Rabbitfish

[coralreefer]

Does anyone here have experience with rabbitfish, particularly the two barred (Siganus Doliatus)? I want to get one to munch on my dictyota but I am worried about it nipping at my LPS (Duncanopsammia Axifuga, Platygyra Sinesis, Oulophyllia Crispa, and Catalaphyllia Jardinei). Has yours been good around LPS when well fed?

Also, have you had any problems getting close to their spines? I would be a little nervous about sticking my hand in the tank.

[mtfatwork]

I have had one before, and now I keep a pair of Magnificent's without issue. I have a good ammount of lps in my tank as well.

[mtfatwork]

Oh, and the spines are really nothing to worry about, Rabbitfish seem to be pretty shy creatures IME. I am more worried about my tangs getting me when I am in the tank, because they have no fear whatsoever.

[Turf]

I've had a few Foxface Lo's over the years in a few different tanks... never had a problem they just eat ALOT

Edit: mine eats from my hand, spines are not an issue unless your chasing it around.

[coralreefer]

Oh, and the spines are really nothing to worry about, Rabbitfish seem to be pretty shy creatures IME. I am more worried about my tangs getting me when I am in the tank, because they have no fear whatsoever.
LOL, yeah my purple tang will eat out of my hand. However, half the time it turns around to try and stick me, it's all bluff though. The one time it got close enough to hit my hand with it's tail it spooked itself and hid right away.

[coralreefer]

spines are not an issue unless your chasing it around.
Definately wouldn't be doing that, LOL. I just wasn't sure if they get defensive with a hand in the tank.

[Turf]

no not at all... they will swim away long before you get stung. Also, they can't swim and wack you like a tang can. The way they sting anything is by pointing their nose down and letting the threat hit/run into them.

[coralreefer]

no not at all... they will swim away long before you get stung. Also, they can't swim and wack you like a tang can. The way they sting anything is by pointing their nose down and letting the threat hit/run into them.
Okay cool. So it is pretty tough to get inadvertently stung.

[thepollock]

i have no problem with my blue spot well untill i feed. he is the first one there but i have had no problems with him trying to stick me or eating my corals.

[happy]

my foxface is a big coward, but he really really likes to eat algae all day long. I can't imagine getting close enough to it to get stung, and I have had it for 5 years now.

[twincitiesreefer]

I had the magnifecent in my early days,didnt mind him at all,untill i switched into reef,then he ate my first zoa's and out he came

[sameyer]

I am interested in the Siganus Doliatus as well. Not sure the species drew the best when it comes to names, but I think they are cool fish. Please post if you get one and let us know how it goes.

[Home_Depot]

I had one when I had dictyota and he ate it but that stuff sucks it will take over your tank if you are not carefull also don't what ever you do try and pick it off of the rock in the tank it will spread. Trust me on this one that stuff is one of the reasons I took down my tank and gave all my rocks an acid bath.

[coralreefer]

I've had it for upwards of 8 months now so I definately know what it can do. I totally understand why you took down your tank!

[Home_Depot]

I've had it for upwards of 8 months now so I definately know what it can do. I totally understand why you took down your tank!

I feel your pain.. My foxface did taka care of it, but when it died it all started to come back.

Good Luck:beerchug: :beerchug:

[superman]

My doliatus was the nail in the coffin for my hair algae issues. Really let me get a hold of the issue and the tackle things from a nutrient export side. I love my Doliatus, he's a model citizen, has not touched either of my elegance corals, Hawaiin feather dusters, or anything else that you might think would be tempting. I don't keep zoanthids and don't want to, so I am not worried if it would eat zoas.

[coralreefer]

It is great to hear that it hasn't touched your elegance. That is my number one reservation.

[David Grigor]

I have a Siganus corallinus ( Blue-Spotted ).

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AcanthuroidPIX/RabbitfishPIX/Siganus_corallinusRED.jpg


A really great maintenance fish. While I don't know if species specific or just this fish but this one has been a much better algae eater than any of my previous rabbitfish species I've owned. I have no experience with Rabbitfish eating dictyota ( thankfully ). Does a great job with bubble algae. The small stuff that he can't get to in the crevices when I scrap it out, he gobbles it up.

Like Mary mentioned. Usually gets out of the way when I'm working in the tank. Never had any type of encounter with any of my rabbitfish. Also never had an issue with corals of any type with the rabbitfish I've owned over the years.

In years past, taking warm freshwater and squirting on it via a turkey baster has made it fall apart. Within a couple of hours under actinics, it turns bright orange/red flourescent color then dies off. May want to give that a try. It doesn't kill the whole thing but does keep it a bay. I eventually just tore out the rocks and dried them out though.

[coralreefer]

Thanks for the suggestion David, I will try that. Eventually I am going to upgrade my system when I get a little more time. At that time I will be able to do an acid bath on my rocks. However, I won't be able to eliminate it off of my two brain corals so I might have to get a rabbitfish to control it. I haven't been able to find any Siganus Doliatus under 5 inches so I am going to wait until the right one becomes available.

[David Grigor]

You will know right away if the algae will respond to it as it does turn a brilliant color after just a few hours. It is cool to watch it happen especially with actinics on. It may not occur on all things considered to be dictyota but certainly works on the type I had.

As for the brains, If it's on the dead skeleton part slicing it off with a tile cutter or using a dremel tool and grinding the top layer off where it is attached can be effective.

[coralreefer]

You will know right away if the algae will respond to it as it does turn a brilliant color after just a few hours. It is cool to watch it happen especially with actinics on. It may not occur on all things considered to be dictyota but certainly works on the type I had.

As for the brains, If it's on the dead skeleton part slicing it off with a tile cutter or using a dremel tool and grinding the top layer off where it is attached can be effective.
Yeah, it is only on the base so I might try that and a good few month quarantine.