Can I Get Some Advice

[jpcemc]

Hello everyone. I am newer to the hobby, but I have a passion for taking care of the fish I bring into my house. I am still learning and I am sure making mistakes, but I am hoping that you all can overlook my newbiness and offer me some advice to help me save a fish that I bought to attempt to save it's life.

I went to my local LFS and they had a One Spot Foxface that they expected not to make it due to not eating, etc. I brought it home and have it in a 10G quarantine tank next to my other q-tanks. I have the salinity at 1.024 currently, temp at 78.4, no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. The fish is now eating pellets w/garlic and seems better, but it still lays at about a 45 degree angle and seems to breathe a bit faster along with dark coloration when stationary. When it is eating it is moving and acting perfectly normal. Is this a normal trait for this fish or should I be doing something else to help it survive?

Thanks for the advice.

[Reef908]

They are easily scared. The dark pattern they display is basically telling you it's not happy. Do you have a place for it to hide in the tank? A pvc pipe works great for QT setups.

[jpcemc]

I have 3 PVC fittings, nothing else on bottom and I have the tank wrapped to keep the motion around the tank from scaring it further. I have no light directly over the tank to reduce stress.

[Reef908]

Cool. Just give it some time then. it will get more comfortable and once it's heathy enough for the display tank the other fish swimming in the open should help it be more bold too.

[jpcemc]

Cool. Just give it some time then. it will get more comfortable and once it's heathy enough for the display tank the other fish swimming in the open should help it be more bold too.

Thank you for taking the time to help me. Just wanted to make sure that I am doing what I can to help it make it.

[Reef908]

Yup. No problem. Just make sure to offer it some Nori or algae to eat. They are excellent herbivore grazers. Just rubber band some to a small piece of rock or even a small pvc pipe.

[jpcemc]

Yup. No problem. Just make sure to offer it some Nori or algae to eat. They are excellent herbivore grazers. Just rubber band some to a small piece of rock or even a small pvc pipe.

Good idea. I'll do that in the AM so I can see if he takes to it.

[xanthurum]

Eating is a good sign. From my experience foxface tend to lay at weird angles and often flare their fins when stressed. As mentioned the dark coloration and spots is also a stress sign. They are very shy and easily stressed until they are settled for some time. Thank you for your desire to offer the best care you can and I love that you QT. Far too many people don't and then they wonder what went wrong.

[jpcemc]

Eating is a good sign. From my experience foxface tend to lay at weird angles and often flare their fins when stressed. As mentioned the dark coloration and spots is also a stress sign. They are very shy and easily stressed until they are settled for some time. Thank you for your desire to offer the best care you can and I love that you QT. Far too many people don't and then they wonder what went wrong.

Thank you. I got into the hobby to enjoy my fish and part of enjoying them in my opinion is keeping them healthy and happy. Saving this Foxface, seemed like the right thing to do. It is an investment, sure but in my opinion, worth the effort and money.

I appreciate the info on this fish. Helps me take care of it to the best of my ability.

[jpcemc]

Day 3 and he is eating and swimming around very actively. Hoping that this is a sign that we made it past the stress of multiple transfers before I got him. I have the tank wrapped to keep my kids constant motion from stressing him further.

[roli112]

The reef gods will pay it back to you