Siganus Article

[Mickey]

I have been researching rabbitfish and just reread your article from last year. Hope it isn't too late to ask a question.

My tank is 72" x 30" x 24" and is relatively new. I've been thinking recently of adding a rabbitfish, probably a foxface or one spot. My FishWishList also has a Paracanthurus hepatus and a Zebrosoma desjardinii. All other fish will be small, less than 4 inches. Do you think this tank can handle the foxface with the two tangs? Or is that one or two too many large fish?

Mickey

[hcs3]

hey mickey,

i spend a good deal of energy avoiding topics such as this only because i hate to interject my beliefs into a topic that really doesn't have any hard, fast rules. if you've spent anytime researching RC no doubt you've come across some heated exchances on this very topic.

the truth is, surely the tank can handle the load. you can look around RC all day long and see many examples, one after another, of aquariums with far more of a fish load than what you are planning. but does that make it right?

i have a new tank enroute to me. it measures 120" x 24" x 24". in this tank i plan to place a single rabbitfish. it is very unlikely a surgeonfish will ever see this aquarium. i'd like to say never, but we all know how that works :) seriously, though, i believe 1 large herbivore is more than plenty for aquariums of this size. i will fill out the rest of the fish with much smaller fish.

in regards to the rabbit vs surgeon, i agree surgeons will always be better looking. but from a functionality standpoint, not many fish can compete with foxfaces. some will even eat hair algae! plus they spend a lot less time cruising and more time sitting under ledges unlike the surgeons which want to cruise all day long. rabbits are easy going, often STOPPING squabbles between two surgeons, whereas surgeons are high strung and aggressive attacking anyhting that moves once they settle into an aquarium. aquariums are so much more peaceful without surgeonfish.

the benefits to this are numerous - lower fish load aka less work for me, less $ spent on food, higher water quality, healthier fish, considerably more flexible with future fish additions, larger variety of fish.... i could go one, but here i am doing what i said i wouldn't do ;)

HTH

henry

[Mickey]

I do appreciate your thoughts, I understand your hesitations and so I am doubly grateful for you answering anyway.

If I were totally comfortable with the thought of adding a foxface along with the sailfin and hippo tangs, then I probably wouldn't have written anyway. Guess I just needed someone "in authority" to confirm my doubts.

Mickey