Don't QT Rabbitfish?

[Enigma]

I was reading this (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/rabbitfi.htm). I generally consider wetwebmedia to be a very good source of information. In the linked article, the recommendation is made to not QT Rabbitfish.

Introduction/Acclimation

First a note re netting: as with other venomous aquatics, I strongly suggest you utilize two nets to direct these fishes into a stationary underwater container (jar, specimen box, bag), rather than lifting the animal into the air. Do not risk painful envenomation by cradling or placing your hand in harms way, gloved or not. Punctures are painful, immediately, and may require medical inspection.

Once the fish is "home" it is best placed and left alone unfed in an unlighted system for a day. Rabbitfishes are one of my exceptions to the general rule of quarantine; most are clean and ready to go with just a preventative freshwater dip. Put another way, moving them again is not worth the damage that the small potential for disaster warrants from simple introduction to the main/display system.


I really do not understand what is being indicated in the portion of the text that I've bolded. That is one incredibly awkward sentence. Can someone decode it for me?

My Rabbitfish is in my QT, and has been for three days. He is starting to eat like a little piggy (spectrum small fish pellets). He is still a bit more agitated and jumpy than I would like to see, but he is in his non-camo mode 50% of the time when I sneak into the bathroom on him to see how he's doing.

[monocus]

possibly that re-netting the fish can double the risk of entangling its spines,which would double the risk of stabbing yourself untangling the spines

[Enigma]

possibly that re-netting the fish can double the risk of entangling its spines,which would double the risk of stabbing yourself untangling the spines

That was one thing that came to mind for me. I've been scouring wetwebmedia, and just found this:

Almost all Siganids are better freshwater pH-adjusted dipped/bathed and placed... quarantining them (by and large) is more of a source of mortality and induced disease than it's "worth". Agreed, it does "fly in the face" of the general rule.

There definately seems to be something that I'm missing here: with regards to the risks of QTing these fish.

[Myka]

Any fish can be a vector for disease. That in and of itself is more than enough to warrant quarantine of any fish imo.

[marie]

I've quarantined a foxface before, it survived and so did I :lol:

[gregzz4]

My One Spot gave me no grief during netting

When Smudge came home, I used one net and a reef glove to transfer him into the QT as he was freakin' out a bit

When the observation period was over, I used 2 nets to get him into a small bucket for the DT transfer, and covered the bucket with a towel while dripping. This made him very docile
I used only one net to transfer him to the DT as he was very sedate by then

[MMAX]

I bought my one-spot from a fellow reefer about 2 years ago. After slow dripping him for an hour I attempted to net him to place him in the display. Damn thing freaked out and got its spines tangled in the net. Quite an ordeal to get him out and he untangled himself and I didn't get tagged.

[Enigma]

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

I do believe I made the right choice in QTing him. I just wish wetwebmedia was a little more clear. Not QTing seems like too big a risk.

The benefits of QT go beyond avoiding the transmission of disease. It gives one the opportunity to get the fish eating. This guy is not eating what I expected him too. I was told "brine and mysis, but you might be able to get I'm trained on pellets." As it turns out, he gobbles up Spectrum small fish pellets, but isn't overly interested in brine and mysis. It took me three days to figure that out. In the display system, there is so much voracious competition when it comes to food, it would have been harder to figure out.

[howdy20012002]

I believe that they are saying don't quarantine because of the potential dangers to you because of the fish's venom and the stress it creates on the fish when you potentially have to take a long time trying to get disentangled it from the net. However, I don't think that they are guarenteed to be disease free - they can carry disease just like any other fish..I personally wouldn't take the chance.
I think you made the right move.
Neal

[Enigma]

Well, I hope I don't pay for this. I've moved "Shade" (my one spot fox face) to the DT after six days in the QT. I'm confident that he's healthy, but I didn't like his behaviour in the QT. He appeared quite stressed and agitated, and he really wasn't settling down nicely. He is eating, however.

Hubby and I discussed it, and we felt it was worth the risk.

He is much more calm in the DT, and he's snuggled up to a birdsnest. He tried cozying up in the small torch coral, but the little clown took offense. The little clown (Nemo) appeared to get a spine in the head as he attempted to oust Shade from the torch. Nemo appears to be okay. I would think the effects of a Foxface spine in the head would be pretty quick.

[albert_dao]

As a quick FYI, I've been stung by rabbitfish before and it hurts far more than what you'd feel being stung by a lionfish... Or a really mean wasp for that matter.

[Enigma]

As a quick FYI, I've been stung by rabbitfish before and it hurts far more than what you'd feel being stung by a lionfish... Or a really mean wasp for that matter.

That does make me nervous . . . I won't be stickin' my hand in the tank without gloves anymore.

[gregzz4]

Excellent name :mrgreen:

I also felt bad keeping our Smudge in a 20g QT for 15 days, and we are probably risking some kind of future DT infection
He was doing well in the QT but paced a lot
Once he was in the DT he stopped pacing and started to eat even more than before
He's now the biggest piggy we have
He eats NLS pellets, mysis, brine ( 'cause of the PJs ), Nori and now HBH super soft spirulina pellets ( thanks for the tip Myka )

Hope Shade settles in quickly :smile:

Have you tried hand-feeding yet ?
Smudge will come right to me when he sees food in my hand and eats nori out of my fingers
He also scares the hell out of me as he follows me around the tank when I'm doing other stuff :lol:

[gregzz4]

That does make me nervous . . . I won't be stickin' my hand in the tank without gloves anymore.
You'll get used to it ...
As I said, Smudge makes me nervous but, as long as I don't make any sudden movements, all is good :mrgreen:

When I'm doing things that may surprise him, I just corral him to the other end of the tank

[gregzz4]

BTW, I don't think they will purposely 'poke' us
I would think we'd have to 'grab' them to get stung

If you look at how Shade reacts to things, you'll see they only flare when they are still or hiding/sleeping, so I find it hard to think we'd be stung by a fleeing fish :lol:

[Enigma]

This guy was ramming into the glass in the QT. It was actually quite alarming. It would happen when the tank light was on and the bathroom light was off, or vice versa. Hubby kept forgetting this, and kept turning the bathroom light off. He'd swim very erratically at times, too. He wound up so worn out from ripping around the tank that he wound up stuck to the canister filter inlet.

Hand feeding? Nope. Lol. I'll let him settle first.

[gregzz4]

Bah, it's easy to hand feed :razz:

Just hold some nori in your fingers and only have your tips in the water
Next time show more fingers, and so on

Next thing you know, he'll be picking at your hand :smile:

[Spyd]

My Foxface is an awesome fish! Spends most of the time out in the open and is a PIG! Eats everything and anything. Great for algae control. He even ate cyano a little once... I don't think we will ever do that again though! His belly showed some red through it and he was acting erratically. Once it passed through, he was back to normal.

I don't think they would ever intentionally sting you, however, catch it off guard and you never really know... I have never been close to it happening but I am all ways aware of where he is and making sure he sees that my hands are in the water so that it stays away.

As for disease, most Rabbitfish are very hardy. I had ich once at the start of my tank and he was able to battle through it with no harm done. Much hardier than most tangs, etc.