Retraing fish?

Tomoko Schum · Dec 20, 2011

I added a foxface rabbit awhile ago and he seems to be picking some of my LPS and zoas. :angry: This fish seems to go through phases - picks zoa and LPS a lot for awhile and stop doing so for awhile. Unfortunately, I cannot tell if it's the fish or me who is creating the problem since I am rather erratic about feeding my fish.

The fish is veerry sneaky :amazed: He runs behind rocks and hides whenever I stand in front of the tank. It's like my dachshund Henry who runs under the bed when caught red handed. He's done it, whatever it is.

The current bout of picking on my LPS started after I came back from a vacation in Florida. I bought a nice automatic fish feeder to feed my fish while I was gone. The feeder drops a small batch of pellet food three times a day. All my tank inhabitants did very well on it while I was gone. So, I never took it out of commission. The feeder spoils me and I am forgetting to feed Nori to my fish. Oops...

I got a tiny fish hook or two from H@rry to catch the little s**t. Reilly couldn't believe his ears when I told him that he can go fishing in my tank. But wait. Maybe he is just hungry...I may not be feeding him enough. Should I give him another chance? Can I retain a fish?

GWHouston · Jul 15, 2018

Hey Tomoko, was searching for auto feeders and ran across this. My fox face does the same thing although I can't see any damage it is doing to the zoas. My midas bleeny has staked that area as his and chases the fox face away much of the time.
Anyway, I was wondering what auto feeder you are using and would you choose differently now. I have a neptune system but have not purchased their feeder due to the high price and poor reviews. What do you think?

Tomoko Schum · Jul 16, 2018

I have been using a relatively inexpensive Eheim auto feeder for years. I must have bought it right after the rabbitfish incident. (I could not train the fish, so out it went.) It has lasted many years. I have not even changed its on batteries. It works very well and fish food does not clog/lump up in it. It works on its own battery operated timer. You can set it to come on a number of times a day and how many times it turns during a single feeding as well.

H@rry · Jul 16, 2018

I have 3 Rabbitfish and have no issues with them. I do feed a piece of nori everyday. I don't know how much that helps with the coral picking but it certainly doesn't hurt. I don't have zoas but I do understand that they can be a problem with them. What I like about them is they keep the bubble algae under control.

Tomoko Schum · Jul 16, 2018

I have a different foxface rabbitfish now and he has been a great citizen in the tank so far. He goes to the surface and blows bubbles. I never had a fish that does that except for cory cats in a freshwater tank.

H@rry · Jul 16, 2018

I made my feeders out of the bottles that spices come in and pieces of drinking straws. The bottle is hot glued to the face of a timer and as it rotates it dumps whatever amount of small pellets that was in the end of the straws twice a day. Works fine and the only expense is the timer from WalMart.

H@rry · Jul 16, 2018

My Rabbitfish gulp air from the surface too. I got a Foxface from a guy one time because he had a rimless tank and it was spitting water over the side causing streaks on the glass. It wasn't an issue with the Eurobracing that I have.