Multiple rabbitfish

[Wolf89]

I know you cant have multiple fox faces, but rabbitfish are definitely some of my favorite fish. Anyone have FIRST HAND experience of golden rabbit fish, virgate rabbit fish, blue line rabbit fish, orange spot rabbit fish, etc with other rabbitfish? Thanks!

 

[Qasimja]

im curious about this as well i would love 2 different sorts of rabbitfish

 

[Wolf89]

@eatbreakfast

 

[Reef AquaCult]

I put a 2 bar and gold lined rabbit fish together and it was immediate serious aggression. You’ll know right away if it’s gonna work. I’m not going to try it again.

BTW I love the 2 bar rabbifish. Destroys ulva, byopsis, turf algae. Always active. Mouth is like a birds beak, super strong for tearing algae. Changes color when stressed. Boss of the tank but peaceful.

 

[mattzang]

i'm curious too. seems people get the foxfaces/rabbitfish to pair up, but more than that seems iffy. i remember watching a video of mike paletta's tank and he spoke about adding a 3rd foxface to a tank he had an established pair in and the two literally tore the 3rd to pieces in minutes :eek:

 

[Wolf89]

I put a 2 bar and gold lined rabbit fish together and it was immediate serious aggression. You’ll know right away if it’s gonna work. I’m not going to try it again.

BTW I love the 2 bar rabbifish. Destroys ulva, byopsis, turf algae. Always active. Mouth is like a birds beak, super strong for tearing algae. Changes color when stressed. Boss of the tank but peaceful.

thank you!
Was one already established? Would it be better if they were introduced at the same time?

 

[Wolf89]

Thinking of an orange spot, virgate, blue lined, and golden in my 180. Any combination, ideally all four?? Introduced all at the same time? I'm reading these fish can be paired up. Can two different species be paired up? Can have a pair of foxfaces with a pair of the above rabbitfish?

 

[Reef AquaCult]

im not sure. From what i understood you can have one or possibly a pair. I don’t believe you can just start mixing various species, they are aggressive and territorial if they feel threatened. Following along if someone knows more. When mine got aggressive it would attack with its strong mouth repeatedly. I introduced the two during QT at same time and there was moderate aggression. I introduced them to DT at different times and it was much worse. So I would definitely try introducing all fish at the same time.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've had it work and I've had it go wrong. Unless the tank is huge I wouldn't risk it.

 

[southerntnreefer]

in my 220 i have a One spot and an orange spot. Anything smaller than that id likely not do it, but they could care less, and eat from the same nori clip.

 

[Singerman13]

I have a school of rabbitfish in my 180, each a different variety. I have a large Yellow-Spot Rabbitfish, a Scribbled Rabbitfish, & a Golden Rabbitfish & used to have a Fijian Orange-Spotted Rabbitfish but it unfortunately passed. I have never seen any of them show any form of aggression towards one another & while the Yellow-Spot/Scribbled/Orange-Spotted were all added together, I recently added in the Golden & have had zero issues. Just keep them well fed & entertained & they should get along fine.

 

[Zionas]

What sizes are they and how long have you had them for? I think a couple of the ones you have get pretty big.

 

[Wayland]

I have had great success with Rabbitfish in my 120 gallon tank. I first got a gold line, then added a Foxface many months later. The gold line died from some unknown disease (stopped eating) after having him for about 3 years. I have since replaced with a two barred and then a brown spotted rabbitfish. All three are thriving and growing with absolutely no aggression. They are each about 4 to 5 inches. They are housed with much larger yellow and purple tang, and Indian black trigger. Additionally there are smaller clowns, a blue spotted puffer and a bicolor angel. Tank has been stable for 7 years. I am done adding anymore fish but if any one dies, I might consider adding a 4th rabbitfish. They have been the easiest fish to keep.

 

[Wayland]