)?

It's around 3 inches long.

Breathing seems normal. No signs of heavy breathing.

Quarantined for 40 days.

Tried to take some pictures with white lights but he's scared of my phone approaching the tank

 

[MnFish1]

It's around 3 inches long.

Breathing seems normal. No signs of heavy breathing.

Quarantined for 40 days.

Tried to take some pictures with white lights but he's scared of my phone approaching the tank

Did you treat with medications (During QT)? BTW - it is a small fox face - and as others have said may be being bullied. It is not normal behavior for a fish in a tank for a week or more to still be hiding, etc - and as you already know - the not eating is a problem.

 

[HLACASA]

While they have a secretion on their body its not an issue.
Flukes may be a possibility and is fish breathing normal or labored?
Does the fish show a yawning effect?

It appears stressed or intimidated. Any other fish mainly clowns going near it?
As tank is newer- How did you acclimate and for how long?
What is your ammonia-ph-salinity and temperature?

No yawning and breathing seems normal.
The clowns do come close to it.

Salinity and temperature matched during acclimation. Took around 2 hours or so.

Ammonia is 0
Ph 8.0
Salinity is 1.025 sg
Temperature stable 26.2 Celsius

 

[HLACASA]

Did you treat with medications (During QT)? BTW - it is a small fox face - and as others have said may be being bullied. It is not normal behavior for a fish in a tank for a week or more to still be hiding, etc - and as you already know - the not eating is a problem.

No medications during qt

 

[vetteguy53081]

No yawning and breathing seems normal.
The clowns do come close to it.

Salinity and temperature matched during acclimation. Took around 2 hours or so.

Ammonia is 0
Ph 8.0
Salinity is 1.025 sg
Temperature stable 26.2 Celsius

How are you testing water?

Clowns may be intimidating it. One way to tell is to set your cell phone on video mode for about 30 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is mean or a bully at feeding time.

 

[HLACASA]

How are you testing water?

Clowns may be intimidating it. One way to tell is to set your cell phone on video mode for about 30 mins and drop a little food and walk away - YOU MUST walk away as they know youre there. Often the aggressor is mean or a bully at feeding time.

Salifert test kits.

I'll try this walking away approach and see if it works.

What worries me is that for the first 2 days it was eating just fine with me watching him...

 

[HLACASA]

Would a 3 minute fw dip help in case it's flukes? (Not as treatment, just to confirm it's flukes if I see them)

 

[MnFish1]

You can do a fw dip - if you see flukes that would say something - however IMHO thats unlikely. They can be tricky - Can I ask - what is the source of the fish? I.e. online, LFS, etc. I would wonder about a toxin during collection.

 

[HLACASA]

You can do a fw dip - if you see flukes that would say something - however IMHO thats unlikely. They can be tricky - Can I ask - what is the source of the fish? I.e. online, LFS, etc. I would wonder about a toxin during collection.

I got it from my lfs.
I'll try the fw dip just to be sure

 

[vetteguy53081]

Would a 3 minute fw dip help in case it's flukes? (Not as treatment, just to confirm it's flukes if I see them)

FW dip is not a treatment and you want to go full 5 minutes. If flukes, 3 minutes won’t encourage fluke worms to dislodge .
Use preferably a dark bucket so you can see any if present, often requiring a flashlight
They will be oval

 

[MnFish1]

I got it from my lfs.
I'll try the fw dip just to be sure

I would ask - hey LFS - how long was this fish in your store before sold.

 

[Mark Goode]

Mine took a couple of weeks before he'd eat, he spent most of his time against the glass watching his reflection. After a couple of weeks he grew in confidence until he'd take food from my hand. Then he went all shy again - he's just beginning to feed while I'm close to the tank again.

They're very shy creatures, try dropping in a few mysis and retreating to the far side of the room.

As for the slime? I dunno. I know they are supposed to be a slimy fish, but I've never actually seen it.

 

[HLACASA]

Hi everyone. Just a quick update.

I did the fw dip yesterday. No signs of flukes.

Today the fish seems to be more active and I even saw it go after some flakes (didn't eat, but went for it, which I believe is a good sign).

My theory is that the dominant clown is really freaking he out.
I added some PVC pipes just to offer more room for hiding and also create some visual barriers for the fishes.

Seems to be working. I'll watch him and try to feed nori again later today.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[Rmckoy]

Pick up some seaweed and a veggie clip .
My foxface will eat almost any veggie on the clip including romaine lettuce , broccoli , cucumber , but purple seaweed is the favourite for my fish

when added to the tank , it’s gone in less than 2 mins

 

[HLACASA]

It finally ate some nori!

 

[Rmckoy]

This guy is roughly 6”
Bought it at roughly 2” but has always ate everything offered