Regal tang behavior??

[Brenden]

I had two cinnamon clowns in a 30 gal QT tank. One of them started picking on the other bad so I separated them. I figured it was just that they were stuck in a small QT tank. I introd. them to the main this weekend. A day later the dominate clown started picking on the weaker one again. The regal is sitting back watching this, after a while the regal starts jumping in front of the aggressive clown when it would come after the other clown. If they are swimming together it leaves them alone. If one start picking on the other it will intercept it and chase it to the other end of the tank. Is this normal behavior for a regal tang? I also had another weird occurence over the weekend. I had added two peppermint shrimp in the tank due to having several aptasia. (which they ate). I also have a niger trigger which I thought would have them for lunch. Yesterday the trigger is sitting in front of one of the shrimp and the shrimp it hitting the trigger in the head with its antennas. The trigger just sits there opening and closing its mouth as wide as it can. The shrimp walks forward and the trigger swims off. PS The trigger is given a piece of krill every other day between normal tank feedings so he is never "hungry". Also the shrimp were in the main 6 weeks prior to the trigger.

 

[Salttanker]

Hey Brenden,

I know in the wild, cleaner shrimp setup cleaning stations to take care of some of the most aggressive fish. Was the Niger Trigger in there before the shrimp? Sometimes this can make a difference.
That is nice that your Regal is taking care of your Clown there.

Mike

 

[Brenden]

Shrimp were in the tank 5-6 weeks before the trigger. It was a peppermint not a cleaner shrimp

 

[steve-s]

Depends on the size of each really. Nigers will be somewhat "tamer" while very young but for the most part your pepps are on "borrowed time". Occassionally you can introduce a fish like that well after the inverts and sometimes it leaves them alone. Chances are not in their favor though.

As for the Regal, never seen it myself but IMO, the fish is psycotic to begin with so it doesn't suprise me.

Cheers
Steve

 

[IndyReefMan]

As for the Regal, never seen it myself but IMO, the fish is psycotic to begin with so it doesn't suprise me.

So, it sounds like Dori was accurately portrayed in the movie "Finding Nemo" LOL

 

[steve-s]

As for the Regal, never seen it myself but IMO, the fish is psycotic to begin with so it doesn't suprise me.

So, it sounds like Dori was accurately portrayed in the movie "Finding Nemo" LOL

If the one I have (almost 5 yrs now) is any indication, they downplayed it in the movie... LOL

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve r]

one of my peppermints will clean my hand just like a cleaner shrimp

steve r

 

[Salttanker]

The Trigger probably doesn't know the difference between a cleaner or a pepermint.

Mike

 

[StripesTheEel]

My Regal tang is a PSYCHO!! Finding Nemo was definately downplayed as Steve suggested..

 

[greenmaji]

OMG.. I was wanting a Regal tang.. does there "psycho" behavior cause any serious problems?

 

[steve-s]

More to themselves than anything else. They are very prone to abrasions and such given their eratic behavior. It has unintentionally fragged a few monti's for me. Not really a concern otherwise but they are known to nip soft corals if not very well fed and always given grazing foods. Especially when they mature.

Cheers
Steve

 

[StripesTheEel]

I dont think it poses any "real" problems, but they are definately a dominant fish, the only problems I've had is my blue tang biting blue green chromis tails off so they drown.. but other than that, he is a very active guy..!