Bite/attack the hand that feeds them?***

Bluephish13

Bluephish13

New member
Anyone have problems with your fish attacking you?lol

I have had this hippo tang for 5ish years, got it tiny. Well it has grown over the years. In the past year its pallet closed and its starting to add some serious length and thickness. Along with that growth has come some serious aggression, not towards any other fish, just towards me! The other fish are even older so they already no he is boss. He has not got me yet but i have gotten a lot of water on the floor from him trying to swipe me with his tail spine.

Im only sporting a 90 now and plan to upgrade this coming winter into the 100's with length. Im not sure if any tank i get in the one hundreds will be enough for this guy though. I may have to sell him one day.
 
A few weeks ago I was doing some cleaning and I noticed my yellow tang backing out from behind my rock work. I'm thinking "what's he up to" when he came and gave my gloved hand a little swat with his tail. I've had him for almost 10 years and it's the only time that he's tried that.
 
all fish really are different my ocellaris are also laying eggs on the back glass what seems like every few weeks for the last year. They don"t bother me or anyone at all even when i go in to scrape the glass next to them. I think they know i don't scrape the eggs. They really never gone more than 6-12 inches from the nest. Now that's a nano fish!

Lol thats what mine does it backs out of its cave and flares its fins. I have even tried being the aggressor and moving my hand towards it fast to scare her back. hell no she was not having that completely stood her ground in open water. Her tail is getting nice and thick and that spine looks measurable. Its not even when i am near her cave now. I got 5 min in the tank after that game on!
 
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Clownfish don't really need much room to be happy. It's not ideal, but I've got a pair of clarkii that lay every 13 days in my breeding system. They also are not afraid to bite me. They hurt a little more than the ocellaris. I really don't want to get bit by my GSM female. She's HUGE!!!
 
My huge maroon clown sharpens her teeth every time I take the lid off the tank,she will never miss a chance to take a chunk lol
 
Middle finger tensioned behind the thumb, then release and flick the punk in the head! My clarki is going to be with me 9 years soon and needs an adjustment every other year or so and remembers right quick that the hand feeds is also the hand that punishes if needed.
 
My snowflakes are like that recently. But I also see them cleaning a rock off near where hey sleep. Perhaps they are going to make an attempt to spawn soon?!
 
I had a huge sohal tang that started getting aggressive towards me the same way almost circling like a shark. He also started towards other tangs. He then proceeded to shave and entire head of Todds Torch in a matter of an hour. That was the day he had to go!!
 
My Hippo which I had for a few years, did get aggressive. Not so much with me personally. But with the tank/rock etc.. it's a wonderful fish regardless. But gets aggressive in various different ways depending on individual. From what I personally witnessed as well as experience of others in the hobby- swimming space is extremely important. Otherwise they do gradually get more aggressive as they keep growing out and with age. They "can" get frustrated with conspecifics, tankmates, rock scape/corals etc.. to the point of chasing other fish (which they would normally get along fine with or perhaps even humans) as well as toppling rocks not fastened well that "get in their way".

Though it's not the largest growing of all Tangs and not the most aggressive by far..
(it still can be) The largest aquarium up grades you can do for the longevity of the fish, is the best thing you can do. When possible. Still a favorite of many and a great fish to keep!
 
captain7359 said:
Middle finger tensioned behind the thumb, then release and flick the punk in the head! My clarki is going to be with me 9 years soon and needs an adjustment every other year or so and remembers right quick that the hand feeds is also the hand that punishes if needed.
Click to expand...

:uzi:

I finally quit laughing after a few minutes.
 
lol your user name cracks me up! BIG BARNACLES


Seem to be some what common with tangs from some other posts i found. one guy reported actually needing stitches. Plus getting sliced by that spine in the water could let some serious infections set it. Guess Ill just keep holding him off with a net in the other hand. hopefully he stays good to the other fish/and corals until the upgrade, ill be watching him closely.

Guess that is why they are called "surgeon fish".

He does pick up zoa frags and drops them in my clownfish nest area. Never destroyed anything yet! Also my rocks are skewered with acrylic rods so no way he can knock my scape down. Though now that you mention that he does try.
 
I rescued a Hippo from a 50 gallon nightmare.
It grew too big (IMO) for my 225. They are aggressive and they love to swim and destroy things.

Very intelligent species, BTW.
 
I used to have a monster domino damsel and this sob would leave welts on my hands everytime I stuck it in the tank.
 
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