FOXFACE, SOMETHING IS WRONG

[ilovefish]

My foxface is the strangest thing yo have ever seen. When we first bought him we thought he was on the verge of dying brown, brown, breathing funny, and just laying straigt up in th bottom. Next thing you know he is fun swimming all around. We have a mean, mean, yellow tang named Guber who I know stresses out the foxface severely. But my foxfaced seems to deal with hi, he throws up his dorsals at Guber. Now the night before last he had spots and we thought it might be ich, so we went and bought a Skunk Shrimp to clean him, no signs of cleaning on him. Every now and then he acts dead awful colr and just lays staright up, I read this is normal with them, but what could these spots be, ich. I read they usually dont get ich though, and no other fish has this problem but him, will my skunk shrimp; take care of him like he should please help

 

[trj]

I have the same problem with my FOXFACE, he's alone in the tank now and I'm converting it to a reef and he has the same spots. I didn't know and I tried treating him for ick, did not work. I'm adding inverts today. Can someone help us????

 

[pufferlover]

Yes Foxfaces do change to a brownish coloration and it is normal. They normally do this at night while resting. As far as hovering sort of straight up they do this also. Now as far as Ick if you don't see scratching and whitle spots on the fish don't get carried away trying to treat. As I believe Beth has said many times know the problem before you figure the treatment. I have found once you start something it is very hard to switch mid stream and have success if the first diagnosis was wrong.

 

[gobylover]

My foxface also did the same thing for about the first week that I had him.It is from stress.The spots could be stress spots and might go away.Keep an eye out for heavy breathing,scratching as was said,and any other signs.As for the yellow tang,I would seperate them right away.The foxface needs to feel safe or he will never get better.I also have a yellow tang who won't leave new additions alone.Shes in a q tank now and usually adding her back after the new ones,shes ok.How are your parimeters in your tank?Any other tank mates?

 

[ilovefish]

He is looking better. His tank mates are 2 damsels, 2 neons, 2 yellow tailed damsels, 2 fire goby fish, 1 dottyback, 1 yellow tang, 1 anemeone, 1 skunk shrimp, 1 slug, 1 mandraian, 1 spiny brittle star. Why isn't my shrimp jumping on him?

 

[pufferlover]

Depending on how much you feed (and how much the cleaner shrimp can get) could explain why it isn't interested. My shrimps have gotton lazy and I have not seen them near a fish for months (but that can be a good thing healthy fish!). Also, when they were checking out fish when I first got them some fish wanted no part of the multi-armed little bandits and moved away from them as they came over. Now the shrimp just hang around and keep the bottom looking clean for me. Ah, life is good at the moment.

 

[tjswanson]

Foxfaces are very nervous fish. at the drop of a hat they can change colors and just freak out, infact this is the only fish I know that if you chase them around the tank too long they pass out. I love mine though, a true pig. Eats all the food before anyone else can get to it. TJ