Blue/regal tang sick or getting too big?

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My blue tang has started to act strange lately. She is darting around, flapping her dorsal fins rapidly and kind of attacking the glass. She will swim from one end to the other, turn up or back up into the corner and then dart to the other side. Sometimes she stops and twitches, similar to what my mating clowns do prior to laying a clutch. She is NOT scratching/flashing on rockwork, just in open water and at the glass.

There are no visible signs of common pathogens and she is still eating like a pig. Not sure if it is relevant, but is she may have eaten a bristol worm as I sometimes find them on my nori clip if it falls off the glass and sits in the sand for a day.

The other possibility is that she has suddenly decided that she wants a larger tank. I have a 120g tall (4ft long) and I got her as a baby about 2.5 years ago. She is probably 6 inches long now and I will be upgrading to a 240g DT in the spring. This behavior started suddenly though, and I would imagine that I would notice a gradual increase in aggression or stress. She is not really bothering her tank mates except the occassional scuffle over nori with my yellow tang, which is normal.

Tank info/params:

120 DT, 55g sump
Mixed lps/sps
Blue tang, yellow tang, pair bartlets anthias, pair occ. clowns, 4 chromis, lawnmower blenny, mandarin, cleaner wrasse.
Assorted snails/crabs, bubble tip nem, coral banded shrimp.

0 nitrate (carbon dosing)
0 nitrite
pH 8.1
Alk: 8-9 dkh
Cal:440 ppm

Has anyone seen behavior from a tang before?

[lolgranny]

How Long has this been going on?


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First noticed after work yesterday evening. So maybe 2 days.

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Edit: flapping pectoral fins

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Bump

[rvareef]

your 120 is too small for your 6" blue tang, I would upgrade to at least a 350 if you want it to feel comfortable

[hkgar]

The fish is stressed and needs swimming space. That is why I, and many others, refer anyone considering a tang to refer to this thread/chart.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946079

Get it a bigger tank or a new home.

[lolgranny]

The fish is stressed and needs swimming space. That is why I, and many others, refer anyone considering a tang to refer to this thread/chart.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1946079



Get it a bigger tank or a new home.



He’s getting it a bigger tank, as he said.


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[lolgranny]

See how it’s acting in a few days, but as the tang police said the 4’ is too little imo. When it was smaller I don’t see a issue, but it wants to swim. You’ll have a new tank up and running soon enough.

It also could be seeing its reflection in the glass, my tangs g t crazy from time to time and do the same. I have a Pb, 2 yellow, purple, naso, and chevron all in the same system. Every once in a while the Pb will get crazy and do just as you’re describing. If he’s not scraping himself against the glass and looks healthy I wouldn’t stress :)


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[nikon187]

See how it’s acting in a few days, but as the tang police said the 4’ is too little imo. When it was smaller I don’t see a issue, but it wants to swim. You’ll have a new tank up and running soon enough.

It also could be seeing its reflection in the glass, my tangs g t crazy from time to time and do the same. I have a Pb, 2 yellow, purple, naso, and chevron all in the same system. Every once in a while the Pb will get crazy and do just as you’re describing. If he’s not scraping himself against the glass and looks healthy I wouldn’t stress :)


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tang police? if web sites and everywhere states 180g- 240g as minimum tank size for that tang i would call these reponsible hobbiest not the police telling you what you can and cant do.

[lolgranny]

tang police? if web sites and everywhere states 180g- 240g as minimum tank size for that tang i would call these reponsible hobbiest not the police telling you what you can and cant do.



I’m sorry if I offended you :D


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[rvareef]

I’m sorry if I offended you :D


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tang police here, sorry I dont think itll be happy longterm in a 240, it will outgrow that and start spazzing out like its doing in his 120, DORY GETS HUGE

[hkgar]

He’s getting it a bigger tank, as he said.


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In the spring. Too long to wait to save a stressed fish.

[lolgranny]

In the spring. Too long to wait to save a stressed fish.



If the fish is eating and healthy I think it’s better then moving it back to a fish store where we all know it will be put into a 20gallon.


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[lolgranny]

tang police here, sorry I dont think itll be happy longterm in a 240, it will outgrow that and start spazzing out like its doing in his 120, DORY GETS HUGE



Officer, The ocean is the best place for any tang, or fish in general. We like them as pets and put them in a box instead. His 120 is only 4’ so that’s a issue. With a 6’ tank I’n my experience the tang will live a happy life. I’ve never had any of my tangs in my 6ft tanks tell me they were unhappy :). Naso, yellow, purple, PB, PBrown, chevron and Achilles you name it ive had it. Most have all been moved over to my 8’


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[Uncle99]

I would just keep an eye on her, you had this fish for 2.5 years and no problem so I might not want to jump to any conclusions......could be size.....could be a display....if it eats fine and acts normal.....just watch....

[rvareef]

[QUOTE=lolgranny;25492723]Officer, The ocean is the best place for any tang, or fish in general. We like them as pets and put them in a box instead. His 120 is only 4’ so that’s a issue. With a 6’ tank I’n my experience the tang will live a happy life. I’ve never had any of my tangs in my 6ft tanks tell me they were unhappy :). Naso, yellow, purple, PB, PBrown, chevron and Achilles you name it ive had it. Most have all been moved over to my 8’


sorry granny, but dory told me she does not like 4ft or 6ft tanks, she prefers at least an 8ft 300 gallon+

[lolgranny]

[QUOTE=lolgranny;25492723]Officer, The ocean is the best place for any tang, or fish in general. We like them as pets and put them in a box instead. His 120 is only 4’ so that’s a issue. With a 6’ tank I’n my experience the tang will live a happy life. I’ve never had any of my tangs in my 6ft tanks tell me they were unhappy :). Naso, yellow, purple, PB, PBrown, chevron and Achilles you name it ive had it. Most have all been moved over to my 8’





sorry granny, but dory told me she does not like 4ft or 6ft tanks, she prefers at least an 8ft 300 gallon+


Women always want more [emoji6]




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[rvareef]

[QUOTE=rvareef;25492740]


Women always want more [emoji6]




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I heard that