Something is wrong with my Onespot Foxface!!!

[danelam]

I woke up this morning and it's breathing very rapidly and hiding in a cave. It normally eats like a pig but has barely picked at the food this morning. I'm not sure what is wrong with it. I have a few thoughts:

- Could it have eaten some regurgitated anemone food and been poisoned?
- I've just been looking at the tank closely and have seen that it makes attempts to go out of the cave when my two banggai cardinals are out of the area. The gramma seems to only come out when the banggais are away too.
Could they be being bullies?

I'm yet to check my parameters, but yesterday they were all good and nothing else (no fish, no coral, no anemone) seems to be acting strangely which is all very weird. The foxface's coloration as the same as normal (yellow with the black back it's had for over a month.)

Your thoughts and help would be appreciated with this.

 

[marrone]

Foxface/Rabbit fish can be bully very easy, not to mention they get spooked very easy too. I think the two banggai cardinals maybe bothering it some what, though they usually change colors when stressed. I wouldn't worry about it to much and it should be ok in a day or two.

 

[KathyC]

To add to what Mike said..your Royal Gramma may also not come out when the Banggai's are around as Royals have a tendency to 'protect' their territory in a tank, so they either don't come out of their hidey-hole when others are around, or they chase they away. Normal behavior for them.

 

[danelam]

Thanks marrone - yeah it's weird. Banggais were introduced at the same time as Foxface and gramma but lately have just been noticing they've gotten a bit "big for their boots." The past few days I've noticed them chasing my gramma into the rocks. It's strange - I was under the impression that they're peaceful fish.
It's just the rapid breathing that's worrying me - doesn't look happy.