Scribbled Rabbitfish owners, would you buy again?

[fantastic4]

Thinking of getting one. What do you think of yours?

[Conesus_Kid]

Love him!

(Don't count on him to eat all of your Valonia! Mine only hits it when he's REALLY hungry!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/skrebbeks/102_4277.jpg

[thor32766]

i have had mine for over 2 yrs and love him to death. never a single problem with him

[Sk8r]

They're beautiful, they're funny, they're a great fish in a 500g tank. Mine ate all the caulerpa, all the valonia in my 54, and started in on green corals. I had to be gone 2 weeks. I stuffed the tank with caulerpa to hold him off---and got back of course to sky high phosphate, film algae out the wazoo, and, yep, bits of my green frogspawn floating about. Fat and happy rabbit went back to the lfs and found another happy home.

[JokerGirl]

I would buy my little cutie again in a heartbeat. The only thing that drive me crazy about him is I can never get a picture of the tank without at least one of his body parts in it.... You can't really even look in the tank without HIM in your face.

Either way.. great fish. Loads of personality, beautiful, wonderful grazer.

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s110/JokerGirlsPhotos/DPP_0025.jpg

[King-Kong]

I would buy again.

["Umm, fish?"]

I will get one for my next tank. I loved the one I had, though it was just a frag tank resident. But what a gorgeous fish with a great personality. (Sounds like I'm setting you up on a blind date. :) )

[Mikigo]

any problems with zoos, clams or LPS?

[JokerGirl]

No problems at all with any of the three you mention.

[techreef]

I read somewhere that they grow pretty fast, to the point that they get too big for tanks under 90G. What have the posters here experienced re: this?

[cl2ysta1]

we got ours large so i dont know about the growing. We love ours he is named Bic *like the pen.. bc he is a "scribbled" haha. anyways here he is


http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o172/cl2ysta1/mead004.jpg

["Umm, fish?"]

Mine grew really fast. Especially once it discovered the joys of mysis shrimp.

[Charlie's Angel]

Love mine and is a quick grower

[JokerGirl]

I've only had mine since September so I can't really comment on the growth rates all that much. I got him when he was about an inch smaller than my Kole tang, and he's just on the verge of being bigger than the Kole now.

[Conesus_Kid]

Mine is growing quickly. A Google search on maximum length yields anywhere from 7 to 15 inches maximum. Wetwebmedia lists them at 9" max. (That's what I'm hoping for!)

[cl2ysta1]

ours is 7 years old and is about 8 inches. he isnt growing anymore

[superedge88]

I've never seen them larger than about 8-10 inches, I'd have to see one over a foot long to believe it! I love my little guy, model citizen, and keeps any hair algae at bay.

[cl2ysta1]

our LFS has one in a 700 gallon display that is at least 10 inches. it is the largest one i've ever seen. it isnt over a foot though. i'd say 10-12

[alprazo]

I would by again. I have had one 5 years now - voracious algae eater. Has never bothered a new addition. The cleaner shrimp love him. Very fast growth - from 3.5 to 8 inches in ~ 3 years. Has not recently grown but too big for the current tank. One of two fish to live through a 5 day power outage where the temp dropped to 55 degrees.

Great fish

[scatty25]

Absolutely!

[willhoward]

These fish are poisonous, right? Won't they sting your hand if you put it in the tank? Or will they only sting you in self-defense?

Are they reefsafe regarding clams, lps and softies?

Would a 75G be enough for the first 2 years if I get it small?

Thanx alot!

[JokerGirl]

These fish are mildly venomous, with most people reporting that it feels much like a bee sting although there is always the possibility that you have a severe allergic reaction from it. The venomous spines are located on their dorsal fins. When the dorsal fin is erect, it usually means the fish is excited or upset. Although it is risky on my part, I can pet my rabbitfish, although I rarely do.

So far mine has been reef safe towards everything in my tank, although they do have a reputation of going after LPS (mainly large meaty corals like brains) when they aren't fed enough.

I don't think a 75g is enough for one of these fish. They are active swimmers much like tangs and do grow fairly quickly.