New fish never seem to eat for me

Yesterday I saw the fox face eating some nori and the sheets I put in are disappearing way way faster then before he was in the tank.
The flame is starting to come out of the rock work and last night I saw him eat 4-5 mysis shrimp. So I'm starting to feel good about their chances.
I have a 150 gal tank and approx 200 pounds of rock so there's plenty of hiding spots.
Not seeing the first 3 fish I bought feed was a newb mistake that cost me. I'm planning on getting my next fish from the lfs that sold me the 3 that died but I'll be making sure that it eats. Lesson learned for sure.

 

That's wonderful news... glad to hear. Good luck to you with both of them.

FWIW, we've all made that mistake (and many more) in our 'younger' years.

 

ouch bro, if things go south, maybe try a hardier species. so far, you've picked "expert" level fish or fish that require a mature aquarium. Start easier, with a clown perhaps. and move up. I'd also suggest you do ALOT of reading before getting another fish. Most of what you have bought are not suitable for a new tank. Sorry.

And foxfaces IMO are nervous wrecks and always will be, mine is 3-4 months in and still a nervous wreck if I get near the tank and scares the other fish, well most of them. Flame angels are almost as bad. IMO, if they don't start eating, I'd rehome them and get some starter fish to learn with.

 

Interesting cosmo...once settled, the foxface (S. vulpinus) we kept was a super "out front" fish. It actually kinda became Renee's "pet", and would not only eat from our hands, but would try to suck mysis out of the end of the baster we used to feed the corals we kept at the time.

 

I fail to see where you see expert level fish in the list. Copperbands MAY be difficult at times but are no where near expert only. The rest are easily considered easy-moderate. Foxface and Rabbitfish are very hardy...

As for the foxface, they can be tame shy timid however you want to call it, but once food is involved and they are settled in, Its game over for the food! As for the shyness still of your fish, it could easily be the bold swimming pattern of another fish in the tank.

 

I have to agree. My rabbitfish is the craziest critter in the tank. Sure his is a bit of a wreck but I can't even get my face close to my tank before he is right in it. I seriously can't look at a coral up close because the darned thing gets in front of my eyeballs. It's kind of annoying to be honest with you.

 

Update:
My fox face has turned into a pig. He easily eats 3 times as much a my tomini tang. The flame is eating mysis and is coming out more and more.

Liveaquaria has the copper banded listed as difficult but all the rest listed as moderate for care level.
Looking back I think the main thing I did wrong with the first 3 was not having the lfs feed them before I bought them. It feels good having a successful outcome with these 2. I'm sure I still have a lot of future mistakes to make, but hopefully new dying fish are behind me for good.

 

I soak everything in Selcon for boosting nutrients as well as acting as an apatite inducer.