Tang eating polyps??

Morgadeth

Morgadeth

AC Members
Sep 19, 2007
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Ft Drum NY
I have a tang that seems to have an issue with polyps. Every time I've tried to add polyps to my tank, someone torments them horribly when I am not looking.

I'm pretty sure it's the tang. I thought it was a territorial thing, so I moved the polyps away from his "area" to the other side of the tank.

He followed them!

No matter where I placed them, someone kept knock them over, pushing them around; basic torture. So, I wedged the piece of coral they are on between two rocks, eliminating any possibility of movement.

It appears that if they can't be moved, they can be removed..


Oddly enough, he leaves other types of coral alone, and I have a small xenia colony that he leaves alone. it appears only the zoos get hit.

Anyone have any suggestions?

(don't buy zoos; get rid of the tang; I know...)
 
I tried again with another small colony..
It seems they were doing fine, but now, are suffering a few casualties. I am also wondering if one of the damsels is adding to the problem. I watched my tang swin by the polyps with extreme force, trying to blow them away with his wake. No one else has ever had this sort of problem?
 
My guess would be the puffer perhaps, although I have heard of tangs bothering polyps on rare occasions from lfs customers.
 
??? Never heard of a yellow tang that eats zoos----the zoos are toxic.
 
The tang is pretty bossy.. He really flipped out once I anchored those polyps properly.. I suppose it could be the puffer, but he's well fed, and I never see him near the polyps. Maybe a midnight snack; I dunno.
 
Let me know how it turns out, I keep reading things about tangs eating zoas too. I have some zoas i love but would like a tang too. scared they will do some damage though. i've got a 90g 6' setup.
 
Set up cam to record during your absence/night. It could be unknown invert/hitchhiker which may be the culpit.
 
I'm reviving this ancient thread, as I was the original starter under a previous name..

I'm trying polyps once again, now that I no longer have a puffer fish, and I am running MH lighting..

Something in my tank hates polyps, and I'll tell you why:
The new rock has shown some signs of abuse, and amidst the chaos, I located a small frag that was seperated from the parent colony. I superglued it to an unused frag plug and put it back into the tank..

You know something beat on it until it was knocked off the plug! I didn't witness the activity, since the fish all behave when I am watching (funny how they do that).

I have no idea where the frag disappeared to, but I think there is a coral bully in my tank. Oddly, leathers are left alone, as are mushrooms and my birdsnest coral. It seems that only zoa colonies are prone to the beatdown..
Could it be the tang, or possibly one of the two damsels? I've been ensuring that everyone is properly fed to reduce temptation, so I'm not sure what the issue is...
 
I think it is my large, black damsel.. He's one of the ones with the white spot on his back, and a really cranky old fish.

I came through the door at lunchtime and saw him nipping at the underside of the polyp colony, so I think I've found my culprit.

Unfortunately, he's the only fish in my tank smart enough to stay out of my "soda bottle fish trap".

Anyone know somewhere I can buy a micro-harpoon? :P
 
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