Spooked Foxface

[IUfan]

Need help and quickly here guys.

So I've had a foxface lo for about a month.

I have him in my 29 gallon, with just a diamond goby, don't shoot me just yet, I have a 180 that he was eventually going to be moved in to, likely to be this weekend as well, just put him in the 29 to clean off some bubble algea and he has been doing that very well and acting fine.

I have been taking out rock from the tank and moving it slowly to the 180, and I took a piece out at the weekend that I think he was fond of hiding under.

Anyway, i guess he was eating some algea off the frag rack I have in there and inadvertently pulled it down, making some noise and spooking him crazy.

He's turned fully mottled and is resting near the sand, he's almost completely still just fluttering his pectoral fins, but hasn't moved for an hour.

Worst part is I'm away working and my gf is relaying this info back to me, so I'm limited in what I can do.

Has he spooked himself so much that he can't recover from this? Anyone have experience with this?

Do I just leave it be, and hope for the best?

Do I emergency transfer him to the 180?

Do I place a peice of PVC pipe into the tank for hiding? And move him when I get back.

[Deinonych]

Just leave him be for now. They can stay spooked for a while, but he'll be fine. Mine has done that numerous times when I was working in the tank. The small confined space of your 29g probably stresses him a bit as well. A hiding place for him will probably make him feel more secure until you get back to move him.

[pinnatus]

Spastic and venomous are a bad combination. I do not like foxfaces and rabbitfishes for this reason.

It should recover just fine.

[IUfan]

So I've instructed my gf to place the PVC in the tank, and we'll just wait and see.

I'm so mad, I didn't think taking the rock out would make a big deifference for just the few days I was gone, as I was saying I was planning on moving him this weekend, Hes spooked cos of the frag rack falling but if he'd had a hiding place I think he wouldn't have spooked himself half as much. Just hope he recovers.

Fingers crossed.

[Deinonych]

He'll be fine. While they get spooked easily, they are quite hardy fish.

[dread240]

Mine was like a freakin dog. Follow you everywhere, come up for food, everything, but he was like the big dog that as soon as something barked back or moved the wrong way he ran like a wuss and wouldn't come out for awhile.

It's an unbelievably weird sight the first few times it happens, but as long as he's breathing fine and you've now given him a place to hide I wouldn't worry too much

[RDtrack]

He's in watch and observe mode, just let him be. I've seen mine do this from time to time. By your wife going up to the tank and checking him its just keeping him freaked.

[IUfan]

Thanks for your help guys.

He's still alive today, and has regained his color, but still docile. I'll be back Friday morning so hoping he can hang in until then.

Again thanks for the help

[IUfan]

Happy to report. Moved him to the 180 and he's doing great. But man this guy can play dead really well.

Mine also eats bubble algea, only thing I've ever seen eat the stuff.

[syrinx]

They are amazing at how hey can change color! I used to get calls all the time- even when I warned new owners about their color changing abilities. I had a large one spot foxface-large as in 11 inches(larger than they are often purported to grow). It was in a large tank, and when christmas came around we put the tree near the tank- due to space in the room. Well after the holiday we took the tree down- and the foxface freaked out. He turned top half black, and bottom half bright yellow for six months then one day he was back to normal color! Fish acted normal throughout the time of the color change. It was like an emotion switch was flipped, but didnt disengage when the stress was relieved.

[Deinonych]

Happy to report. Moved him to the 180 and he's doing great. But man this guy can play dead really well.

Mine also eats bubble algea, only thing I've ever seen eat the stuff.

:bounce2:

Love a happy ending.