my foxface needs help

[dabudkrew]

i bought a foxface yesterday, it was doing fine all day today till i looked at my tank and he's lying down and his yellow tail is no more, is there anything i can do?

[dabudkrew]

the lights were off when but then i turned them on so i think he was sleeping?? hopefully, but he's not yellow is this normal?

[MKCindy]

Yes! Mine turned the ugliest gray stripped mess I ever saw. He will color back up in the light. They change colors when they are stressed and at night, but the yellow comes back under lights. If his tail is really gone... find out who is picking on him and separate them until his tail grows back. (he is a sitting duck without it... no mobility to protect himself)
My Dottyback nibbled off part of mines tail before he stood up for himself and started bristling his dorsal fin. They reached an agreement. Poison fins beats territorial.

Once before I had a fish that was picking on all the others. I set up a net cubical quarantine in the tank. They could see each other but the aggressor was detained for about 2-3 weeks. I rearranged the live rock, turned off the lights, and re-introduced him to the tank. Everyone got along great after that.

[dabudkrew]

no he has a tail but i got two damsels picking on a tiny hippo and the foxface but they left the foxface alone but i turned on the lights and he was grey but thank you for telling me he's alright, i did rearrange all my rock and made new hiding places for my fish, and that seems to help a little until they wonder off and my two damsels see's my hippo, i spent like an hour trying to catch them but they're pretty fast, but thanks for answering

[erikharrison]

Get rid of the damsels!!!! It is worth it!

[dabudkrew]

my foxface is lying on its side on my sand bed, i have my lights off so they wouldn't bother him, he is breathing fast, is there anything i can do? i dont think the damsles did this to him cause they werent bothering him yesterday but i might be wrong

[mathias]

the damsels are messing with him... they need to go... anyone who gives advice of cycling your system with damsels is not good advice at all.....


if you can catch them... foxface are really prone to stress..... sounds like you may loose this one... but turn the lights on don't leave them off...

[dabudkrew]

yeah i such a dumb*** getting those damsels i regret getting them, i have them off so they wont find my foxface, but should i turn the on anyway?

[erikharrison]

FYI, don't cuss or attempt to cuss on these forums as they are family oriented :) I tend to cuss like a sailor at times so I have been there too ;) The moderators will get irked! How long have you had this all setup? Are your parameters in order? Yank the rocks, snag the damsels and pray for the best. Also is this a new new fish? If so did you acclimate it? Is/was it eating? We bought a fish this weekend and I have yet to see him eat, sometimes they just don't take to aquarium life.

[dabudkrew]

yeah i put those little stars instead, i got the fish on Sunday and was doing good and eating a little now and then, i havent fed him today, but he's hiding under a rock now, no where close to my damsels

[erikharrison]

even the stars aren't cool :) I know I know, but that's the way it is! YANK OUT THE DAMSELS!!!! Give them to a LFS and get some storeeeeeeee credittttttt

[dabudkrew]

so who wants 2 damsels, finally got them out, and my fox face is just floating around, he looks bad, he is still alive cause i can see him breathing, should i take him out cause he doesnt have a chance or will he make it without anyone bothering hem anymore? oh and i dont think Petco gives out store credit do they?
my tank is cloudy due to taking rocks out and moving sand around, will this hurt my other fishys?

[dabudkrew]

he's on some rocks resting now still breathing which is a good thing

[erikharrison]

Is it at least able to swim around on its own?

[dabudkrew]

kinda, the power heads blow him around but he looks weak

[dabudkrew]

his fins are pretty banged up i guess thats why he cant swim

[dabudkrew]

has anyone been in my shoes and had a fish get better?

[dabudkrew]

well he die tonight :cry

[MKCindy]

Sorry to hear that. Damsels can be brutal. I have one that attacks my hand.

I just found a video on Reefvideo.com that talks about using a mirror when you introduce a new fish. He holds a hand mirror up to the glass, says the Tangs will practically knock themselves out to attack their own image and totally forget there is any other new fish being added. He claims it works every time. I'll have to try it out.

[dabudkrew]

thank you everyone that help me out, thanks

[texmex]

What ever became of this fish???

[Kristy]

well he die tonight :cry

check post #18 in the thread ^^

[texmex]

Thanks kristy don't know how I missed that