How long for foxface to come out of their shell?

alex277

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I added a Foxface Lo in just over a week ago and he’s still hiding every time I walk near the tank. This has made it difficult to get him eating anything, I drop pellets and put in nori but he doesn’t get to them as he goes to hide. It’s a fairly newly established tank so it’s got a fair bit of hair algae he’s been eating a lot of. I’m not concerned he’s not getting food because of that. But obviously that will only last so long, so I want to get him eating food added to the tank. I saw him eat a pellet once so I’m not concerned about him eating what I add in, but when he hides during feeding there isn’t anything left for him. How long do these guys take to come out of their shell, and not be as skittish?
 
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alex277

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They’re extremely skittish fish. Usually a month or so has been my experience.
Ah, I had heard a couple weeks previously. I knew coming in they were shy, just don’t want him to starve! Luckily my tank has a fair bit of algae for him to munch on while he gets comfortable.
 
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alex277

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I had the same problem, scared he would starve himself to death. After a month he was eating from my hand! After three months he went back to hiding again...
Hm, interesting, wonder why he would have went back to hiding. Is he doing well now?
 

Mark Goode

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Hm, interesting, wonder why he would have went back to hiding. Is he doing well now?
I'm not sure; it may be since I added a Singapore Angel, another skittish fish. I think they spook one another. I have to step back from the tank if I want them to eat. They do eat well though.
 

Gtinnel

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Mine took several weeks of being in qt by himself before he wouldn’t hide when I approached the tank. I would actually put food in the qt and get away from the tank and watch on a camera to see if he would eat. As long as I wasn’t near the tank he would come out to eat, although he was alone so not scared of other fish in the tank.
Then after a few months of qt I moved him to my display and he hid again for a week or two, probably because of my purple tang being aggressive towards him.
I have now had him for close to a year and he still hides when I approach the tank, but is otherwise out swimming around looking for food. Mine still rarely gets bright yellow though.
Really it will be different for every individual and every tank.
 
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alex277

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I'm not sure; it may be since I added a Singapore Angel, another skittish fish. I think they spook one another. I have to step back from the tank if I want them to eat. They do eat well though.
I try to do that as best I can, I’ll drop in some pellets when he comes out and step back. As long as they’re eating that’s the most important thing!
 
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alex277

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Mine took several weeks of being in qt by himself before he wouldn’t hide when I approached the tank. I would actually put food in the qt and get away from the tank and watch on a camera to see if he would eat. As long as I wasn’t near the tank he would come out to eat, although he was alone so not scared of other fish in the tank.
Then after a few months of qt I moved him to my display and he hid again for a week or two, probably because of my purple tang being aggressive towards him.
I have now had him for close to a year and he still hides when I approach the tank, but is otherwise out swimming around looking for food. Mine still rarely gets bright yellow though.
Really it will be different for every individual and every tank.
Mine is generally bright yellow if he doesn’t get spooked, looks stunning when he’s out and about. I absolutely love these guys. I am okay with him hiding from he as long as he comes out to eat lol.
 

Mark Goode

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Mine is generally bright yellow if he doesn’t get spooked, looks stunning when he’s out and about. I absolutely love these guys. I am okay with him hiding from he as long as he comes out to eat lol.
I think it was mysis with garlic that finally ended my onespot's fast.
 

Gtinnel

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Mine is generally bright yellow if he doesn’t get spooked, looks stunning when he’s out and about. I absolutely love these guys. I am okay with him hiding from he as long as he comes out to eat lol.
IME they’re very food driven. Try feeding the tank and set your phone up to record and get out of the room. Go back and watch the video to see if it ate. My guess is that it won’t starve.
 

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They each have their own personality - but the general trend is shy. After 4 years mine will follow me around tank and eat from my hand. But if someone comes over to see the tank they will never see him. Amazes me how a 7+ inch fish can completely disappear. Mine is also a very pale yellow until everyone leaves the house and I spy on him with a camera - that's the only time he becomes a darker yellow than my YT. But for some reason I really like that fish - all the tangs follow him around and rely on his perception of what's happening on their reef :p
 

Phyrenite

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Mine still hides after 8 months in the tank when I'm feeding mysis or right up at the tank, however when I'm not around he devours nori and is the first to eat pellets when the auto feeder runs.

Biggest fish in the tank, by far the most scared when anyone is near the glass.
 

Lps_lover12

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Mine was scared at first in qt, after a few weeks didn’t hide when I came near. Put him in the display tank and would eat nori out of my hand and was always bright yellow, this was in June. Few weeks later and till this day it hides the second I walk in the room and I have to be still as a statue for it to come out when I’m there. Hoping when I add more fish it will come out more cause I know that makes them more comfortable, it’s currently only with two clowns that don’t swim around at all
 

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