Odd tang behaviour...

[Quinn]

Well as some of you know I have an atlantic blue tang, which has been in my tank for about two weeks now. He is eating nori, not touching mysis or flakes. Looks healthy, no signs of the ich I believe he had when I got him. He is abour 4" long. However since yesterday, he's been racing back and forth at the back of the tank, going left to right, left to right, but staying generally in the centre area of the tank. Occasionally he darts halfway to the front to swim around a rock but then returns to the back. He doesn't come to the front nor does he go above the rock shelf that reaches past halfway up the tank. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by teevee

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on?

Yup, he going insane being in a smaller ocean than he's used to. He may settle down, he may not. This is what the police refer to as pacing from being in too small a tank.

[Quinn]

Really eh. Didn't expect this until he was much larger. I also figured he'd do it along the length of the tank, at the front of the tank. Well I'll give him a few more days and then we might have to arrange for him to move house.

[Aquattro]

Mine circled a large coral for 3 weeks starting a month or so after I got it. Drove me nuts watching it go round and round and....you get the idea. He has since settled in nicely and no longer paces. Just needed to adjust.

[naesco]

TeeVee what is the size of your tank?
Reef what is the size of the tank your tang is adjusting to .

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by naesco

Reef what is the size of the tank your tang is adjusting to .

Mine is a 5 ft. 155g. It is now very much at home and doesn't pace anymore. He's been with me for almost a year now, and doing very well.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by reef_raf

Mine is a 5 ft. 155g. It is now very much at home and doesn't pace anymore. He's been with me for almost a year now, and doing very well.

except they are starving.. they practicly eat you hand if they see algae on it

Steve

[Quinn]

Naesco, why, I didn't expect you to show up on this thread at all!

I have a 150 gal, 48x24x30. It is the only large fish (out of four fish). I think in retrospect I should have realized that this guy was pretty much unsuitable for the tank, considering it's in the Acanthrus genus. I found that what little information was available on the species was conflicting (not much of an excuse). I do plan to remove him when he gets larger (6" or so), but for now, I just want to ensure that he does well in the available conditions. He's eating basically a sheet of garlic-soaked nori a day now. As of this evening he's calmed down a bit, less pacing, but he's hanging out at the back still, whereas up until when he started this odd behaviour, he was out and about all the time. He also has what looks like scratches on his face, likely from banging into rocks all day. I am about to do a water quality test, none of my other livestock looks stressed in any way.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

except they are starving.. they practicly eat you hand if they see algae on it

Steve

So you're thinking I should feed more than three times a day??

[naesco]

Originally Posted by teevee

Naesco, why, I didn't expect you to show up on this thread at all!

I have a 150 gal, 48x24x30. It is the only large fish (out of four fish). I think in retrospect I should have realized that this guy was pretty much unsuitable for the tank, considering it's in the Acanthrus genus. I found that what little information was available on the species was conflicting (not much of an excuse). I do plan to remove him when he gets larger (6" or so), but for now, I just want to ensure that he does well in the available conditions. He's eating basically a sheet of garlic-soaked nori a day now. As of this evening he's calmed down a bit, less pacing, but he's hanging out at the back still, whereas up until when he started this odd behaviour, he was out and about all the time. He also has what looks like scratches on his face, likely from banging into rocks all day. I am about to do a water quality test, none of my other livestock looks stressed in any way.

As you found out tangs of the Acanthurus species are swimmers. The scratches indicate that he does not have enough room to swim without scratching himself on the rocks.
Provide a `run` which is clear of rock and coral from one end of your tank to another. Ideally if you can allow an oval to be formed so that he will turn the corner and take the back route it is even better.
Reef when tangs `settle down` it is because they have no option. The tank does not meet the minimum requirements and the fish cannot do what tangs need to do which is swim.
If you observed identical fish, one in a suitable tank and another in a small tank you could see the difference > in the behaviour of the fish. The swimmer would have a big smile on his face.