Are rabbit fish reef safe?

[Rice Reef]

I am considering picking up a small rabbit fish to help ( my mexican snails) getting rid of the red turf algae... Just how reef safe are they? Hear that they can go after zoas and palys... I can sell or trade them off... But are they reef safe with LPS, SPS and rics?

Thanks.
Wayne

[Delphinus]

I've had both virgatus and doliatus rabbit in with LPS, SPS, clams and anemones (no rics or zoas though), and no issues.

I have heard they can be hit or miss, but so far that hasn't been my experience. The only thing is they can grow pretty fast.

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I've had both virgatus and doliatus rabbit in with LPS, SPS, clams and anemones (no rics or zoas though), and no issues.

I have heard they can be hit or miss, but so far that hasn't been my experience. The only thing is they can grow pretty fast.

Thanks for sharing... BTW, are they good algae cleaners too ( esp. with red turf)?

[Madreefer]

I have a magnificeint foxface and he's a model citizen. Has never touched anything and gets along with all the other inmates. When i'm playin around with things in my tank and the SPS let offf that slime that is the only he eats when it come to corals. But I feed heavily as well.

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by Rice Reef

Thanks for sharing... BTW, are they good algae cleaners too ( esp. with red turf)?

Don't know about red turf but caulerpa and valonia totally disappeared after I added one. The best part was that them eating that stuff encourages the tangs to eat it because the tangs don't want to feel like they're missing out. When I got rid of my last doliatus, my sailfin stopped eating valonia and it came back with a vengence. It was like he thought "Oh thank goodness I don't have to eat that anymore, because it tastes terrible. But I couldn't let that pesky wabbit have a free meal!!!". Now that I have another, the valonia is all gone again.

As far as eating habits go they seem to be garbage cans.

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

I have a magnificeint foxface and he's a model citizen. Has never touched anything and gets along with all the other inmates. When i'm playin around with things in my tank and the SPS let offf that slime that is the only he eats when it come to corals. But I feed heavily as well.

Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Don't know about red turf but caulerpa and valonia totally disappeared after I added one. The best part was that them eating that stuff encourages the tangs to eat it because the tangs don't want to feel like they're missing out. When I got rid of my last doliatus, my sailfin stopped eating valonia and it came back with a vengence. It was like he thought "Oh thank goodness I don't have to eat that anymore, because it tastes terrible. But I couldn't let that pesky wabbit have a free meal!!!". Now that I have another, the valonia is all gone again.

As far as eating habits go they seem to be garbage cans.

LOL! I am almost convinced in getting one! I think my tangs are spoiled and will only pick at algae when I don't feed them well.

[MMAX]

I have a one spot foxface that I got from a fellow reefer. He was getting rid of him because he was eating his zoas. I decided to give him a try and I'm glad I did. Perfect reef fish, didn't touch anything of mine he wasn't supposed to. If you do decide to get one, he probably won't touch your red turf algae. You'll have a hard time finding anything that will. That stuff absolutly stinks when you take it out of the water, must taste just as bad. Mine won't touch caulerpa either but loves when I have my hand in the tank scraping film algae with a razor blade. He pigs out on that stuff.

[subman]

I had a one spot for 5 years and he was a model citizen until I cut back feedings to get excess nutrients under control. He turned to eating zoas for a hobby and I watched him eat a colony of green bay Packers in minutes. I sold him to a fellow reefette and he is doing great in a Fowler now.

It was probably the saddest day in my reefing history as he was my first and favorite fish.