Stressy fox face

[findingAqua]

Hi all,

I've had a fox face for 3 weeks now and he spends most the time stressing.. I was told as long as he's still eating he's fine and will settle.

Well the last week he's not been eating very much at all, he eat like a horse when I first got him..

I've checked the obvious such as water no bullying etc, but he just sits at one end of the tank swimming up and down the glass.

He has nori on a clip (he's never eaten it in huge amounts tbh)

I've tried algae flakes, ocean flakes, frozen mysis and the sinking pellets.

He will peck at it and have a few mouth fulls thats it.

Water is:

Ph:8.2
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 26c/79f
Ammonia:0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10-20ppm

Any ideas? He's a gorgeous fish and very relaxing to watch when he's chill but it's so rare it's just a source of stress watching him, now with the reduced appitie I'm worried.

He's in there with 2 clowns, a coral beauty, and a scarlet hawk. (Tank is 3/4 months old)


Thanks in advance.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That it was eating well in your tank and now is not is a worrisome sign. That rules out acclimation stress, which would get better over time, not worse.

Can you post a video of the fish taken under white lights?

Jay

 

[findingAqua]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That it was eating well in your tank and now is not is a worrisome sign. That rules out acclimation stress, which would get better over time, not worse.

Can you post a video of the fish taken under white lights?

Jay

Hi Jay,

Thank you for the reply!

Yes that worried me too, although my other fish are still eating fine. My leading theory is the stress has gotten to him from surface the side of the tank all day?

Foxface not eating properly

youtube.com

He’s actually calm atm ‍ but here he is.

I hope you can offer some insight.

 

[littlefoxx]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for the reply!

Yes that worried me too, although my other fish are still eating fine. My leading theory is the stress has gotten to him from surface the side of the tank all day?

Foxface not eating properly

youtube.com

He’s actually calm atm ‍ but here he is.

I hope you can offer some insight.

My foxface spend like a month stressing and was the stress colors. She wouldnt eat when I was watching her, so I observed from a distance and saw she was eating a little but would get stressed when the other fish went for the food and back off. Ive had her 5 months now and shes moved past that phase and is very social with the other fish as shes grown. Maybe try watching at a distance and see if the same thing is happening there? Unless @Jay Hemdal sees something sick wise since he is a fish medic, Im wondering if yours is just stressed being new to the tank. Foxfaces are huge stressballs and act like the end of the world is coming 99% of the time in my experience lol

 

[findingAqua]

My foxface spend like a month stressing and was the stress colors. She wouldnt eat when I was watching her, so I observed from a distance and saw she was eating a little but would get stressed when the other fish went for the food and back off. Ive had her 5 months now and shes moved past that phase and is very social with the other fish as shes grown. Maybe try watching at a distance and see if the same thing is happening there? Unless @Jay Hemdal sees something sick wise since he is a fish medic, Im wondering if yours is just stressed being new to the tank. Foxfaces are huge stressballs and act like the end of the world is coming 99% of the time in my experience lol

I hope he resolves, im wondering if my tank is to small now after reading more today as ive really started to worry, its 250L and hes about 3.5inches.

But its just weird he was eating so much for the first stint, and has backed off now

 

[littlefoxx]

I hope he resolves, im wondering if my tank is to small now after reading more today as ive really started to worry, its 250L and hes about 3.5inches.

But its just weird he was eating so much for the first stint, and has backed off now

Oh yeah it might be. I got my girl when she was under an inch. Had her in my 70, she grew like a weed and was stressing all the time so I moved her to my 125 and shes way better and I havnt seen her actually stress out in the tank

 

[littlefoxx]

Oh yeah it might be. I got my girl when she was under an inch. Had her in my 70, she grew like a weed and was stressing all the time so I moved her to my 125 and shes way better and I havnt seen her actually stress out in the tank

70 gallon, 5 gallons bigger than yours by the conversion.

 

[findingAqua]

Oh yeah it might be. I got my girl when she was under an inch. Had her in my 70, she grew like a weed and was stressing all the time so I moved her to my 125 and shes way better and I havnt seen her actually stress out in the tank

A new tank has already been on the cards for when he got a bit bigger on the LFS’s word, but could a tank being undersized cause a lose of appetite?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for the reply!

Yes that worried me too, although my other fish are still eating fine. My leading theory is the stress has gotten to him from surface the side of the tank all day?

Foxface not eating properly

youtube.com

He’s actually calm atm ‍ but here he is.

I hope you can offer some insight.

Well, the video doesn't show anything alarming, so that's good. It may well just be stressed out in your tank. Does the room get a lot of people moving around in it?

Jay

 

[littlefoxx]

A new tank has already been on the cards for when he got a bit bigger on the LFS’s word, but could a tank being undersized cause a lose of appetite?

Yeah I think that might be it. When I moved my girl shes a completely different fish now

 

[findingAqua]

Well, the video doesn't show anything alarming, so that's good. It may well just be stressed out in your tank. Does the room get a lot of people moving around in it?

Jay

Yes its in our front room which is also access between stairs/kitchen. Do you think its an ambient thing?

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Yes foxface grows fast. When I read your post I immediately thought that your tank may be too small and not enough hiding places. But from the video you have plenty of rocks and hiding places which is great. I do not know the dimension of your tank, but if it is only 3' long it probably is too short.
Mine is now in a 125 G (6'long) and doing well. (almost 8 years old!)
Did you try different type of nori? Do you have any fresh macro algae? ( caulerpa, uva etc?) It really loves it.
Though they look big and have a good spine defense against bullies, they tend to be scary cats. Could there be some bullying? Stress can affect your appetite.

 

[findingAqua]

Yes foxface grows fast. When I read your post I immediately thought that your tank may be too small and not enough hiding places. But from the video you have plenty of rocks and hiding places which is great. I do not know the dimension of your tank, but if it is only 3' long it probably is too short.
Mine is now in a 125 G (6'long) and doing well. (almost 8 years old!)
Did you try different type of nori? Do you have any fresh macro algae? ( caulerpa, uva etc?) It really loves it.
Though they look big and have a good spine defense against bullies, they tend to be scary cats. Could there be some bullying? Stress can affect your appetite.

Yes the more ive looked into it i think i will step up my search for a 5ft tank.. although he never really makes use of this tank, he just stays around the one end.

Ive only tried the nori i could get at the LFS, which is red.

Im not sure of the names you’ve mentioned but there is some algae growing in the tank all be it im not sure, and he does occasionally pick at it.

I dont think there is any bullying, as the nemos are babys around an inch and the coral beauty can forget person space but doesnt nip at him or anything, and my hawkfish just does his own thing really.

Its very frustrating as i dont feel like anything has changed.. it seems a catch 22 as randomly treating seems to stress them and stress causes aliments

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Yes its in our front room which is also access between stairs/kitchen. Do you think its an ambient thing?

One way to find out is to set your phone up to video the tank, then everyone stay out of the area. Then, review the video. If it continues, you can be pretty sure it isn’t people that are causing it stress.
Jay

 

[findingAqua]

One way to find out is to set your phone up to video the tank, then everyone stay out of the area. Then, review the video. If it continues, you can be pretty sure it isn’t people that are causing it stress.
Jay

I think you are right Jay,

Since reading Ive w everyone to give the tank a wide berth, leave the TV off and no loud noises.

Fox face

youtube.com

He seems to be relaxing and having a go at food, hes even finished his nori off!

Ao i guess my household is now run by this little foxface haha?

If all goes well i will update with a confirmation in a few days

 

[Rmckoy]

Yes the more ive looked into it i think i will step up my search for a 5ft tank.. although he never really makes use of this tank, he just stays around the one end.

Ive only tried the nori i could get at the LFS, which is red.

Im not sure of the names you’ve mentioned but there is some algae growing in the tank all be it im not sure, and he does occasionally pick at it.

I dont think there is any bullying, as the nemos are babys around an inch and the coral beauty can forget person space but doesnt nip at him or anything, and my hawkfish just does his own thing really.

Its very frustrating as i dont feel like anything has changed.. it seems a catch 22 as randomly treating seems to stress them and stress causes aliments

Of you’re buying the red seaweed that I’m thinking of none of my fish will eat it .

If you have access to Jillian sprung purple seaweed . I haven’t seen any fish that doesn’t go nuts for it .

Try it .

My fish only way the purple .

Next … ambient action will spook foxface .
They are very shy fish
They will eventually come out of their shell to say . When comfortable and recognize you as the hand that feeds them

 

[Rmckoy]

Buy this one and try it ….


They will love it

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I feed my fish the purple algae you mentioned, and they love it, but I also give them the green and the red one from the same brand. I soak the red one a few minutes before dumping it in the tank. My Veggetarinan fish love it especially my Eilbii angel who makes lots of little round bite marks all over it.

 

[findingAqua]

Well hes now eating nori, flakes, and pellets like no tomorrow! Even my finger he had a go at! So must of been to much ambient noise as the tv has been off 90% of the time since (not a bad thing) ive also been out and bought a new red sea reefer xl425 for him, so will be going in there soon