Yellow Tang vs One Spot Foxface.

Zionas · Jul 17, 2020

Hi everyone, as some of you may already know, I have decided that I’ll be getting most likely a trio of Yellow Pyramid Butterflies for my system. For my last fish, I had originally planned a Yellow Tang, but after watching Reef Dork’s latest video and thinking about how I can make life a bit easier for the Pyramid Butterflies, I am back to considering a OSFF over the similarly laterally compressed Yellow Tang.

I would like to choose between the hardier and less disease / problem prone fish out of the two, and want opinions. Perhaps a Foxface will make the tank more peaceful overall?

Also, regarding the One Spot over the Foxface Lo, does it really get to only 8” while the Foxface Lo gets to 9”? (Some sources say 10)

Thanks.

Willow59 · Jul 18, 2020

I watched that video today as well, I enjoy his stuff.
Most of what I have read and heard is that the Foxface is a typically peaceful fish that minds its own business and isn’t usually bothered due to the venomous spines the has. Whereas tangs can be aggressive toward similarly shaped fish. Of the two, I imagine that the tang is also more prone to ich as at least some tangs have thinner slime coats.
I got a OSFF two weeks ago, and he minds his own business in my QT. We’ll see how he does in the DT in a couple more weeks.

Zionas · Jul 18, 2020

I’m growing more inclined towards the Foxface because it’s not laterally compressed so maybe my trio of Yellow Pyramid Butterflies will have an easier time. I don’t want the addition of a Yellow Tang to potentially bully my trio because it would pain me to lose any of them due to disease brought by aggression or even direct aggression. Also due to the Foxface’s temperament I hope this means I can add a large fish earlier than later.

IMO One Spot > Foxface Lo because I don’t think the Foxface looks quite right without that spot (lol) and many sources say the One Spot gets smaller though some others disagree and say that the One Spot is just a morph of S. vulpinus.

najer · Jul 18, 2020

I would add both, fox face first, mine is very peaceful and then the tang.
I have 2 scopas tangs and they both hang out with the foxface quite often.

Zionas · Jul 18, 2020

But wouldn’t 5 big fish be too much for a 180? My trio of Yellow Pyramid Butterflies, One Spot Foxface amf the Yellow Tang.

pdxmonkeyboy · Jul 18, 2020

The foxface is definately more chill than a yellow tang but i think either will be fine in a 180. Have you thought about a scribbled rabbitfish? It is foxface-ish, acts the same but if more colorful.

Often times it is about when you add the tangs more than anything. I would say add your FF and then add the yellow later if you feel like it.

Silly clownfish · Jul 21, 2020

I have have my one spot foxface for about 5-6 years and I don’t think it is even 8”. It is the biggest scaredy-cat in the tank, sometimes just turning on the living room lights makes him hide behind the rocks an camouflage his colors. It’s rather humorous. No disease issues.

back in the 90s I had a hippo tang- constant battles with ick and HLLE. I never had another tang. It was harder to get good info back in those days of internet infancy.