Blue tang gives an Emerald Crab a piggyback ride!

[dochou]

So I just bought a blue tang last week and it has been pretty shy.
When I was feeding the tank yesterday I noticed the tang swim across the tank with an emerald crab holding on to it! The tang was bucking like a bronco trying to shake it off. Then it ducked back into the rock and I couldn't see it anymore.
Has anyone ever seen this?
I was afraid there was something wrong with the tang. How could it let a crab attach like that? The tang is about 3-4 inches and the crab is like the size of a Quarter.
The tang seems fine now. It stays in the rockworks and I am not sure if it is eating. Any way to get him to eat?

BTW how long will it be before he comes out of the rockwork and swims freely in the open waters of my tank?

[Phyxius]

Might have an aggressive crab on your hands. Some crabs have been known to go after fish so I would keep an eye on it.
My emeralds have never gone after a fish, at least while I was watching them...

[Nuuze]

My blue tang swims to the the emeralds sometimes for a quick cleaning, then swims off. THe emeralds never try to grab on lie yours though.

[fish outa wata]

that def seems odd, never had anything like that happen.
What have you tried feeding the tang and how?
He could be stressed in the new tank and just hiding, the ride probably has not helped the acclimation process.

[dochou]

They were feeding him flakes at the LFS. I started feeding mysis and frozen formula one and nori . He only eats a tiny bit of frozen formula one.
I just got some formula one flakes and gave him some yesterday and he came out to eat a bit of that. So i think he is used to eating flakes. He is still hiding in the rockworks.
I am getting worried b/c he is getting pretty skinny.

[crvz]

Can I call BS just to try and get you to get pictures? Not saying it didnt happen, but you know, just to make you defensive so I can see it? That'd be quite the sight!

But like Mike says, your crab may be getting a little ballsy. Try to feed the tang a couple times a day if he's only eating a bit at a time, and consider soaking the nori in garlic or selcon to entice the fish.

[unbreakable]

had an emerald crab that was very aggressive. it always pinched my YWG. one time it pinched it on its side and gave it a scar, the other time it pinched its dorsal fin and the pinchers actually cut right through it and the poor YWG just opened its mouth really wide like it was in pain and then the crab let go couple seconds later

[dochou]

I wish I had a pic of this! the total duration was like 4-5 seconds and I did not have time to get a pic. I have never seen it happen again.
What would be my motivation to BS anyways?

[Logzor]

A picture of this would be totally epic.

[BigJay]

Tangs and emerald crabs eat the same thing, so I wouldn't rule out competition/fighting over a patch of algae somewhere or a clip of nori.

[A sea K]

Hippo's are generally pretty shy on introduction but it is very important to get them eating ASAP to sustain their health.
Keep things quiet around the tank, Feed live brine shrimp to get him comfortable eating in his new surroundings but offer the flakes he is eating now as well. Try rubberbanding some Nori to a peice of rock for a more natural presentation.
Good Luck.

[dochou]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13224603#post13224603 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by A sea K
Hippo's are generally pretty shy on introduction but it is very important to get them eating ASAP to sustain their health.
Keep things quiet around the tank, Feed live brine shrimp to get him comfortable eating in his new surroundings but offer the flakes he is eating now as well. Try rubberbanding some Nori to a peice of rock for a more natural presentation.
Good Luck.

thanks for the tips. I am trying to introduce the flakes with the formula 2 and mysis. I will try adding live brine and maybe garlic extract.
I have never tried garlic extract.

[SALT WATER CRAZ]

A pic would be great of this. lol

[dochou]

Update:
No more piggy back rides.
Bluetang is eating like a pig now and doing well!
I got him to eat things other than flakes by introducing other foods along with the flakes. I slowly decreased amount of flakes and increased formula2 and mysis and actipods and goldenpearls and reef chile.