Jscwerve
New member
A long read, just a story I wanted to share.
I have been slowly stocking my display over the last few months. some gobys (different kinds) a pair of clowns, your boiler plate CUC, a couple of urchins, etc. Last month it was time for my first "big" fish.
Not to be one to follow conventional wisdom as so many of us do, especially in the noob section, my first larger fish was a yellow tang. The reason was that I found this guy (his name is Kevin, btw) from an LFS employee that has had him in a well established system for over two years. My logic was that being that old and not directly from the ocean, he should take to my tank like the proverbial "fish to water". It didn't really happen that way.
From the moment he got to my display he just stayed in the back of the rock work. Not horrible as I can see my tank from both sides, but I was hoping for a more roaming fish. After a day or two when he settled in, he pretty much hung out in the corner with the clownfish. No real roaming or grazing as you would expect a yellow to do. I think that Kevin believes he is a clownfish. It was almost like he had forgotten how to tang.
He had been like that for weeks, very timid, not eating too much, and barely even munching on garlic dipped nori on a clip. I was concerned, but not overly so as he was eating, just not motivated about it.
Turn the clock ahead several weeks to this last weekend. it was time for another addition. I wanted another free swimming larger fish. I've really been wanting a magnificent foxface, but they are NOWHERE to be found right now. Went to my very, scratch that, my extremely well trusted LFS to see what they had.
There he was. In all his tang beauty. A very personable, pretty, and active small naso tang. Talked with the personnel of the LFS and the owner about compatibility, tank size, etc. Watched him eat and all the other things you do before buying a fish, especially a larger one. Decided to go for it. He had been at the store for 4 weeks, and in their quarantine system treated with prazi and copper already. Did I mention that I have great trust in this LFS, especially the owner? He had said that he wouldn't hesitate putting him right into his own display (which is the most amazing tank I've ever seen BTW) if he didn't already have one in there. on that note, he was going to go directly into mine.
Got home, acclimated temperature, I tested the LFS water before I left the store and salinity already matched mine. Got him transferred into my display.
Within about 2 minutes he was traveling the tank and already grazing. This action must have snapped ol' Kevin out of thinking he was a clownfish. He started following the naso around like a puppy dog or an annoying kid brother. There was a little butt slappage when the naso went into Kevin's corner/cave, but they naso got the hint and is actually kind of indifferent to the yellow.
Several days have passed now. The two tangs are thick as thieves. The yellow is now grazing on rock and never had before. The naso was a natural the second he got into the tank. they follow each other around the tank like old buddies. When one stops to graze on something, the other follows suit right next to it. It is really cool to watch. There isn't any aggression except for when the naso goes into Kevin's cave, and then he doesn't tail slap him as much as kind of push him a little.
Long story short, I'm overjoyed at my new tank addition and for some strange reason I had a tang that didn't know how to act like a tang until another came along. It's funny how things work out sometimes. Just wanted to share.
Disclaimer for the Tang Advocacy Group: Yes, I do know how large a Naso can get. If and when he grows up to a point that he is too large for my system he will be rehomed. At this point he is still small, and they two are housed in a 72" long tank with lots of cave work and open swimming space. They are fine for now.
I have been slowly stocking my display over the last few months. some gobys (different kinds) a pair of clowns, your boiler plate CUC, a couple of urchins, etc. Last month it was time for my first "big" fish.
Not to be one to follow conventional wisdom as so many of us do, especially in the noob section, my first larger fish was a yellow tang. The reason was that I found this guy (his name is Kevin, btw) from an LFS employee that has had him in a well established system for over two years. My logic was that being that old and not directly from the ocean, he should take to my tank like the proverbial "fish to water". It didn't really happen that way.
From the moment he got to my display he just stayed in the back of the rock work. Not horrible as I can see my tank from both sides, but I was hoping for a more roaming fish. After a day or two when he settled in, he pretty much hung out in the corner with the clownfish. No real roaming or grazing as you would expect a yellow to do. I think that Kevin believes he is a clownfish. It was almost like he had forgotten how to tang.
He had been like that for weeks, very timid, not eating too much, and barely even munching on garlic dipped nori on a clip. I was concerned, but not overly so as he was eating, just not motivated about it.
Turn the clock ahead several weeks to this last weekend. it was time for another addition. I wanted another free swimming larger fish. I've really been wanting a magnificent foxface, but they are NOWHERE to be found right now. Went to my very, scratch that, my extremely well trusted LFS to see what they had.
There he was. In all his tang beauty. A very personable, pretty, and active small naso tang. Talked with the personnel of the LFS and the owner about compatibility, tank size, etc. Watched him eat and all the other things you do before buying a fish, especially a larger one. Decided to go for it. He had been at the store for 4 weeks, and in their quarantine system treated with prazi and copper already. Did I mention that I have great trust in this LFS, especially the owner? He had said that he wouldn't hesitate putting him right into his own display (which is the most amazing tank I've ever seen BTW) if he didn't already have one in there. on that note, he was going to go directly into mine.
Got home, acclimated temperature, I tested the LFS water before I left the store and salinity already matched mine. Got him transferred into my display.
Within about 2 minutes he was traveling the tank and already grazing. This action must have snapped ol' Kevin out of thinking he was a clownfish. He started following the naso around like a puppy dog or an annoying kid brother. There was a little butt slappage when the naso went into Kevin's corner/cave, but they naso got the hint and is actually kind of indifferent to the yellow.
Several days have passed now. The two tangs are thick as thieves. The yellow is now grazing on rock and never had before. The naso was a natural the second he got into the tank. they follow each other around the tank like old buddies. When one stops to graze on something, the other follows suit right next to it. It is really cool to watch. There isn't any aggression except for when the naso goes into Kevin's cave, and then he doesn't tail slap him as much as kind of push him a little.
Long story short, I'm overjoyed at my new tank addition and for some strange reason I had a tang that didn't know how to act like a tang until another came along. It's funny how things work out sometimes. Just wanted to share.
Disclaimer for the Tang Advocacy Group: Yes, I do know how large a Naso can get. If and when he grows up to a point that he is too large for my system he will be rehomed. At this point he is still small, and they two are housed in a 72" long tank with lots of cave work and open swimming space. They are fine for now.
Just trying to illustrate the problem with trusting a LFS.
