Foxface rabbitfish constantly hungry

rez89 · May 4, 2025

Hey guys, just a question about my foxface rabbitfish. I’ve got a 180 gal tank with a juvenile foxface (about 3.5 inches), 2 x clowns and a juvenile bristletooth tang. I feed my fish about twice a day, (once at about 5pm after work, and a second feeding around 9:30pm) using pellets (hikari seaweed extreme). All fish seem to be satisfied after one generous feed at 5pm and seem to swim around happily, and so does my foxface, grazing on rocks and swimming around leisurely, but he invariably starts swimming back and forth towards me whenever I’m in line of sight, getting more and more worked up (almost pacing), until I eventually give him a second feed at 9:30pm. After the second feed he’s TOTALLY settled and happy. This happens ALL day on weekends when I am home (seems to get super hungry after maybe 1-2 hours). I’m reluctant to feed him more as I seem to be using pinch after pinch of pellet to satisfy is insatiable appetite. Should I just feed him once a day and ignore his behaviour or am I supposed to be feeding him loads (are these fish generally massive eaters)? And yes I’ve tried nori sheets several times (pecks at it a few times then leaves it) and mysis shrimp (totally uninterested in it). Goes absolutely insane for seaweed extreme

fishywishy · May 4, 2025

Just feed him twice per day.

Damage12 · May 5, 2025

Twice a day is fine. I’ve had mine for over 10 years. He would eat 24/7 if I fed him that much.

rez89 · May 6, 2025

Ok thank you for your replies!

Dan_P · May 6, 2025

rez89 said:
Hey guys, just a question about my foxface rabbitfish. I’ve got a 180 gal tank with a juvenile foxface (about 3.5 inches), 2 x clowns and a juvenile bristletooth tang. I feed my fish about twice a day, (once at about 5pm after work, and a second feeding around 9:30pm) using pellets (hikari seaweed extreme). All fish seem to be satisfied after one generous feed at 5pm and seem to swim around happily, and so does my foxface, grazing on rocks and swimming around leisurely, but he invariably starts swimming back and forth towards me whenever I’m in line of sight, getting more and more worked up (almost pacing), until I eventually give him a second feed at 9:30pm. After the second feed he’s TOTALLY settled and happy. This happens ALL day on weekends when I am home (seems to get super hungry after maybe 1-2 hours). I’m reluctant to feed him more as I seem to be using pinch after pinch of pellet to satisfy is insatiable appetite. Should I just feed him once a day and ignore his behaviour or am I supposed to be feeding him loads (are these fish generally massive eaters)? And yes I’ve tried nori sheets several times (pecks at it a few times then leaves it) and mysis shrimp (totally uninterested in it). Goes absolutely insane for seaweed extreme

Twice a day feeding is a prison schedule in my way of thinking. Fish normally feed constantly. Also young fish need more food to support their growth. Feed the poor thing more often.

gbroadbridge · May 6, 2025

Dan_P said:
Twice a day feeding is a prison schedule in my way of thinking. Fish normally feed constantly. Also young fish need more food to support their growth. Feed the poor thing more often.

Well, yes but a fish tank is not the sea, and is indeed a glass cage.

Fish normally eat when they can find food, which means they are on the lookout constantly, but does not mean they eat constantly.

My tank is fed 3 times a day (anthias), but honestly rabbit fish are pigs.

Dan_P · May 6, 2025

gbroadbridge said:
Well, yes but a fish tank is not the sea, and is indeed a glass cage.

Fish normally eat when they can find food, which means they are on the lookout constantly, but does not mean they eat constantly.

My tank is fed 3 times a day (anthias), but honestly rabbit fish are pigs.

Fair points.