My Regal Tang must ride the shortbus to fish school

[fragNplug]

This has been ongoing for weeks, and i had to take a video.
I have a regal tang that goes around and around a frag rack in my tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLMOERQdU4w

[Lance]

That's Hilarious! :lol: Does it ever go the other way round?

[fragNplug]

No never.

[BC564]

I had a tomini tang do the same thing around a big rock......

[fragNplug]

I asked kevin at redcoral about it, he says its just like a puppy chasing his tail.
Im certain the fish has brain damage.
The thing is all the other fish get strange when he does his spins.

It increases the tanks action everyone starts acting odd.

[lastlight]

Ok that's embarassing to show guests. We try and make this hobby look all high tech...mechanically but also biologically and dumbass does THAT? get the net man. Too funny!

[Mrfish55]

Thats funny, my Sailfin must have OCD as he does something similar but only for 10 min just before lights out, try covering that side of the tank and see if he stops, might be something he sees out the side that makes him do it, my tangs in the FOWLR are allways pressed up against the glass staring at the reef accross the room, must be something tasty they see over there.

[fragNplug]

Ok that's embarassing to show guests. We try and make this hobby look all high tech...mechanically but also biologically and dumbass does THAT? get the net man. Too funny!

What i have done is moved the fragrack so he cannot get around it anymore.
He looks all lost now just swimming up and down in that corner.

[kien]

fish need to be entertained too don't they? Maybe he just stumbled upon this fun thing he could do all day long while he waits for you to feed him. What else is a fish to do in a box? :lol: I would say he is the smartest fish in there! Hey cool, this is fun, let's do this all day, wheeeeeee!!

[fragNplug]

I tried to move my frag rack to stop him from doing this, then he just swam up and down in that corner.
So i put it back.
NOW he has added the up and down as well as the twisting around the frag rack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dC7VNX_YFw

You may be right, but what do i know i own a crazy regal tang.

fish need to be entertained too don't they? Maybe he just stumbled upon this fun thing he could do all day long while he waits for you to feed him. What else is a fish to do in a box? :lol: I would say he is the smartest fish in there! Hey cool, this is fun, let's do this all day, wheeeeeee!!

[untamed]

It is called stereotypic behaviour...or stereotypy. It is really common in predatory cats and polor bears kept in captivity. Unfortunately, we see it a lot in our fish as well. I know more than I would like to about it due the experience I've had with my Blue Throat Triggers.

Everytime I watch my remaining female Blue Throat, it makes me kind of sad...which isn't how I like to feel when I look at the aquarium.

Based on what I've read, the best solution seems to be to alter the environment in ways that keep the animal interested and provide something for it to do or explore. I'm sure that is difficult to do in a reef aquarium.

Interesting weblink... (well..interesting to me, anyway)
http://www.aps.uoguelph.ca/~gmason/StereotypicAnimalBehaviour/index.shtml

[lorenz0]

lol i agree with kein. fish are hilarious, my tank likes to get blasted by the power head and does a 360.

[fdiddy]

Weird. I saw a Trigger doing this on youtube this morning >< At any rate, Thanks for the article. I try to adjust the flow in my tank every month or so and change some Aquascape (As much as the present scape will allow.

[globaldesigns]

That is hilarious... It needs some Ridalin

[fragNplug]

I was considering given him brine shrimp for a few days.
To give him some energy and see how fast he can actually do it.
Since it seems unlikly that this is heathy behavour ive moved the fragrack.
Hes still up and down in the corner but he does swim away often enough to do other things now.;

[naesco]

This has been ongoing for weeks, and i had to take a video.
I have a regal tang that goes around and around a frag rack in my tank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLMOERQdU4w

Defineatly not normal behaviour for regal tangs.

What is the length of your tank and the size of the tang?

[lastlight]

Naesco not to start anything but I recall when you sold your 130 gallon (this tank is a 180) you listed a bunch of tangs in a tank far too small for them in my opinion.

regal tang 5in
sohal tang 7 in
purple tang 7in

This 6-foot rule doesn't count for much I think when your tank is 18" wide.

[fragNplug]

6x2x2
180g
and 5 inches body not including tail and lips

[naesco]

6x2x2
180g
and 5 inches body not including tail and lips

Frag,
Well your tank is large enough to accommodate the tangs.
It must be just the fish.