Rabbitfish -yes or no?

[Europhyllia]

I have a 125g reef tank primarly devoted to sun corals, gorgonians and small fish.
Unfortunately I also have caulerpa in the tank. I hate it. I pull a large amount of it out every week.
A long spine urchin does nothing for it (or against).
The only other suggestions I was given was:

tang
rabbitfish
sea hare

I got a tang and it didn't eat the caulerpa. It also was very hyper and scared my clownfish into the overflow several times! It was a total PITA to catch that tang and get it back out of the tank. Took a whole day.

I like the sea hare idea but everything I read seems to imply they eat hair algae. I don't have hair algae. I have bubble and caulerpa. A caulerpa eating sea slug would be my preference. But no point in adding one if I don't have food.

So I am considering the rabbitfish.
Will it be hyper like that tang?
Will it threated the clowns with it's spines like the tang did with its scalpel?
Will it hurt corals, shrimp, clams, etc.?
Will it eat caulerpa?
If they all differ I think the Fiji Bicolor looks nice but I'm open to suggestions.

[ErikH]

Rabbitfish are not reef safe, IIRC.

[Gseclipse02]

i thought they were erick ... it will eat the algae well i think it would mine did but i dont think ill ever have a poisonous fish in my reef tank again .... your always on the look out for them and it gets annoying


just my .02

[corydrysdale]

Ive got 2 rabbit fish im my Reef tank. I think they are great, hardy algae eaters and calerpa eaters. I have some calerpa that grows with my chaeto they they will suck up like spagetti. Ive never had an issue with them in my 120. But then again, i have 6 tangs in this tank and they all seem to get along. Here's a picture to prove my theory. LOL

[justahobby]

If you google rabbitfish eat coral, you will find where people have had problems with nippers down to extremists. Most outsiders seem to relate this to inadequate feeding.

[Third Coast Tropical]

I had an orange spotted rabbit for a little over 3 years.....my favorite fish ever....Didn't eat algae in my system. It cleared out 2 colonies of GSP in about a day, and also ate some yellow polyps....Didnt eat any other corals, although I didnt have that many.....She ate like a pig, eating thawed mysis and artemia, and a gel diet we prepared at UT....She got too big for my system and is now at Pelicans Landing in Post A.......I would be skeptical putting one in your system with all your pretty stuff.....I have a buddy (lwharper) down there that has a Foxface and as far as I know it hasnt eaten any of his corals....


O...I dont think it ever aggressively tried to hurt any other fish, but if she spooked she would extend those spines and if any other fish were near they would try to escape her however possible...think this attributed to several of my jumpers

[ShAgMaN]

Eric is right, I thought they were reef safe till I put an orange spot in my tank. The Mofo tore up a good chunk of my zoas overnight...and I'm sure you dont wanna go through the another PITA netting nightmare again. I've seen plenty of rabbitfish in reef tanks - but after knocking over multiple rocks and SPS damage, I'll never take the chance again. I guess the best thing would be if you could find a reef safe proven rabbit.

[Europhyllia]

O...I dont think it ever aggresively tried to hurt any other fish, but if she spooked she would extend those spines and if any other fish were near they would try to escape her however possible...think this attributed to several of my jumpers
That seals it. No rabbitfish for me...

[ErikH]

I think the propensity is less in a foxface than an orange spot, again, recalling from memory from reading, for eating or nipping coral. I think orange spots are known for nipping clams too.

[ErikH]

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/rbtfshcompfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/siganidf.htm

[corkyGramma]

Ive got 2 rabbit fish im my Reef tank. I think they are great, hardy algae eaters and calerpa eaters. I have some calerpa that grows with my chaeto they they will suck up like spagetti. Ive never had an issue with them in my 120. But then again, i have 6 tangs in this tank and they all seem to get along. Here's a picture to prove my theory. LOL
I second that oppinion, mine schools with 4 tang as well. They are like sea goats, they tend to steer clear of you (unless its feeding time), and would never Poison the whole tank like a box fish.

[Paraletho]

The Scribbled RF like zoas also. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Oh yea they are perfectly reef safe won't touch a thing. 3 colonies later I was still trying to catch it.

[allan]

I had a regular fox head of face rabbit fish... maybe it was horse head rabbit... yellow with a snout definitely a rabbit fish. Did real good until he developed a taste for zoas. Bent over backwards catching him, traumatized the entire tank trying to get him. Finally cornered him and was able to reach in and gently lift him out. Real skittish fish. I learned later about the tines on its back.

Save for the fact that they tend to have a negative reputation I would recommend the cow fish as mine eats calupra both grape and razor. I think all he has to do is someone else eating it and he's good to go... much easier to catch. I routinely catch mine in a cup while feeding. Just dip the cup with some food in it and when he swims in gently pull it out of the water. He will continue to eat until there's no more and then actaully looks a little surprised that he's in a cup. But he does it again just a few moments later.

[Europhyllia]

I'd love a cowfish. But I only have a 125g tank. :(
I am getting better with my tweezers though. Guess I'm my own best herbivore...

[allan]

Guess I'm my own best herbivore...

I don't know about that Karin... doesn't being a herbivore imply that you are injesting that which you pick? :sick:

[Europhyllia]

I haven't thought about this yet! I certainly harvest enough of it on a regular basis to make a meal of it! >:(

[allan]

Oh wow, just threw up a little bit. Thinking of over cooked spinich. Ugh!

[carong]

I have a rabbit in my tank and he is reef safe, he does eat everything i offer him, but becareful, they tend to have ich when water temp changes constant

[allan]

Here's the deal. You can have a really good run with any number of fish that claim to be either safe or not reef safe. In the end you're left holding the spoon of responsibility.

If what you put in there turns out not to be reef safe, well either you continue to feed it the zoas and clams or you will have to pull it out which is a pain in the fourth point of contact for sure.

It's a gamble either way. I bought my rabbit fish because it was in the section labled "reefsafe", and later watched it pick at and eat my zoas.