Tang Behaviour

[reefER-Man]

Tang Behaviour / Teddy Bear Crab

thanks for all the great advice. I do appreciate it, even if I don't always agree with everything. I admit that I don't know everything about fish, but I'm not a novice either. I consider myself a very responsible fish enthusiast, and I provide for my inhabitants the best that I can. I've been studying fish, and been involved with fish for over 25 years. I know a little, but you can always learn more, cant you?

For a moderator to flame me and call me irresponsible, and to say he's not offering any more assistance on this forum to me, because I don't immediately follow his advice I think is just wrong. Firstly, I don't have 3 tangs showing signs of fighting. I never said that. I have 1 tang that sporadically takes a run at another. I agree that if this is a situation that persists or worsens that action will be necessary. I've said that all along.

I'm not starting a pi$$ing match either, I don't disagree with anything said in this thread. I just don't see the need at this point to do something IMMEDIATELY. As the tangs get bigger, if this worsens, as I said before I will take action. To this point, the largest tang, Sailfin has not had one altercation with any fish. If I do elect to take action, my first step would be to remove the purple tang, as he is the only one showing any agressiveness at all. Incidentally, I haven't seen any confrontations whatsover since Friday...

I'm not saying that this is dead issue, it's just so infrequent that it seems ridiculous to take 2 out right now. I realize as the growth sizes change, the behaviour may change. As I've said ALL ALONG if this persists, worsens or becomes stressful to the fish, I will resove the issue. Guess that's not responsible enough to some, but in my tank, that is my decision isn't it?
Trust me, I love my fish, and will do right by them.

Thanks for the info on the Teddy Bear crab, from what I have been able to find about those species, they are harmless for a reef tank, but you are right, there is little info out there about that type of crab. He was a critter on my live rock...been in my tank for about 7 months now, and no probs with him so far...

 

[slipknottin]

If its happening now then it is already stressful to your fish. Visible signs of stress often appear late, too late in many cases to prevent anything worse from occuring. If they are fighting now and have been fighting for some time, they will continue to fight until one is removed, either by you, or by another tang.

As tangs mature, their scalpels become much larger and sharper. And those tail bashings will become very serious.

As far as multiple tangs are concerned - Tangs are both solitary, and schooling(Shoaling) fish. Adding a single tang is fine, and adding a group (generally 3 or more depending on the species) is also ok. There is no real guide for mixing various species of tangs, so you should rely mainly on how they behave once in the aquarium. In this case, it is quite obvious that there is a conflict.

 

[Cat]

If you do you will end up with one Tang or less due to the fighting which will cause the onset of ich. I can't believe this!

Sorry this has confussed me I didnt thing fish could get Ich unless the parasite was present in the water, from introducing new infected fish etc . . .
Not from fighting/stress???

 

[slipknottin]

Sorry this has confussed me I didnt thing fish could get Ich unless the parasite was present in the water, from introducing new infected fish etc . . .
Not from fighting/stress???

They cant get ich unless present in the water. However, in many (if not most) marine aquariums the ich is always present, waiting for a sick or stressed fish to take up residence on.