Uh oh, rabbitfish worries

new2u · 04/12/2006, 03:24 PM

Hey guys, I bought a, what i thought to be, healthy dolitis rabbitfish just the other day, saturday to be exact, and first and second day he ate like a hoss, and went to town on my algea, but starting monday, i couldn't find him that morning, so i thought nothing of it untill that evening and when he didnt show i took apart the rockwork and still didn't and when i was putting it back there he appeared swimming around. I thought what a relief and put back all the rock. Then yesterday he was cowering in the bottom corner, and didn't come out to eat, so i caught him, without much of a fight and put him in my barren fuge. Now today he is still cowering in the corner down there, but when provoked he swims around like normal and "snaps out of it" for about five minutes, but then goes back. I was planning to introduce him and a foxface into my new 120 when i moved everyone to the big tank. What do you think is happening? He is otherwise completly healthy. Thank you for the help!

gman0526 · 04/12/2006, 06:06 PM

I had the same happen to me when I first introduced my Virgatus RF in my tank, at first he didn't eat at all for 2 days, after that he ventured out for a couple of minutes just barely picking at some pellets, but most of the day he was hiding. Eventually he started spending more time out in the open. As long as it's eating it just seems like normal behavior of adjustment to the new surroundings, just feed it with some antibiotic/vitamin soaked food and let it get stronger, these fish go through hell and back while being shipped.

wrott · 04/12/2006, 06:56 PM

It could have eaten some algae that contained toxins, and it is just mellowing until he feels better. I would give it 3 days to be back to normal and it will probably continue to eat your algae w/ less side effects--like gman said--he's adapting to your environment.
My Lo is very tough--eats all kinds of algae, and no coral.

Sk8r · 04/12/2006, 07:27 PM

feed him some flake or pellets soaked in garlic juice. They're easily spooked, and easily thrown. A little tonic might help him out. My scribbled rabbit loves it, and it helped.

new2u · 04/12/2006, 07:32 PM

All his food is soaked in garlic and zoa, I couldn't get him to go after any misis, and hes still sulking in the corner of the fuge, he did halfhardly pick at some algea though, i'll give you another status report in a second...

new2u · 04/12/2006, 07:37 PM

Uh oh, now hes lying in the corner, any new suggestions?

wrott · 04/12/2006, 07:55 PM

May be a FW bath as a last effort--if it intakes FW it could help.

04/12/2006, 03:24 PM	#1
new2u Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta / DFW Posts: 861	Uh oh, rabbitfish worries Hey guys, I bought a, what i thought to be, healthy dolitis rabbitfish just the other day, saturday to be exact, and first and second day he ate like a hoss, and went to town on my algea, but starting monday, i couldn't find him that morning, so i thought nothing of it untill that evening and when he didnt show i took apart the rockwork and still didn't and when i was putting it back there he appeared swimming around. I thought what a relief and put back all the rock. Then yesterday he was cowering in the bottom corner, and didn't come out to eat, so i caught him, without much of a fight and put him in my barren fuge. Now today he is still cowering in the corner down there, but when provoked he swims around like normal and "snaps out of it" for about five minutes, but then goes back. I was planning to introduce him and a foxface into my new 120 when i moved everyone to the big tank. What do you think is happening? He is otherwise completly healthy. Thank you for the help! __________________ Whats the use of Aqua man anyways. There isn't really that much water based crime... Current Tank Info: Reefer 850 XXL - LPS/Zoa Dominant mixed reef

04/12/2006, 06:06 PM	#2
gman0526 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 1,278	I had the same happen to me when I first introduced my Virgatus RF in my tank, at first he didn't eat at all for 2 days, after that he ventured out for a couple of minutes just barely picking at some pellets, but most of the day he was hiding. Eventually he started spending more time out in the open. As long as it's eating it just seems like normal behavior of adjustment to the new surroundings, just feed it with some antibiotic/vitamin soaked food and let it get stronger, these fish go through hell and back while being shipped. __________________ "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." A.E. Current Tank Info: 75 G BB tank

04/12/2006, 06:56 PM	#3
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	It could have eaten some algae that contained toxins, and it is just mellowing until he feels better. I would give it 3 days to be back to normal and it will probably continue to eat your algae w/ less side effects--like gman said--he's adapting to your environment. My Lo is very tough--eats all kinds of algae, and no coral. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

04/12/2006, 07:27 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	feed him some flake or pellets soaked in garlic juice. They're easily spooked, and easily thrown. A little tonic might help him out. My scribbled rabbit loves it, and it helped. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/12/2006, 07:32 PM	#5
new2u Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta / DFW Posts: 861	All his food is soaked in garlic and zoa, I couldn't get him to go after any misis, and hes still sulking in the corner of the fuge, he did halfhardly pick at some algea though, i'll give you another status report in a second... __________________ Whats the use of Aqua man anyways. There isn't really that much water based crime... Current Tank Info: Reefer 850 XXL - LPS/Zoa Dominant mixed reef

04/12/2006, 07:37 PM	#6
new2u Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta / DFW Posts: 861	Uh oh, now hes lying in the corner, any new suggestions? __________________ Whats the use of Aqua man anyways. There isn't really that much water based crime... Current Tank Info: Reefer 850 XXL - LPS/Zoa Dominant mixed reef

04/12/2006, 07:55 PM	#7
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	May be a FW bath as a last effort--if it intakes FW it could help. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt