Normal Behavior for a Foxface?

[AbnormalReefer]

Hello all,

As the title says, is this normal behavior for a foxface? He is lying down next to the PVC pipe. Breathing a little heavy but nothing alarming. Currently treating with prazipro and copper power for ich and what I believe to be black ich. Ammonia is good.

 

[EmdeReef]

Does he move at all? Based on the colors, looks stressed. Is the water milky or dirty glass?

Prazi + copper will deplete water of O2 very fast. I would make sure you have A LOT of flow. Point your powerbeads to the surface, add an airstone or additional pumps.

 

[AbnormalReefer]

Does he move at all? Based on the colors, looks stressed. Is the water milky or dirty glass?

Prazi + copper will deplete water of O2 very fast. I would make sure you have A LOT of flow. Point your powerbeads to the surface, add an airstone or additional pumps.

I have my top open and a power head rated for twice the tank size blowing at the surface. The water is a little cloudy and so is the glass. I heard prazipro causes bacteria blooms so I just assumed it was that....

He does move. His reflex time is great if I scare him/move near him.

Here you can see the spots of ich if you look closely.

 

[EmdeReef]

When fox face changes colors like that it means it's stressed for some reason or sleeping. What is your tank temperature at? You may consider lowering the tank temperature, slowly, to increase O2.

 

[Tallison]

Mine does this every night when lights go out. He’ll find a corner at the bottom and just lay down with his spikes out. As long as you see him swim normally at some point I wouldn’t be alarmed

 

[4FordFamily]

If a foxface hides (willingly as well) it will go in to “camo mode”. I would watch the bloom carefully, you may need to get heavy on the water changes to keep it in check. Furan 2 or spectrogram clears it up as well but it’s an antibiotic so I wouldn’t do that for the sake of adding it.

If the fish stops eating do a giant WC and dose the new water with copper power and test it’s where you want it prior to adding it.

 

[AbnormalReefer]

If a foxface hides (willingly as well) it will go in to “camo mode”. I would watch the bloom carefully, you may need to get heavy on the water changes to keep it in check. Furan 2 or spectrogram clears it up as well but it’s an antibiotic so I wouldn’t do that for the sake of adding it.

If the fish stops eating do a giant WC and dose the new water with copper power and test it’s where you want it prior to adding it.

Thanks 4FordFamily. It has shown much less interest in food, but then again, today is the first full day it is in QT. Before he was eating PE Pellets and nori.

Follow up question: When I do a water change, should I add the corresponding amount of prazipro back? Or should I just cease adding it altogether until copper treatment is over?

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks 4FordFamily. It has shown much less interest in food, but then again, today is the first full day it is in QT. Before he was eating PE Pellets and nori.

Follow up question: When I do a water change, should I add the corresponding amount of prazipro back? Or should I just cease adding it altogether until copper treatment is over?

No, prazipro does its work in a few minutes, I say 24 to be safe. A second dose 5-6 days later is all that’s needed.

You can wait until after unless you have reason to believe you need to dose now. Just remember you’ll have to dose it two more times if you don’t again 5-6 days after the initial dose.

Some people dose prazi and 12-24 hours later do 100% water change with new copper added prior to get away from any possible blooms. Seems to help sometimes but oftentimes the blooms don’t come so it’s unnecessary.

 

[AbnormalReefer]

No, prazipro does its work in a few minutes, I say 24 to be safe. A second dose 5-6 days later is all that’s needed.

You can wait until after unless you have reason to believe you need to dose now. Just remember you’ll have to dose it two more times if you don’t again 5-6 days after the initial dose.

Some people dose prazi and 12-24 hours later do 100% water change with new copper added prior to get away from any possible blooms. Seems to help sometimes but oftentimes the blooms don’t come so it’s unnecessary.

Sounds like a good plan! Water change tonight 100% (should be easy since it’s a 20 gallon; better safe than sorry with the bloom) and add new water with copper. Repeat prazipro dose 5 days or so later and repeat.

Thanks 4FordFamily!

 

[4FordFamily]

Sounds like a good plan! Water change tonight 100% (should be easy since it’s a 20 gallon; better safe than sorry with the bloom) and add new water with copper. Repeat prazipro dose 5 days or so later and repeat.

Thanks 4FordFamily!

No problem!

 

[AbnormalReefer]

Update:

Foxface reaction time was good when I scooped it out for the water change. Currently heating up 20 gallons of saltwater in the tank with copper while my fox rests in a bucket.

However, he is lying down in this bucket. Before placing him in the bucket I placed him in a container with the old copper water. He was very lethargic to the point where I could pick him up and he wouldn’t care.

As a result I put him in fresh mixed non copper water and he started “coming back to life” so to say. Now he is still lying down a lot but his reflex is good. Should I stop copper treatment if it’s making him lethargic this much? He is also not eating as of now.

Edit: Shoot. I just remembered that stopping the copper, even in sterile saltwater, resets the clock. Oh well..... at least I made this mistake on day 2.