Tang behaviour

[Doug]

As a follow up to the post I made in the tang for a 75g thread, I thought I would post more on my spoiled pair.

I decided to keep my 170, for now, {thanks for understanding Dan, }. The day I started to remove rock to empty the tank for pick up, I spent more time sitting in front looking at my poor fish than removing anything. In the end they ended up winning. What a sap.

Anywho, I wanted to comment on their behaviour. On my weekend trip to SWC, I picked up a copperband to help with my apitasia. Although not an adult, the one I selected was a little larger than we wanted. We know from a friends tank and others, the problems with trying to introduce any except for small ones, into a tank with established tangs, even young ones like mine.

I thought perhaps my chicken @#*& kole and young yellow, would leave him alone, but oooooh no. Its absolutely amazing how fish like tangs that dont like each other, stick together. Its bad enough one goes nowhere without the other.

Now they team up to go after the newcomer to their territory. Of course the kole has to hide and peek first, so the yellow takes the first shift. Later on the kole is brave enough to have a go himself. Did you ever notice, the kole would rather try bite than tail slash like the yellows. Sheez, even young yellow tangs are dorks.

I spent the whole day watching, hoping it would slow down. It did for awile but when the halides went out and just the actinics were on, back to work they went. I never once seen them land any blows but in the end the poor copperband was just getting to harrassed, so I removed him before night came.

He now is residing in my 55g sump, very happy it seems. I put some rock in their with apitasia and fanworms. He,s eating well and had some brine and bloodworms this morning. Not sure yet how I will introduce him, but will figure something out.

It was just the fellowship of the two tangs that I watched all day, that amazed me. Just like to best friends to the end it seemed. Sure they hate each other. Yea right.