Neurotic Tang
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Help
Forum Name: General Help
Forum Description: The place to ask about pest, problems, hitchhikers, etc.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=61569
Printed Date: June 22 2025 at 1:56am
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Topic: Neurotic Tang
Posted By: Shayne
Subject: Neurotic Tang
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 12:49pm
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I picked up a White Tail Bristletooth Tang last week. He seems healthy and is coloring up but his behavior has me concerned. His routine is to spend about 80-90% of the daylight hours swimming near the glass on one side of my tank. He swims with his mouth near the glass and moves up and down several times. Then he'll move over to the powerhead and swim circles around it several times. Always with his mouth generally pointing toward the glass. Then he might break away for a lap around the tank where he'll pick at the rocks a bit. Then he's back to the glass. He is eating a bit but he won't touch the nori I put in a clip. He also doesn't break away from his routine when I feed the tank but I've seen him pick from the bottom when he does one of his break away laps. Is this normal behavior? Do I need to worry? He doesn't seem to be panicking but I wouldn't call it leisurely swimming either (swimming with a purpose?). I think he might be able to see his reflection fairly well on that side since it's very close to a wall. Would that have something to do with it? Any info would be great. I'm just worried that he's going to stress himself out. ------------- 21G Reefer Nano |
Replies:
Posted By: Dan9554880
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 3:46pm
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When I got my tangs they would not touch the nori for a while, you can try soaking it on garlic, also some pet stores don't use nori instead they use lettuce, so u cantry that as well. Now it's sometimes normal for new fish to this especially tangs because they see their reflection, just give some time to get use to its surroundings and if it keeps doing it then you need to worry. ------------- 210 Mixed Reef 20 Nuvo nano reef Learn your tank, not the hobby |
Posted By: Ryanscott
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 1:10am
| My Achilles tang didnt hardly eat the first 3 daysand showed the same behavior but now he eats everything (brine,mysis, bloodworms, nori , and flakes!) and ive only had him 2 weeks! |
Posted By: Ryanscott
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 1:15am
I wouldn't waste your time with the lettuce . They will eat it but it has no nutritional value and is defiantly not something you want him getting used to. Just try moving the clip holding the nori around . Mine didnt start eating it till i moved it from the side panel to the front panel
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Dan9554880 wrote:Posted By: Shayne
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 8:25am
Thanks everyone. He already seems to be doing better. I fed the tank last night and he proceeded to pig out. I guess that's a good sign. 
------------- 21G Reefer Nano |
Posted By: improdigal
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 4:03pm
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Usually a fish swimming up and down along the glass indicates the fish is trying to 'get out'. Normally because they don't like the water quality. I use my purple tang doing this as a sign that it's time to do a water change. If any fish does this, something is probably wrong and I'd run some tests. ------------- Patrick |
Posted By: Shayne
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 4:11pm
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Yeah, I thought of that too. Did some tests and my Alk, Ca, & Mg were getting kind of low. Also, my salinity was getting a bit higher than I like (1.026). I did a water change (5 gallons with only 1/2 cup of salt) and doubled my doses of Alk, Ca, and Mg. I've added quite a few corals recently but I didn't up my dosing so I'll need to adjust for that. Hopefully that will make him a bit happier. ------------- 21G Reefer Nano |
Posted By: MattinIdaho
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 8:29pm
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Good luck with your Tang!! Those are a sick looking fish. I have been looking for one for a long time. Where did you get it at? Can you post a picture? ------------- Matt Hansen 208 709-6559 180 Mixed Reef 40 Breeder Frag Tank 75 Gallon Sump SRO XP3000 Reef Keeper Lite Eheim Jagger 200 Watt x 2 T5 x 8 Lighting 2 Koralia 6, 1 Korali |
Posted By: Shayne
Date Posted: January 24 2013 at 9:21am
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Thanks! I got mine from Reef On in Midvale. I was placing an order for one and they just happened to get one in that day in a large order of various tangs. He hasn't fully colored up yet but I plan to post a pic when he does. ------------- 21G Reefer Nano |