Fox Face

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Praba

New Member
Good day,

I have a small amount of algae in my tank which is a RSM 130D. Instead of medicating I have chosen the route of introducing fish.

My choices were a blenny and fox face. I know the fox face grows quite large but my pet store guy assured me the fox grows within the limits of the tank and since it is small it would not get as large as a fox face in a bigger tank.

I am concerned that the pet shop guy has foxed me into the wrong option as to make an extra buck.

Please advise
 
Luukosian

Luukosian

Well-Known Member
130D is about 34 gallons, way too small for a foxface and they grow pretty quick. That being said, my last foxface died mysteriously after several years in the tank and voraciously ate any algae existing or put into the tank(hair, caulerpa, etc.). A couple months ago I bought a new one and he wont touch algae to save his life, even nori. He will eat any frozen/pellet food like every day is his last meal though. Some rabbitfish are awesome algae eaters but it's a crapshoot, guess the point is don't get fish for a specific purpose and expect them to do their job 100% of the time.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
I agree with Luukosiam. Your tank is way too small for a Foxface. Typically recommended tank size for the fish is about 125 gal. What your LFS told you about the fish only growing to the limits of the tank is a myth.

The blenny would be ok in your tank. I assume you want a lawnmower blenny. The problem with trying to use any fish for algae control is that they are only going to eat the types of algae they like. They may not even touch the kind of algae your dealing with.

Before you try a fish for algae control, Look first at more conventional methods of algae control, such as how much you feed, total live stock, water source, lighting and clean up crew. If you only have a small amount of algae, you might be better off increasing your clean up crew.

Almost all tanks have a certain amount of algae, and it's a constant battle, so what you have may be more or less normal.
 
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Praba

New Member
Thank you for the advice. I did ask him about a clean up crew and his response was that snails will only clean the glass.
Any recommendations on a crew.

What are the repocussions I I keep the fox face in my tank.
Currently I have Fish
Tiger Gobi
Red Dragnet
Banana Warse
2 x Oxyn Clown Fish

Coral
Rose pink bubble anemone
Green trumpet coral
Green hammer coral
Red brain
Red chilli coral
Zooantheds
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't do it, even the smallest of the rabbitfish (Foxface) recommend 70g and larger tanks. I'd go with a mixture of snails first and maybe an urchin. My snails are rarely on the glass, instead they stay on the back wall and rocks or in/on the sand (depending on the species).
 
3dees

3dees

Member
the one spot foxface is the smallest of the rabbitfish and requires a four foot tank minimum. very peaceful fish. I have one in my 120 gal. and in one year went from 3" to over 5". the guy at your pet store is wrong. no fish will grow to only the size of the tank.
 
tank stalker

tank stalker

Active Member
Oxy is right a good mixture of snail will be a good start. For example I have turbos, asteria, narsis not sure if that's spelled right and I have bumble bees. Between all they do a fantastic clean up

Stalking a tank near you
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
A good mix I would recommend would be 1 Astraea Turbo Snail, 1 Mexican Turbo Snail and several Nerite Snails.

If you have a sand bed I'd also recommend several Cerith Snails and a couple of Nassarius Snails.

If you like crabs then also add a couple of the Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit and Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab and 1 Emerald Crab.

Start off with a small amount of this combo at first. You can always add more if they aren't doing their job and the algae is outgrowing what they are eating. I'd go with a variety of these b/c each species above is going to focus on the algaes they prefer and they aren't all going to eat every algae in the tank. With a variety you are banking that multiple types of algae will be eaten. Give them 2-3 weeks at first to make headway with your algae before ordering/picking up more.


BTW, what type of algae are you having problems with? Snails have rasping mouths and b/c of that have difficulty eating macro-algaes. But if you can trim back the algae then the snails are able to scrape off the small new growth from the rocks and thus keep the algae in check. The crabs and other cuc like urchins will go after the larger marco-algae blades, as do the fish. This might be why the lfs person is recommending a fish for you.
 
frisbee

frisbee

Well-Known Member
For a 34 gallon tank, 3-5 trochus snails and maybe a couple scarlet hermit crabs would be a good start IMO. Don't forget, you can keep the glass and the sand clean all by yourself. All you really need is something to help with the algae on the rocks and the power heads. Also, if things go right, this algae will end up being replaced by coralline algae anyways. Less is more when it comes down to janitors if you think about it. GL.
 
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fishpalace

Member
Hi, I have a 135l tank which is 30g and have the following cuc added to a tank which is only 5 weeks young -

1 x fighting conch
2 x red leg hermit crabs
1 x bumblebee snail
2 x Turbo snails
3 x Trochus snails

I also have a fire shrimp which. Is not cuc but luved the coloured and couldn't resist.

Keep the glass and back wall clean and have cleared brown algae from rocks. Still have GHA but not as much and some diatoms but accept that this is going to be the case in a new tank.

Will probably add another couple when I add 2 x clown fish in a couple of weeks. Just letting the tank settle before I do anything else. May go for another conch as great to watch as they Hoover the sand and maybe a different type of snail too
 
NanaReefer

NanaReefer

Member
Nerites & Margarita Snails will definitely clean your rock. So too will a Bi-Colored Blenny. Mine picks at the rock all day :)
 
tank stalker

tank stalker

Active Member
I have a 29 gallon tank with a pink rose pin cushion and had a blue tuxedo with it in mine and they were fine

Stalking a tank near you
 
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